Virginia Commonwealth University

Postgraduate Program

Program Director

Karan J. Replogle, DDS, MS
Interim Department Chair, Endodontics

Description

The Advanced Specialty Education Program in Endodontics offers the student a comprehensive 24-month course of study in clinical and didactic Endodontics. The program is designed to educate qualified individuals to pursue careers as teachers, researchers and practicing clinical specialists of Endodontics. The program meets the educational requirements for limitation of practice to the specialty of Endodontics, and prepares the student for examination by the American Board of Endodontics. The program is composed of two interrelated components: lecture courses that provide the student with a firm biological basis for patient care, and lectures, seminars and clinical training designed to produce clinical proficiency in Endodontics. Research experience is gained through completion of an individual research project and master's thesis. The clinical curriculum will occupy approximately 50-60% of the resident's time and the didactic, teaching, and research components make up the remaining 40-50% of the program.

Students completing the program earn a specialty Certificate in Endodontics and a Master’s of Science in Dentistry degree. Students must complete the requirements for the Master's degree prior to being awarded the specialty certificate.

The program in endodontics is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation. The Commission is a specialized accrediting body recognized by the United States Department of Education. The Commission on Dental Accreditation can be contacted at (312) 440-4653 or at 211 East Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611.

Facilities and Resources

The facilities of the School of Dentistry are housed in the Wood Memorial, Lyons, and Perkinson Buildings and contain clinical facilities, research facilities, classrooms, student laboratories, departmental offices, and a computer learning laboratory. The laboratories and classrooms contain the latest audio-visual equipment. The Tompkins-McCaw Library for the Health Sciences is located across the street from the School of Dentistry.

The Graduate Endodontic Clinic is an eight-chair clinic housed on the second floor of the Lyons Building. Residents are assigned to and maintain their own individual operatories for the two years of the program. The Graduate Endodontic Conference Room is located adjacent to the clinic area. Each operatory is equipped with Zeiss surgical operating microscopes. Digital radiography is currently in use, and electronic health records are currently being implemented. Three full-time chairside assistants staff the clinic. The Endodontic Departmental Offices are located on the third floor of the Lyons Building.

Qualifications

Eligibility

Dentists with the following minimum qualifications are eligible to seek admission to the Advanced Specialty Education Program in Endodontics:

  1. Be eligible to attain a Virginia temporary resident's license from the Virginia Board of Dentistry. All resident must attain a Virginia temporary resident's license from the Virginia Board of Dentistry. Eligibility for the Virginia temporary resident's license from the Virginia Board of Dentistry is dependent on graduation from a dental school accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) of the American Dental Association. This limits applicants to US and/or Canadian programs accredited by CODA. Therefore, all graduates from a foreign dental school not approved by CODA cannot be considered for admission.
  2. Minimum score of 80 of Part I of the National Dental Board at the time of application and a minimum score of 80 of Part II by the time of matriculation.
  3. Minimum grade point average of 3.0 (4.0scale) or the equivalent, or a ranking in the top 50% of their dental school class.
  4. Successful interview with the program director, faculty and residents.
  5. Three letters of recommendation.

All advanced dental education students are required to successfully pass a pre-matriculation drug screening test, and a background check with fingerprinting.

Selection

A selection committee consisting of the program director and three full-time faculty screen all applications for eligibility. Candidates are then selected for interview based on didactic and clinical achievements, extramural experience, interpersonal skills, and references. Interviews are by invitation only.

Professional Liability

The Commonwealth of Virginia self-insurance program provides professional liability (malpractice) coverage, subject to policy limits, for advanced dental education students. Coverage includes professional service on duty within the institution and professional service on assigned duties in one of the affiliated hospitals or programs. It does not cover any other professional service, e.g. moonlighting activities at other facilities or institutions.

Tuition and Fees

An application fee of $50.00 must accompany your completed application and if accepted into the program, a fee of $50.00 is required for application to the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Graduate Studies for admission into the Master of Science program. A $1,000.00 nonrefundable acceptance fee is due upon acceptance of a position in the program. A clinic usage fee is presently in effect for each student and is $1,500.00 per semester and is due at the beginning of each semester. All fees are subject to change.

Instruments and Books

Students will be required to purchase enough instruments to equip three nonsurgical endodontic kits. Students are required to purchase a number of textbooks during the program. Residents are not required to purchase an operating microscope or digital radiography sensor, as they are provided in the clinic. Required instruments include but are not limited to an electric handpiece system, an Air-Impact 45 degree handpiece for surgery, a Root ZX or equivalent apex locator, an Obtura II thermoplasticized gutta-percha unit, and a Spartan or equivalent ultrasonic unit with the appropriate nonsurgical and surgical tips. A list of the required instruments and textbooks will be provided to successful applicants. The approximate total cost for instruments and books required during the program is $10,000-$15,000.

Application Information

Further Inquiries and/or a completed application may be directed to:

Karan J. Replogle, DDS, MS
Advanced Education Program in Endodontics
VCU School of Dentistry, Box 980566
Richmond, Virginia 23298-0566
Email: kjreplogle@vcu.edu
Phone: (804) 828-0784
Fax: (804) 827-1373

You may print out the application form and directions by going to the location listed below. The form and directions require Adobe Acrobat Reader to read and print. If you do not have this program, you can go to the Adobe site to download this program, free of charge.

Endodontics Application

Application Process if Candidate Has Applied in the Last 5 Years

Applicants meeting the requirements for admission, but not granted an interview, are encouraged to apply again for the following year. Applications are retained in the Department for 5 years. Applicants applying for the 2nd time need not resubmit transcripts, unless they have received an additional degree or certification in the interim nor National Board Scores. Three new letters of recommendation must be submitted, a new CV, and a new personal statement must be composed.