Advanced Education Program in Endodontics

The Augusta University Dental College of Georgia offers an advanced education program leading to a Certificate in Endodontics. The philosophy of this program is to educate dentists to become competent endodontists who will serve the public and the profession at a high level of excellence. It stresses the importance of knowledge and skills in the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases associated with the dental pulp and related periapical tissues. The correlation of basic sciences and clinical sciences is an integral part of the program.  Individuals who successfully complete this advanced education program will be awarded a Certificate in Endodontics.

Successful completion of the postdoctoral curriculum fulfills all the educational requirements for eligibility for examination by the American Board of Endodontics. Candidates with clinical experience are preferred.

The Curriculum

The curriculum leading to a certificate in endodontics consists of courses from the Department of Endodontics, Oral Biology and clinical core curriculum listed in the Augusta University Course Catalog.

Program Overview

Program Director:
Brian Bergeron, DMD Professor
Program administrative support contact:
Marie Churchville
Department phone:
(706) 721-8210
Department fax:
(706)  723-0218
Program length:
24 months
No. of residents accepted:
2/yr (odd years) & 3/yr (even years)
PASS participant:
Yes
MATCH participant:
No
Accreditation status:
The program in endodontics is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation and has been granted the accreditation status of “approval without reporting requirements”. 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. The Commission on Dental Accreditation has accredited the program in endodontics. However, accreditation of the program does not in itself constitute recognition of any dental specialty status.
Beginning date:
July 1 each year
National Boards:
Applicants must have successfully passed the INBDE - Integrated National Boards Examination or both NBDE Parts 1 and 2 of the National Board Dental Examination by the program application date.
State Licensure:
Resident must be eligible for state licensure by program start date.

Admission Requirements

Dentists graduated from CODA accredited United States and CDAC accredited Canadian college are eligible for consideration and admission to the Advanced Education Program in Endodontics.

We only consider candidates who are U.S. Citizens or Permanent Residents.

Applications for the Advanced Education Program are received through the PASS program. Application materials are reviewed and candidates with the highest qualifications are selected for an interview based on the following criteria: dental education transcripts, class standing, National Dental Board Examination results, personal and career goals, experiences beyond the dental student program education, evidence of scholarly activity, and letters of recommendation. Applicants born outside the United States and whose native language is not English must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language, the Internet-based version of TOEFL (iBT TOEFL). Minimum scores are 100, and 26 in the speaking component.

No candidates are admitted to the program without a personal interview. Non-discriminatory policies are followed in selecting the applicants.

Selection and Admissions Policies

Following the submission of a completed application and the required supporting materials, candidates files are reviewed by the Endodontics Selection Committee.  This committee consists of the Program Director and other faculty members.  Selection will be based on the following criteria:

  • GPA/Class Rank in dental school
  • Candidate Essay
  • Letters of recommendation which address the individual’s scholastic potential, clinical abilities and personal characteristics
  • Personal interview.

Final selection will be based upon these criteria.

Program Fee, Stipends, Equipment & Benefits

  • Program Fee: There is no program fee associated with this program in endodontics. If the resident wishes to enroll in the Master of Science in Oral Biology degree program, he must pay tuition for courses taken through The Graduate School. References should be made to the current Augusta University Catalog for specific information regarding Graduate School tuition and fees. 
  • Stipends:  The stipend ranges from $4200 - $4800 annually for the certificate program in endodontics. Augusta, Georgia is a beautiful city with a low cost of living. This makes it ideal for residency training from a financial standpoint.
  • Equipment:  All expendable supplies associated with the clinical program are provided by the institution. A dental operating microscope is provided for each resident.
  • Benefits:  The Dental College of Georgia provides malpractice insurance coverage for residents while providing patient care at the Augusta University. This insurance does not cover any outside dental practice. Endodontic residents are eligible to participate in the Student Health Care Program at Augusta University at no cost.
  • Leave: Residents are entitled to Augusta University employee holidays, though assignments for emergency coverage must be maintained. Residents may be entitled to up to 12 days annual leave, 10 days of professional leave, 5 days of educational leave, at the discretion of the Program Director. 12 days of medical leave are also granted to residents as outlined in the Dental College of Georgia Leave Policy for Dental Residents.
  • The Facilities: The Endodontic Program is located in the Augusta University, Dental College of Georgia, in a separate clinic devoted exclusively to endodontic patient care. Each resident has their own fully-equipped operatory and shares a private office with fellow residents. Four full-time dental assistants are assigned to assist the residents in the clinic on a rotating basis.

The Masters Degree Program

The Graduate School offers a Master of Science in Oral Biology degree which may be taken in conjunction with the certificate curriculum. This joint program gives the student more extensive experience in research and basic science education and requires an in-depth original research project leading to a defended thesis. If the applicant desires to concurrently pursue a Master of Science in Oral Biology degree with the specialty program, the program length could be approximately 6-12 months longer. Tuition is charged on a per hour basis for the graduate courses taken.  The applicant must be accepted by The Graduate School and the Department of Oral Biology. Application to the graduate program is made after acceptance to the certificate program. 

A PhD. in Oral Biology may also be pursued concurrently with specialty training.