Prosthodontics

Program Director

Mathew Kattadiyil, BDS, MDS, MS, FACP
Professor of Prosthodontics

For a list of other Faculty for the Advanced Dental Education Program in Prosthodontics, click here.

The application process for all Advanced Dental Education Programs has changed. Please apply directly through PASS beginning May of this year.

Advanced Dental Education Program in Prosthodontics

General Information

Application Method

Contact Information

Program Description

The Advanced Dental Education Program in Prosthodontics is designed to increase the knowledge base and clinical and laboratory skills of the student in all areas of prosthodontics. In addition to conventional fixed and removable prosthodontics, this program offers considerable experience in esthetic dentistry and implant prosthodontics (includes surgical placement), an introduction to maxillofacial prosthetics, and the diagnosis and treatment planning of patients with temporomandibular dysfunction (TMD).

Comprehensive treatment planning seminars with the students and faculty of other graduate programs are designed to prepare the student to interact with and coordinate the treatment of patients requiring advanced prosthodontic treatment.

Program learning outcomes:

• Demonstrate knowledge in the diagnosis, treatment planning, and treatment related to prosthodontic therapy.
• Demonstrate competency for the full range of clinical procedures that are considered an integral part of prosthodontics.
• Demonstrate research understanding and knowledge.
• Apply evidence-based information and participate in prosthodontic research.

The goals of the Advanced Dental Education Program in Prosthodontics are:

Goal 1	To educate graduate students of the Advanced Dental Education Program in Prosthodontics to become competent in the delivery of prosthodontic care.
Goal 2	To train students to perform at the level of competency for the full range of clinical procedures that are considered an integral part of the specialty of prosthodontics.  Utilize experienced, highly competent faculty who are recognized by the specialty.  Accomplish management of patient's prosthetic needs successfully so that the patients are satisfied, comfortable and acceptably treated in a timely, efficient manner.
Goal 3	To educate graduate students of the Advanced Dental Education Program in Prosthodontics to perform research and practice teaching.
Goal 4	To encourage students to participate in prosthodontic dental teaching and prepare them to continue to grow professionally and become emissaries for the school of dentistry, the dental profession, and the specialty of prosthodontics.

Graduate Prosthodontics Clinic waiting room (left) and reception desk (right).

Two Master's Degree Tracks Available

Loma Linda University School of Dentistry offers two master's degree tracks for graduate students/residents enrolled in the advanced education certificate program in Prosthodontics.

Master of Science (MS) degree track

The Master of Science (MS) degree track can be invaluable to students who wish to pursue an academic career in clinical dentistry, research, and teaching. The didactic and clinical components of the certificate program fulfill the academic requirements for the MS degree. Candidates must be admitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies (FGS), conduct a graduate level research project, write a thesis, and hold a public thesis defense. Students have five years from the date of acceptance of the certificate program to complete the requirements for the MS degree.

Candidates who meet the admissions requirements must submit an application to FGS through the Office of Advanced Dental Education and that application must be supported by the applicant's program director.

Master of Science in Dentistry (MSD) degree track

Eligible candidates may elect to apply for the Master of Science in Dentistry (MSD) degree track.  The MSD degree track is intended to provide individuals with an advanced degree widely recognized as having completed a dental specialty program.  Applicants must be recommended for admission to this degree track by their program director and subsequently approved for admission by the Associate Dean for Advanced Education. The MSD degree is awarded upon successful completion of the certificate program, completion of an approved graduate research project, and submission of a report of that research project in the form of a publishable paper in the format of a journal selected by the candidate and approved by the program director.  Candidates must also hold a public presentation of their research in a format similar to a thesis defense.  All the MSD requirements may be complete during the program but no later than one year from the candidate’s program completion date.

Graduates of the certificate, MS degree program, and MSD degree program are educationally qualified for certification by the American Board of Prosthodontics.

Operatory in the Graduate Prosthodontics Clinic.	Surgical operatory in the Graduate Prosthodontics Clinic.

Application and Admission Process

Submit application to the Postdoctoral Application Support Service (PASS) beginning May of this year. PASS application. The Advanced Dental Education Program in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery participates in the PASS application service of the American Dental Education Association (ADEA) allowing applicants to apply to multiple participating institutions using one standardized format. We strongly recommend that you apply within the first two months. After your PASS application is received by LLUSD, a supplemental application invitation will be emailed to you. This can take several weeks after the PASS application has been submitted.

Invitation to interview - All complete applications that meet the minimum admissions requirements are reviewed (refer to Admissions Requirements below). The top candidates are invited for an interview by a selection committee composed of department faculty and outside faculty/administrators and chaired by the program director. A laboratory practical and treatment planning evaluation are included in the evaluation process. Interviews are held in September or October.

Admissions decisions - The program director presents the list of nominations for admission (with alternates) for discussion and approval by the graduate admissions committee. The committee meets monthly, and candidates will be notified of a decision as soon as possible.

Acceptance - Candidates offered acceptance are required to submit a nonrefundable electronic deposit of $1,000 to hold a place in the entering class. These funds will be applied towards tuition and fees for the first quarter of study.

Background check - Accepted students must complete a background check in order to register and begin the program.

Health Clearance Information and CPR Training for Incoming Graduate Students and Residents - All individuals accepted into an Advanced Education Program must receive a health clearance from Student Health Service before they are permitted to start their program. A health clearance includes passing a PPD (tuberculosis), Hepatitis B, and MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) test. In addition, all incoming graduate students/residents also must undergo Health Care Provider CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) training and obtain certification prior to the start of their program.

How to obtain information regarding policies on blood-borne and infectious diseases:
Federal OSHA (www.osha.gov) In search menu type: Bloodborne Pathogens 1910.1030
State Cal/OSHA (www.dir.ca.gov) In search menu type: Bloodborne Pathogens Standards 5193

Admissions Requirements

The following information and documentation are required for all applications to the Prosthodontics Program:

1.  Transcript(s) - from all post-secondary institutions from which the applicant received credit whether or not the work pertains to their LLU degree.  Only official transcript(s) will be accepted.  An official transcript is one that is submitted directly from the school, college, or university to Loma Linda University.  Transcripts that are hand-carried or mailed by an applicant, even if in a sealed envelope, cannot be considered official and will be recorded as still missing.  Transcripts should be mailed directly to: Admissions Processing, 11139 Anderson Street, Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA 92350.

Applicants who have transcripts from non-US dental schools must submit a translated course-by-course transcript report from one of the following agencies (See International Transcript Information):

1. World Education Services (WES) *
2. American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO)
3. Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc (ECE)
4. American Education Research Corporation (AERC)

* If ordering an evaluation from WES, you must order a WES ICAP course-by-course evaluation. Academic copies of transcripts/mark sheets and degree certificates included in official WES reports, are considered by Loma Linda University, as official and fulfill the document requirements for those schools listed on the report.

2.  Official Degree Certificate (for all international applicants) - Any foreign transcript (or mark sheet) that does not list on it the graduation information, including the actual degree earned, must be supported by an official degree certificate or school-verified copy of the degree certificate mailed directly from the issuing institution to Admissions Processing, Loma Linda University.

Applicants who are uncertain as to whether or not their transcript lists graduation information and degree earned should contact their school before requesting a separate degree certificate.

3.  GPA and Class Rank - A cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or higher. Applicants should request the dean of their dental school to provide a letter with their official GPA and class rank.

4.  National Board Dental Examination (NBDE) - Successful completion of the National Board Dental Examination Part I and Part II (when available) is required of U.S. trained applicants. Part I must be submitted by the application deadline and Part II results are to be submitted when available.  Please allow plenty of time for NBDE score report requests to be processed by the ADA. Have NBDE scores sent to admissions.app@llu.edu. We cannot accept NBDE scores reported in a Dean's letter as an official report of test results.  Request NBDE scores

5.  English Proficiency Exam - Regardless of nationality or citizenship, an applicant whose native language is not English or whose secondary education has been given outside the U.S. is required to pass one of the following English proficiency tests:

1. TOEFL scores are valid for two years from the test date.  The institution code for Loma Linda University is 4062. TOEFL minimum recommended scores are: 90 - Internet-based test , 577 - Paper-based test, including a minimum final score of 5.0 on the TWE part (Test of Written English)
2. IELTS scores are valid for two years from the test date. LLU minimum score is 6.5
3. MELAB LLU minimum score is 77

6.  Letters of recommendation - Three letters of recommendation from individuals who have known and worked closely with the candidate are required in support of an application.  Letters of recommendation are valid for no more than two consecutive years for the same program.  Letters of recommendation also must be program specific (ie, support an applicant for the actual program to which he/she is applying).  Electronic notifications to the recommenders are sent out after submitting the online application.  Alternatively, an applicant applying to the program through PASS may use their Personal Potential Index (PPI) evaluation report, Professional Evaluation Forms (PEF), and Institutional Evaluation Form (IEF) for their LLU application as well.  Applicants who would like to use their PASS letters of recommendation should leave the recommendation section of their LLU online application blank and after submitting the application, the PPI evaluations will be matched up.

7.  Curriculum Vitae - Applicants must include their curriculum vitae sent electronically with the online application or mailed directly to the Office of Advanced Dental Education.

8.  Advanced Dental Admission Test (ADAT)- Applicants are encouraged (but not required) to take the ADAT. Applicants who have Pass/Fail National Board Dental Examination (NBDE) results and cannot report a dental school GPA are strongly encouraged to take the ADAT. Applicants that include ADAT results in their application may be given stronger consideration. Official ADAT reports must be received before the application deadline (August 15th). Please visit the ADAT website for further information: http://www.ada.org/en/education-careers/advanced-dental-admission-test.

Important Instructions for the Transmittal of Official Documents:

All official documents must be mailed from the issuing institutions. Applicants must not mail originals or official copies of transcripts, GRE scores, National Dental Board scores, and TOEFL scores themselves.

An application is not considered complete until all required supporting documents have been received. Only completed applications go to committee for consideration. This policy holds true for both U.S. and non-U.S. applicants. So please apply early.

Graduate Prosthodontics lab.	Mick Ilich, CDT, in-house ceramic technologist, Advanced Dental Education Program in Prosthodontics and the Advanced Education Program in Implant Dentistry.

Tuition and Fees

Get details on the standard cost of attendance at LLU. View Estimates

Fellowship in Advanced Digital Prosthodontics and Implant Dentistry

This Fellowship is designed for those who have completed the advanced education program in Prosthodontics at Loma Linda University School of Dentistry (LLUSD) and wish to receive additional training and experience in Prosthodontics including preparation for Prosthodontics board certification, digital technology and Implant Dentistry which involves surgical placement of dental implants. Experience with advanced surgical procedures will not be offered in this Fellowship.

The program is one year in length and requires full-time attendance Monday - Thursday (8am -5pm) and Friday (8am-3pm). Fellow(s) will be required to perform patient care in the graduate prosthodontics clinic using digital technology in Prosthodontics, Implant Dentistry and dental laboratory procedures. Fellow is expected to participate in research related to the rapidly developing field of digital Prosthodontics and Implant Dentistry and is required to attend seminars and lectures advised by the Program Director. The Fellow will be expected to assist Program Director in courses to allow the Fellow to develop skills in teaching and effective dissemination of information to students.

This program typically begins on July 1 and terminates at the end of June the following year. Admission is at the discretion of the Program Director and enrollment is limited.

Fellow will receive a certificate of completion of Fellowship upon satisfactory completion of program.

1. Offered to anyone who has undergone specialty training in Prosthodontics at LLUSD and interested in enhancing knowledge and skills in Prosthodontics and Implant Dentistry utilizing digital technology. The Fellowship is also offered to those who have completed the certificate program in Prosthodontics and are seeking board certification in Prosthodontics. 
2. Duration of Fellowship is 12 months.
3. Fellow is eligible to take 20 working days for vacation or other personal needs.
4. Time off will be given for attending professional meetings or taking board examinations (does not include preparation time) with prior approval from Program Director.
5. Fellow will be expected to gain experience in digital Prosthodontics and Prosthodontics related procedures which will include surgical placement of implants.
6. Fellow is expected to prepare a manuscript on a topic related to Prosthodontics for submission to a peer-reviewed journal.
7. Fellow will be provided patient situations, sufficiently complex enough and thereby suited to his/her advanced experience as a Prosthodontist. Fellow will be expected to be active in clinic every week for sessions provided, 12 hours a week at a minimum. Clinical expectations will be established in writing after consultation with the attending faculty who will work with Fellow. Fellow will be expected to assist Program Director (PD) in courses as determined by PD. These experiences are expected to allow Fellow to develop skills in teaching and effective dissemination of information to students. This could include providing clinic/didactic instruction to pre-doctoral and graduate students.
8. Board certified faculty will be available to guide Fellow in preparing for the American Board of Prosthodontics (ABP) examinations, if the Fellow has the necessary credentials to challenge the examinations, based on the criteria stipulated by the ABP. 
9. Requirements and expectations: Fellow should be available to provide assistance in the clinic and or laboratory during regular class hours. Fellow is expected to be available from Monday to Thursday from 8 am to 5 pm and Fridays from 8 am to 3 pm.  In addition to the clinical portion of the program, there are seminars and lectures that may have required attendance.
   Requirements for laboratory procedures: 
   Laboratory support will be similar to that provided to a graduate student in Prosthodontics with additional emphasis on using digital technology.
10. Fellow will receive a certificate of completion of Fellowship upon satisfactory completion of program. Unsatisfactory performance could result in delay in the program completion date.

Length of program:	1 year
Number of applicants accepted each year:	1 to 4
Applicant method:	Paper application to Advanced Prosthodontics
Applications accepted as of:	December 1st
Program start date:	July 1st of each year

Tuition of the Fellowship Program:

One year = full tuition for four quarters

Externship and Internship Programs in Prosthodontics

The externship and Internship programs are designed to provide general dentists an opportunity to expand their knowledge and understanding of prosthodontics and implant dentistry.  Trainees attend didactic courses, literature seminars, and interdisciplinary treatment-planning sessions but do not treat patients.

Training typically ranges from one month to several months (externship) or as long as twelve months (internship).  In the Graduate Prosthodontics Clinic the activity of interns and externs is limited to clinical assistance and observation.

Participants can expect to obtain training in the following areas:

• Clinical assistance and observation in basic and advanced procedures in prosthodontics
• Clinical assistance and observation in basic surgical procedures in implant dentistry
• Attendance in didactic core courses common to other graduate programs
• Attendance in didactic courses exclusively related to graduate prosthodontics
• Participation in clinical and/or laboratory research in prosthodontics (optional)

Cost for Externships and Internship (adjusted every July 1st):

1 month or less = 1/3 quarterly tuition

Up to 2 months = 2/3 quarterly tuition

Up to 3 months = full quarter's tuition

One year = full tuition for four quarters

Application: THE APPLICATIONS BELOW ARE FOR NON-DEGREE STUDENTS ONLY and are not to be used for anyone applying to the certificate program. Please select the correct application below:

• Application for Fellowship
• Application for Externship or Internship