Academic Program

The Section of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology offers a three-year, full time clinical program that commences in the beginning of July each year and leads to a Certificate of Advanced Education in Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology. Students may enroll in an optional concurrent program leading to a Master of Dental Science degree or an optional interdepartmental program leading to a Certificate of Advanced Education in Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Biomedical Sciences (five years plus). Strong clinical and research-based faculty members make this a unique program designed to prepare residents for academic, hospital or private practice careers.

Certificate Program

The clinical certificate program prepares residents for OMFR private practice, hospital or academic careers in teaching and patient care. Residents are expected to develop the clinical and academic skills needed to function effectively in private practice, a hospital, or an educational institution, and to use complex imaging systems in the diagnosis, study, and management of oral and maxillofacial diseases and conditions.

Academic and clinical studies include radiation physics, radiation biology, radiation health physics, head and neck anatomy, pathology, imaging sciences, interpretation of conventional, contrast enhanced, and digital images, ConeBeam CT, Medical CT, MRI and other imaging modalities. Residents take clinical rotations in medical diagnostic radiology and nuclear medicine with an optional rotation in radiation oncology. Residents gain substantial experience teaching in clinical and seminar settings as well as in the classroom.

Residents are eligible to challenge the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology Certification Examination upon completion of this program.

Program Strengths

The strong and diverse faculty is known for its significant contributions to the imaging sciences, radiation safety, and understanding of cancer, bone biology and radiation biology. Active research programs are underway in both clinical and laboratory settings.

Flexibility in program structure allows residents to tailor their training toward personal career goals.

The clinical imaging facility presently includes digital imaging equipment, panoramic, cephalometric, and conventional intraoral x-ray equipment, and small and small-large volume ConeBeam CT instruments. The OMFR clinic is a digital imaging facility linked to an electronic patient record. Further advanced imaging experience is attained through Diagnostic Radiology rotations in the John Dempsey Hospital Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Therapeutics.

Optional Combined Programs in Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology

The optional graduate degree programs emphasize scientific methodology and development of skills for the conduct of collaborative or independent clinical or laboratory research, manuscript writing, and grant preparation. This program offers an optional concurrent program leading to a Master of Dental Science or Master of Science in Clinical and Translational Research degree, or an optional combined Ph.D. degree program in Biomedical Sciences.

The Masters programs are concurrent and are generally completed during the same three years as the Certificate in Advanced Education in Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology.  The Ph.D. program generally extends at least two years beyond the certificate in Advanced Education in Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, depending on the research background of the candidate. The objectives of these optional combined programs are to develop clinical competence in Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology combined with the research expertise to enable the graduate to pursue either a clinical career in private practice, an academic career involving teaching and independent or collaborative research, or both. Didactic, research, and clinical components develop simultaneously throughout the program, although different components are emphasized at different times.

All optional graduate degree programs require dual enrollment with the certificate program. The dual enrollment includes coursework covering the following topics in radiologic and basic sciences: radiation physics, radiation biology, health physics, head and neck anatomy, biostatistics, general pathology and advanced oral pathology. Additional required and elective basic science courses, including biochemistry, cell biology, and molecular biology are required for the Ph.D. degree.

Both the Masters and Ph.D. degree programs require the completion of a thesis performed under the guidance of a major advisor and advisory committee selected during the first one to two years of the program. Once an optional graduate degree program is enrolled in, it becomes a requirement for the residency certificate. For residents enrolled in any of the optional programs, a successful defense of the thesis is required prior to conferral of the Certificate of Advanced Education in Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology.

The general program is outlined below.

Didactic Core Curriculum

1. Radiologic sciences, including: radiation physics, radiation biology, and health physics; and basic sciences, including: head and neck anatomy, biostatistics, general pathology and advanced oral pathology are required for the M.Dent.Sc. degree.
2. The above curriculum plus required and elective basic science courses, including biochemistry, cell biology, and molecular biology are required for the Ph.D. degree.
3. Both the Masters and Ph.D. degree programs require the completion of a thesis performed under the guidance of a major advisor and advisory committee selected during the first one to two years of the program. The clinical certificate is granted only after the Masters or Ph.D. thesis has been successfully defended.

Clinical Training

Clinical training occurs throughout the program, but is emphasized after the didactic core curriculum is completed. Instructional content includes imaging physics and techniques, image interpretation, radiation health physics, and quality assurance. Rotations are taken in medical radiology and nuclear medicine, with an optional rotation in radiation oncology. Multiplanar anatomy and CBCT image acquisition, processing and volume interpretation will comprise a significant portion of the didactic curriculum and clinical practicum. Substantial predoctoral didactic and clinical teaching experiences are also important parts of the clinical training.

Fees and Support

The Advanced Dental Education Fee for the Clinical Certificate Program is $25,000 per annum. Graduate School tuition and fees are the responsibility of the trainee. Residents in the OMFR programs receive support during their training; for citizens or permanent residents of the USA who graduated from a USA or Canadian dental school, and for citizens of Canada with a TN Visa and who graduated from a USA or Canadian dental school, a stipend of $24,000 per annum and health care coverage is provided. For all other residents a stipend of $13,000 per annum is provided.

Admission Requirements

Admission requirements for the Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology programs include the following:

• Completed application.
• $75 application fee payable to UConn School of Dental Medicine by check or money order. If using the PayPal option please use this link https://enrollmentfees.uchc.edu/DentAppFees.html;  For ID type, choose PASS and for ID # please use 0423043012.
• Original or official copy of transcripts from all undergraduate and professional schools.
• Three original letters of recommendation.
• A TOEFL score in excess of 550 for paper-based exam or 79 for computer-based exam for all graduates from non-English speaking countries. Part I, Part II or both parts of the Dental Board Examination are not required for admission, but are strongly recommended.
• Original or official copy of dental diploma.
• The application deadline for the OMFR Clinical Certificate Program is September 1 of the year preceding July matriculation. Please email us at OMFRResidency@uchc.edu with your application questions.

A separate online application must be submitted to the University of Connecticut Graduate School to apply for either Master’s Program or the Ph.D. Program.

*Obtaining a badge from UConn Health is mandatory and required in order to be enrolled. This process includes a full background check. Badges are subject to approval from UConn Police and the Risk Management Office. 

Salaries, Stipends, Tuition and Fees

Salaries and Stipends

Residents in the Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology certificate program receive a salary or stipend.

• U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and Canadian citizens with a TN visa who are graduates of U.S. or Canadian dental schools:
  • receive an annual salary currently in the amount of $24,000 for the first year and $25,000 for the second and third years of residency.
  • are eligible for employment benefits through the Capital Area Health Consortium (CAHC). Click here for details on the CAHC website.
• Foreign nationals and/or graduates of non-U.S./Canadian dental schools:
  • receive an annual stipend currently in the amount of $13,000 for each year of residency.
  • are not eligible for employment benefits but are required to have and maintain health insurance coverage for the duration of the program. Click here for more information regarding health insurance requirements for foreign nationals.

Tuition

• For the residency certificate program, the Advanced Dental Education Fee is $25,000 per year. This fee may be included in a Federal Financial Aid package for eligible residents who are also enrolled in the optional Master of Dental Science degree program.
• For the optional Master of Dental Science degree program, tuition is charged per credit hour. The program requires a minimum of 30 credits, of which 6 credits may be transferred at no cost from the residency certificate program, and a minimum of 24 additional graduate school tuition-based credits. Click here for additional information about tuition and fees for the  Master of Dental Science.