The Master of Sciences of Dentistry in Periodontology Program (MSD) consists of a 36-month curriculum. It provides the student/resident with a broad education that contains a Biomedical Sciences Track, Clinical Sciences Track, and a Research Sciences Track. Overall, approximately 30 percent of the program consists of didactic content, 55 percent of clinical content, 10 percent of research and 5 percent in teaching content.
The primary goals of the program are to:

1. Provide a solid foundation in the biomedical, clinical and research sciences that will enable the student/resident to diagnose, manage and/or prevent diseases, abnormalities, and structural conditions affecting the periodontal tissues. In addition the student/resident will be train in dental implant placement and oral sedation.

2. Engender the role of the specialist as an integral and integrated member of the health professions team.

3. Encourage students to participate in dental education and to develop a philosophy of lifelong learning.

4. Prepare students to successfully qualify for the written and clinical components of the American Academy of Periodontology (AAP) Board Examination.

The program is fully accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association and fulfills all requirements for board eligibility as stated by the American Academy of Periodontology.

Diverse clinical faculty, consisting of 2 full time, 1 part-time, and 4 ad – honorem. All of them graduate from the most prestigious periodontology programs in the US.

Diverse and large patient population, which provides a wide range of clinical experiences.

Opportunities for basic and/or clinical research through the research department of the School of Dental Medicine (UPR).

Intensive didactic and clinical programs that focus on advanced and innovative approaches to periodontal therapy and dental implants.
Close collaboration with the other Advanced Education Programs sponsored by the UPR School of Dental Medicine.

The didactic program embodies a formal curriculum in the Biomedical, Clinical, Teaching and Research Sciences that has been developed specifically for the Advanced Education Program in Periodontology. 

The first year is largely devoted to the biomedical sciences, but in addition the first-year students through a didactic and clinical curriculum, are introduced to the fundamentals of clinical periodontics that includes an extensive review of classical literature, current literature, an introduction to advanced clinical periodontics, periodontal surgery, treatment planning, dental implants, oral sedation, interdisciplinary case reports and occlusion.
Also, in the first year, courses in the biomedical sciences focus on topics such as biology of the periodontium, wound healing, research techniques, CBCT interpretation, introduction to statistics, oral microbiology, host response, and clinical periodontics. Supplementing the biomedical sciences are courses in the clinical sciences which include classic/current literature.
The second and third years of the program, students participate in an in-depth didactic program in the clinical sciences, with emphasis on more advanced diagnostic, treatment planning, and surgical and non-surgical therapeutic techniques, dental implants and continue with the research project. 

In the first year, courses in the biomedical sciences focus on topics such as biology of the periodontium, wound healing, research techniques, CBCT interpretation, introduction to statistics, oral microbiology, host response, and clinical periodontics. Supplementing the biomedical sciences are courses in the clinical sciences which include classic/current literature review, periodontal lecture series (grand rounds), periodontics clinic, and oral sedation course which requires that all students complete 20 moderate sedation cases and must successfully qualify in Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS) and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS).

The curriculum in the second- and third-year courses are specifically designed to develop analytical skills and surgical skills. Current in clinical periodontal surgery concepts/techniques in bone regeneration related to implant will be covered. The emphasis is in assessing the scientific literature to support the rationale for diagnosis and treatment planning of the cases to be presented in seminars (grand-rounds) with ortho, oral surgery, endo and prosthetic residents will be held on monthly basis. A total of 25 complete documented cases and a minimum of100 dental implants are require at the end of the three years.

In addition to formal courses, throughout all three years current or invited faculty will lecture on oral photography, ethics, practice management, educational strategies, and case presentations that integrate the biomedical and clinical sciences which constitutes a vital part of the program. Students actively participate in seminars sessions as part of their training and frequently serve as seminar leaders. Emphasis is placed on a biologic orientation and application of these principles to the clinical management of periodontal diseases. Informal academic gatherings are arranged with outstanding clinicians and scientists in periodontology and allied fields to provide a unique source of stimulation and knowledge.

The didactic program embodies a formal curriculum in the Biomedical, Clinical, Teaching and Research Sciences that has been developed specifically for the Advanced Education Program in Periodontology. 

The first year is largely devoted to the biomedical sciences, but in addition the first-year students through a didactic and clinical curriculum, are introduced to the fundamentals of clinical periodontics that includes an extensive review of classical literature, current literature, an introduction to advanced clinical periodontics, periodontal surgery, treatment planning, dental implants, oral sedation, interdisciplinary case reports and occlusion.
Also, in the first year, courses in the biomedical sciences focus on topics such as biology of the periodontium, wound healing, research techniques, CBCT interpretation, introduction to statistics, oral microbiology, host response, and clinical periodontics. Supplementing the biomedical sciences are courses in the clinical sciences which include classic/current literature.
The second and third years of the program, students participate in an in-depth didactic program in the clinical sciences, with emphasis on more advanced diagnostic, treatment planning, and surgical and non-surgical therapeutic techniques, dental implants and continue with the research project. 

In the first year, courses in the biomedical sciences focus on topics such as biology of the periodontium, wound healing, research techniques, CBCT interpretation, introduction to statistics, oral microbiology, host response, and clinical periodontics. Supplementing the biomedical sciences are courses in the clinical sciences which include classic/current literature review, periodontal lecture series (grand rounds), periodontics clinic, and oral sedation course which requires that all students complete 20 moderate sedation cases and must successfully qualify in Basic Cardiac Life Support (BCLS) and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS).

The curriculum in the second- and third-year courses are specifically designed to develop analytical skills and surgical skills. Current in clinical periodontal surgery concepts/techniques in bone regeneration related to implant will be covered. The emphasis is in assessing the scientific literature to support the rationale for diagnosis and treatment planning of the cases to be presented in seminars (grand-rounds) with ortho, oral surgery, endo and prosthetic residents will be held on monthly basis. A total of 25 complete documented cases and a minimum of100 dental implants are require at the end of the three years.

In addition to formal courses, throughout all three years current or invited faculty will lecture on oral photography, ethics, practice management, educational strategies, and case presentations that integrate the biomedical and clinical sciences which constitutes a vital part of the program. Students actively participate in seminars sessions as part of their training and frequently serve as seminar leaders. Emphasis is placed on a biologic orientation and application of these principles to the clinical management of periodontal diseases. Informal academic gatherings are arranged with outstanding clinicians and scientists in periodontology and allied fields to provide a unique source of stimulation and knowledge.

To obtain a general understanding of theory and methods of scientific research, all students are required to engage in a research project. Students are expected to be able to identify basic research design elements, specify research questions, evaluate types of study designs, and understand the role of statistics in scientific decision making. Alternatively, students may choose to prepare formal case reports and/or literature reviews for publication, present findings at national or regional professional meetings.

Students obtain experience teaching dental students at the undergraduate level.

This is a 3-year (36 months) postdoctoral program leading to a Master Science of Dentistry in Periodontology (MSD) certificate for the specialty practice of Periodontics. The program runs from July 1 through June 30 of each year.

Completion of the CODA-accredited Advanced Education Program in Periodontics satisfies the training requirements for eligibility for participation in the board certification process for the American Board of Periodontics. Eligibility for dental licensure is based on pre-professional, professional and post-graduate training and varies by state/jurisdiction. Candidates should check the state the Puerto Rico Dental Board Regulations.

The Advanced Education Program in Periodontics is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation and has been granted the accreditation status of “initial accreditation for a new program”. 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.
For more information, please contact:
Marcelino Negron, DMD, CAGS
Program Director
marcelino.negron@upr.edu
Rafael Hernández, DMD, MSD
Program Clinical Coordinator
rafael.hernandez5@upr.edu

Eligibility

All applicants should be graduates from a dental school accredited by the American Dental Association. The applicants to School of Dental Medicine (UPR) for the Advanced Education Program in Periodontology must apply through the Postdoctoral Application Support System (PASS). To apply please visit the American Dental Education Association (ADEA) and follow all PASS application deadlines and guidelines.

Applications for admission to the program are accepted for review until September 15th of each year.
Please send the following documents to PASS:
Three (3) letters of recommendation, including the Dean's Evaluation.
Official dental school transcript.

National Board Dental Examination Parts I and II (NBDE) or the Integrated Board Dental Examination (INBDE) scores must be reported on the Dean’s Evaluation or reported directly to PASS from the ADA.

For applicants who have passed the NBDE Part I, Part II must be passed before joining the program, but it is not required for the review process.

For applicants who took or will take the INDBE exam, it must be passed before joining the program, but it is not required for the review process.

The Advanced Dental Admission Test (ADAT) exam is accepted, but not required.

Please send the following to School of Dental Medicine (UPR): https://dental.rcm.upr.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/professional-Studies-Aplication-Form.pdf or to fracheska.labrador@upr.edu

Email a recent photo (2x2) in a jpg or jpeg format 

A non-refundable supplemental application-processing fee of $100.00 (USD) is required to complete your application. Once the application is received from ADEA PASS, you will receive an email with instructions to submit the application fee.

You can also mail your non-refundable supplemental application-processing fee in the form of a personal check, money order or bank draft. Make the check payable to "School of Dental Medicine” and mail to the following address:

Please Note: The $100 (USD) non-refundable supplemental application-processing fee is separate from PASS service fee.

The $100 (USD) non-refundable application-processing fee must be in U.S. dollars and may be paid by either money order or a check. If paying by check, please note that the check must meet all of the following criteria:
The check must have a 9-digit U.S. routing number, usually located at the bottom of the check.
The bank from which you are drafting the check must have an affiliated branch located in the United States.
International Applicants Requirements
Please follow the application fee payment instructions stated above.
Three (3) letters of recommendation, including the Dean's Evaluation.
Official dental school transcript.
A personal essay.
National Board Dental Examination Parts I and II (NBDE) or the Integrated Board Dental Examination (INBDE) scores must be reported on the Dean’s Evaluation, or reported directly to PASS from the ADA. The INBDE and NBDE Part I & Part II must be passed prior to the scheduling of an interview.
The Advanced Dental Admission Test (ADAT) exam is accepted, but not required

During the admissions process, please do not submit any official documents or score reports to School of Dental Medicine (UPR), they will be requested upon admission to the program.

Program Fees:

Tuition: Local Resident $25,000.00
International Resident $45,000.00
Photographic Equipment $1,500.00
Dental Instruments $8,000.00
Health Insurance
Room and Board $8,400.00
Food $7,000.00
Other Expenses $6,000.00
Total $55,900.00