Periodontic/Orthodontic Residency

Applying to the Program

Students apply to the graduate dental education programs through the Postdoctoral Application Support Service (PASS) with the American Dental Education Association. The deadline for applications received through PASS is September 1, with the exception of oral and maxillofacial surgery (October 1 deadline), pediatric dentistry (October 1 deadline), and oral medicine (November 18 deadline). Applications are processed online through the PASS web site. Please note: To ensure applications are received by the program deadlines noted above, applicants must meet the earlier deadline requirements set by PASS (see PASS web site for those deadlines).

In addition to the PASS application process, applicants for all programs (except pediatric dentistry and oral and maxillofacial surgery) are required to complete the Penn Dental Medicine Graduate Dental Education Supplemental Application (complete form online and print). The supplemental application must be completed in full and submitted directly to the Office of Graduate Dental Education at Penn Dental Medicine by September 1st. A resume or curriculum vitae is not an appropriate substitution for the supplemental application. Students interested in the combined Orthodontics/Periodontics program, should indicate that preference on their supplemental application, but apply to the Orthodontics program only through the PASS application process.

A $50 non-refundable application fee must be submitted with the completed supplemental application; please note that the Office of Graduate Dental Education is unable, without exception, to waive this application fee. Checks or money orders (in U.S. currency) are payable to Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania and should be sent along with the completed supplemental application to: Office of Graduate Dental Education, Robert Schattner Center, Penn Dental Medicine, 240 S. 40 th St., E2A, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6030

In addition to the supplemental application, the following documents must be sent to the Office of Graduate Education at Penn Dental Medicine for applications to be considered complete and presented to the Admissions Committee:

•  An official copy of your dental school transcript
•  An official copy of your college transcript
•  Official National Dental Board Scores

Please submit these above credentials to: Office of Graduate Dental Education, Robert Schattner Center, Penn Dental Medicine, 240 S. 40th St., E2A, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6030.

All materials must be either received in the Office of Graduate Dental Education or postmarked by the program deadlines noted. Make generous allowances for international mail. Late materials will be marked as such and not necessarily examined.

Personal interviews are also part of the selection process. Candidates will be contacted to schedule interviews as needed.

Additional Information for International Applicants

•  International applicants from countries in which English is not the primary language must provide an official Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score report; a notarized copy is acceptable. Successful candidates will demonstrate both strong written and verbal communication skills. Although there is no minimum TOEFL score, serious consideration will be given to applicants with scores of 83 and above (Internet-based test) and a minimum score of 250 or above on the computer-based test is suggested for admission. The TOEFL is available through embassies and consulates around the world. For more information, write to: Test of English as a Foreign Language, P.O. Box 6151, Princeton, NJ 08541-6151, U.S.A., or visit the TOEFL web site.

•  The National Board Dental Examinations and Dental Admissions Test (DAT) are not required. However, if you have the opportunity to take the Boards, you are encouraged to do so. Official copies of these scores should be sent directly from the testing officials to the Office of Graduate Dental Education.

•  All documents must be accompanied by a translation if in a language other than English; credentials and translations will not be considered official unless they are from accredited sources and are embossed/notarized by the issuing parties.

•  All applicants must be eligible to obtain temporary licensure from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, for which graduation from an accredited dental school is required. Therefore, individuals holding a BDS or degrees other than a DMD/DDS need to have their credentials evaluated by an outside agency prior to their application being submitted and considered complete. Please visit these websites (www.ece.org, www.wes.org) for completion of this process. If accepted into a graduate dental education program, this original credentialing evaluation must then also be forwarded to the Pennsylvania State Board of Dentistry for approval.

•  The University of Pennsylvania cannot provide foreign applicants with any type of financial aid. U.S. immigration laws require all non-U.S. applicants to prove their ability to fund their entire education. This financial viability must be proven before the government will approve a student visa application.

•  Foreign-trained dentists planning to practice dentistry in the United States after completion of a graduate dental education program, must complete a Program for Advanced Standing Students prior to being able to practice. For information on the Penn Dental Medicine Program for Advanced Standing Students, click here.

Reapplying to the Program

Individuals who were not accepted to a residency program in prior years are encouraged to reapply. Students will not be required to reapply through the Postdoctoral Application Support Service (PASS) if they are reapplying within a three-year period. Students who wish to reapply to the graduate dental education programs need to complete/provide the following:

•  A letter of intent requesting reactivation of their earlier PASS application file (if within three years).
•  A new Penn Dental Medicine supplemental application and submission of the required documents and $50 application fee.
•  Any relevant documents and/or records that support any recent achievements or additional training.

Contact Information

The Robert Schattner Center
University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine
Office of Graduate Dental Education
240 South 40th Street, E2A
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6030
Phone: 215-898-5792