Columbia University SDOS Postgraduate Prosthodontics is committed to providing the highest level of postgraduate prosthodontic training.

The three-year (thirty-three month), full-time board-qualifying program in prosthodontics leads to a Masters of Science Degree in a program, which was fully approved by the ADA Commission on Accreditation on January 1996. It prepares the student for a specialty practice and/or a teaching career with an additional opportunity to pursue dental scholarly interests. The program is integrated to involve all prosthodontic disciplines including complete and removable prosthodontics, fixed prosthodontics, implant prosthodontics, maxillofacial prosthetics, geriatric dentistry and treatment of patients with TMD. A close interaction with all other dental specialties is maintained through combined seminars and treatment of patients using a multidisciplinary approach. Special interest of the students is pursued primarily through the thesis project requirement with guidance by the faculty.

The program includes extensive instruction in the basic and the applied sciences, as well as advanced theory and the practice of prosthodontics and related areas of dentistry through lectures, courses, on-site and off-site seminars, guest lectures, reading assignments, laboratory exercises and seminars, rotations and clinical practice. Emphasis is continually placed on diagnosis and treatment planning with the application of various treatment modalities utilizing a multidisciplinary approach to patient therapy.

The student will gain experience in the clinical instruction of undergraduate dental students and general practice residents at this institution and affiliated hospitals. The opportunity to apply to the affiliated Veterans’ Administration Hospital in maxillofacial prosthetics exits for all interested students.

The prosthodontist is the best-qualified member of the health team to restore comfort, function and appearance to the dentally crippled patient. Superior treatment for these patients can best be provided by the prosthodontist who was trained to appreciate the following disciplines:

1. Biological sciences
2. Knowledge of classical and current literature
3. Training based on a large diversity of patients
4. Developing a healthy patient-doctor relationship
5. Preparation to meet the requirements for examination by the American Board of Prosthodontics
6. Adherence to the principles of preventive prosthodontics
7. Effective utilization of dental auxiliaries to provide proper time utilization techniques
8. Training planning based on utilizing the other specialties in dentistry and medicine
9. A core of diversified treatment procedures for patients requiring complete dentures, removable partial dentures, fixed partial dentures, implant prostheses and maxillofacial prostheses.
10. Developing a competent level of dental laboratory technology appropriate of a training prosthodontist
11. Developing lines of communication with the dental laboratory technician.

It is important that each student understand that the Masters’ Degree will only be issued if all requirements outlined in the program are met.

This manual should serve as a reference in making should that she/he is in compliance with the requirements and guidelines of the program.

It is important that the program be “ACP or Board friendly.” The following are exerts from the standards and guidelines:

• The curriculum must be designed to enable the student to attain skills representative of a clinician proficient in the theoretical and practical aspects of prosthodontics. Advanced level instruction may be provided through the following: formal courses, seminars, lectures, self-instructional modules, clinical assignments and laboratory assignments.
• Written goals and objectives must be developed for all instruction included in this curriculum.
• Students must prepare and present diagnostic data, treatment plans and the results of the patient treatment.
• The amount of time devoted to didactic instruction and research must be at least 30% of the total educational experience.
• A minimum of 60% of the total program time must be devoted to providing patient services, including direct patient care and laboratory procedures.
• The program may include organized teaching experience. If time is devoted to this activity, it should be carefully evaluated in relation to the goals and objectives of the overall program and the interests of the individual student.