Endodontics

Units of Credit

One unit of credit is awarded for ten hours of lecture or seminar, twenty hours of laboratory or clinic, or thirty hours of independent study per term. In the predoctoral programs (DDS and IDS), students are assigned to comprehensive care clinics for approximately 650 hours during the second year and 1,000 hours during the third, in addition to specialty clinic rotations. Units of credit are assigned in the comprehensive care clinical disciplines in proportion to the amount of time an average student spends providing specific types of care for assigned patterns.

Full-time enrollment in the predoctoral programs at the School of Dentistry (DDS and IDS) is defined as 16 or more units per term.  Full-time enrollment in the graduate residency programs in orthodontics and endodontics and in the dental fellowship and internship programs is defined as 20 or more units per term.  

Endodontic residents participate in a comprehensive 27-month program designed to provide in-depth clinical training in endodontics, supported by a solid foundation of coursework in the biologic principles that uphold the specialty.  In addition to a curriculum that nurtures the clinician-scientist, the program offers clinical experiences with an extensive patient demographic supported by the School of Dentistry and a community dental clinic that is part of an expansive health care network in the East San Francisco Bay Area.  Each resident will also engage in an investigative project and complete an acceptable thesis to qualify for the Master of Science in Dentistry degree. The thesis is typically submitted for publication in scientific journals.  Classes begin each July.  Residents are scheduled for classroom and clinical instruction five full days (and some evenings) per week and full participation is required.

The graduate program in endodontology is fully accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation.  

More information on the program, including admissions requirements, curriculum and schedule, graduation and certification requirements are available here.

Graduates of Advanced Education Program in Endodontology will:

  • Achieve a full range of endodontic care experiences, including but not limited to diagnosis and treatment planning for patients of all ages.
  • Be equipped with the necessary manual and cognitive skills for the changing marketplace in private practice now and in the foreseeable future.
  • Incorporate during their practice an in-depth knowledge of the biologic and technical aspects of maintaining, replacing, and enhancing the natural dentition, including mechanisms for enhanced tissue healing and tissue regeneration on areas relevant to endodontics.
  • Emphasize the interrelationship among the biomedical and clinical sciences and their application to clinical practice.
  • Be prepared to practice evidence-based endodontics in both simple and complex cases.
  • Exercise the five principles of ethics in their practice.
  • Have detailed knowledge in:
    • Anatomy (gross and micro) of soft and hard tissues of the head and neck relevant for endodontic diagnostics, successful anesthesia and surgical procedures.
    • Pathophysiology of the pulpal/periradicular disease
    • Infectious and immunologic processes in oral health and disease
    • Embryology
    • Wound healing
    • Oral medicine and oral pathology
    • Pharmacotherapeutics
    • Research methodology and statistics
    • Neurosciences
    • Biomaterials
  • Have in-depth proficiency in:
    • Diagnosis, treatment planning and prognosis
    • Non-surgical and surgical endodontic treatment and retreatment
    • A variety of endodontic techniques
    • Outcome evaluation
    • Radiography and other diagnostic imaging technologies
    • Management of endodontic treatment of medically compromised patients
    • Emergency treatment for endodontic conditions for consultations and treatment if needed.
    • Management of patients with orofacial pain and anxiety
    • Preparation of space for intraradicular restorations in endodontically treated teeth
    • Communication with patients and health care professionals to effectively and formally verbalize knowledge of endodontics, clinical therapies, treatment plans and related diseases to others
    • Use of magnification technologies such as operating microscopes and cameras for documentation.
  • Have in-depth proficiency in:
    • Vital pulp management
    • Endodontic management of developing permanent teeth
    • Revascularization/regenerative endodontics
    • Intracoronal bleaching procedures
    • Endodontic management of traumatic dental injuries
  • Have in-depth competency in:
    • Diagnosis and treatment of periodontal disease and defects in conjunction with the treatment of the specified tooth undergoing endodontic therapy;  treatment provided in consultation with the individuals who will assume the responsibility for the completion or supervision of any additional periodontal maintenance or treatment
    • Placement of intraradicular restorations and cores in endodontically treated teeth; and when the patient is referred, this treatment is accomplished in consultation with the restorative dentist
    • Implant dentistry
    • Extrusion procedures
  • Have in-depth knowledge of the:
    • History of endodontics
    • Teaching methodology
    • Jurisprudence and risk management
    • Practice management
    • Medical emergencies
  • Acquire in-depth knowledge of classic and contemporary literature to help graduates critically evaluate the dental literature and provide theoretical bases for diagnostics, techniques and procedures, management, successes, and failures/complications in the clinical practice of non-surgical and surgical endodontic therapy.
  • Make or respond to all appropriate consultation requests and demonstrate professionalism, rapport and cooperation with professional colleagues.
  • Maintain a patient list in the approved electronic health record for follow-up of patients to enable graduates to assess the outcome of their treatment.
  • Demonstrate competency in using clinical management software like axiUm to maintain a comprehensive records of history, diagnosis and treatment of each patient.
  • Teach endodontics to predoctoral and/or postdoctoral students in a clinical setting.
  • Possess sufficient knowledge and clinical experiences to become proficient in diagnostic data collection, pulpal and periradicular diagnosis treatment planning and treatment sequencing for complicated patients.
  • Accomplish a research project and present a thesis monograph in written form, submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed endodontic journal and present a summary of the findings in oral form and defense of the thesis in a colloquium
  • Develop and update treatment approach documents for each of the board case categories that must be evidence based.
  • Submit 10 board level cases that follows current ABE criteria; both an electronic and a print-out version
  • Be eligible to sit for the certifying Boards of the American Board of Endodontics

Please note: Courses are taught on a permanent or interim (continuing) basis. Course numbers followed by the letter 'I' indicate interim courses which are taught over two or more quarters. Units assigned to interim courses build upon each preceding quarter's unit value and culminate in a final and permanent unit value. The final unit value is transcripted with the permanent course.

Year 1, Curriculum A: Summer Q1 - Spring Q4

Year 1
Summer Quarter (1)Didactic UnitsLab/Clinic Units
AN 410Advanced Head and Neck Anatomy I10
BMS 401Research Philosophy and Design I10
BMS 450IResearch Project I10
EN 401Endodontic Technology I10
EN 402IEndodontic Therapy Seminar I10
EN 403Endodontic Biology and Pathology I20
EN 405Advanced Endodontic Technique08
EN 411ICase Seminar I30
EN 412IClassic Literature I30
EN 413ICurrent Literature I10
EN 457Endodontic Clinic: Assisting01
Autumn Quarter (2)Didactic UnitsLab/Clinic Units
BMS 440Thesis Protocol10
BMS 450IResearch Project I10
DS 430Advanced Oral Pathology I10
EN 402Endodontic Therapy Seminar I20
EN 411ICase Seminar I60
EN 412IClassic Literature I60
EN 413ICurrent Literature I20
EN 422Clinical Transition: Evidence-based Endodontics40
EN 458IClinical Endodontics I08.5
EN 459IClinical Endodontics: Surgery I01
PRD 484Biomaterials I01
Winter Quarter (3)Didactic UnitsLab/Clinic Units
BMS 450IResearch Project I20
DS 402Statistical Methods I10
EN 404IAdvanced Endodontics Seminar Series I10
EN 411ICase Seminar I90
EN 412IClassic Literature I90
EN 413ICurrent Literature I30
EN 458IClinical Endodontics I016.5
EN 459IClinical Endodontics: Surgery I02
EN 567IEndodontics at La Clinica II02
Spring Quarter (4)Didactic UnitsLab/Clinic Units
BMS 450Research Project I30
EN 404Advanced Endodontics Seminar Series I40
EN 411Case Seminar I120
EN 412Classic Literature I120
EN 413Current Literature I40
EN 458Clinical Endodontics I023.5
EN 459Clinical Endodontics: Surgery I03
EN 567IEndodontics at La Clinica II04

Year 2, Curriculum B: Summer Q5 - Spring Q8 

Year 2
Summer Quarter (5)Didactic UnitsLab/Clinic Units
BMS 550IResearch Project II10
EN 503Endodontic Biology and Pathology II20
EN 511ICase Seminar II30
EN 512IClassic Literature II30
EN 513ICurrent Literature II10
EN 558IClinical Endodontics II05
EN 559IClinical Endodontics: Surgery II01
EN 567IEndodontics at La Clinica II08
Autumn Quarter (6)Didactic UnitsLab/Clinic Units
BMS 550IResearch Project II10
EN 511ICase Seminar II60
EN 512IClassic Literature II60
EN 513ICurrent Literature II20
EN 524Pain/Neuro Seminar II10
EN 558IClinical Endodontics II012
EN 559IClinical Endodontics: Surgery II02
EN 567IEndodontics at La Clinica II012
EN 571IPredoctoral Instruction10
Winter Quarter (7)Didactic UnitsLab/Clinic Units
BMS 550IResearch Project II20
EN 504IAdvanced Endodontics Seminar Series II20
EN 511ICase Seminar II90
EN 512IClassic Literature II90
EN 513ICurrent Literature II30
EN 558IClinical Endodontics II021.5
EN 559IClinical Endodontics: Surgery II03
EN 567IEndodontics at La Clinica II014
EN 571IPredoctoral Instruction30
Spring Quarter (8)Didactic UnitsLab/Clinic Units
BMS 550Research Project II30
EN 504Advanced Endodontics Seminar Series II40
EN 511Case Seminar II120
EN 512Classic Literature II120
EN 513Current Literature II40
EN 558Clinical Endodontics II030.5
EN 559Clinical Endodontics: Surgery II04
EN 567Endodontics at La Clinica II016
EN 571Predoctoral Instruction40

Year 3, Curriculum A & B: Summer Q9 

Year 3
Summer Quarter (9)Didactic UnitsLab/Clinic Units
BMS 651Manuscript Preparation30
EN 611Case Seminar III30
EN 613Current Literature III10
EN 658Clinical Endodontics III09
EN 659Clinical Endodontics: Surgery III01
EN 671Residency Instruction20
EN 684ABE Seminar10