Degree Structure
College
Dental Medicine
Department
Level
Graduate Masters
Study System
Courses and Research Project
Total Credit Hours
65 Cr. Hrs.
Duration
3 Years
Intake
Fall Only
Language
English
Study Mode
Full Time
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Degree Overview
Orthodontics is the branch of dentistry that addresses the diagnosis, prevention, and correction of mal-positioned teeth and jaws, and misaligned bite patterns. It may also address the modification of facial growth, known as dentofacial orthopedics. The Master of Dental Surgery program in Orthodontics is a three-year full-time program that provides the necessary fundamental sciences and clinical training and education to enable the dental practitioner to begin an independent career in orthodontics.
What You Will Learn
Graduate as a confident, evidence-based orthodontist ready for independent practice and lifelong learning.
Clinical mastery
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Perform comprehensive orthodontic diagnosis and treatment planning using records, cephalometrics, CBCT, and 3D model analysis.
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Manage mild to complex malocclusions across age groups—from interceptive/early treatment to adult multidisciplinary care.
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Apply sound biomechanics (force systems, anchorage control, torque, finishing) with fixed appliances and contemporary techniques.
Aligners, TADs & advanced mechanics
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Design and execute clear aligner treatments (staging, attachments, IPR, refinement) with predictable outcomes.
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Use temporary anchorage devices (TADs) for space closure, intrusion, distalization, and MARPE where indicated.
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Plan and coordinate orthognathic surgery cases in collaboration with maxillofacial teams.
Digital orthodontics
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Capture and integrate digital workflows: intraoral scanning, treatment simulation and digital photography.
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Critically evaluate emerging technologies and their clinical indications and limitations.
Interdisciplinary care
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Collaborate effectively with pediatric dentistry, periodontics, restorative, prosthodontics, for improved patient-centred outcomes.
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Contribute to the management of craniofacial and cleft cases within a team setting.
Research
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Formulate research questions, design studies, obtain ethics approval, analyze data, and write for publication.
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Appraise literature, apply evidence to practice, and present at scientific meetings.
Professionalism & leadership
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Communicate clearly with patients and teams, obtain informed consent, and document to medico-legal standards.
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Understand clinic operations, quality improvement, infection control, and ethical practice management.
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Prepare for board-style case presentations with a curated clinical portfolio.
By graduation, you will be able to:
1. Communicate diagnostic findings and treatment plans effectively in oral presentations and in writing.
2. Demonstrate appropriate and high-quality patient record taking.
3. Demonstrate the formulation of appropriate treatment plans that include different
orthodontic treatment strategies.
4. Describe periodontium physiology related to tooth movement and the histo-pathological consequences of comprehensive orthodontic treatment.
5. Incorporate age-appropriate and relevant growth and development knowledge in relation to orthodontic treatment of the growing individual.
6. Demonstrate the ability to effectively treat orthodontic patients, defend treatment plans and treatment choices
7. Apply knowledge obtained by critical analysis and evaluation of orthodontic and related research literature and defend the application of that knowledge.
8. Describe how an original idea transitions from proposal, data gathering, data analysis and written organization resulting in a scientific article for publication in refereed professional journal.
University Requirements
- A BDS degree from the University of Sharjah or an equivalent qualification, with a GPA of 3.0 or above. Candidates with a GPA between 2.5 and 2.9 may be given consideration.
- A minimum of one-year post-qualification work experience.
- English Language requirements: A minimum of 550 on paper-based TOEFL or 6.0 on IELTS or its equivalent.
- Applicants must attend an interview session and may be required to sit for a written and/or practical test.
College Requirements
Degree Requirements
The Master of Dental Surgery in Orthodontics Program is a 3‐year academic program and is comprised of 33 didactic, clinical, and laboratory courses and research activities (90 credit hours). It is required that graduates of the Orthodontics program successfully pass all didactic courses and achieve research competence as well as clinical proficiencies and competencies with all orthodontic patients in the following areas:
1. Clinical diagnosis and treatment planning in relation to dentofacial deformity and malocclusion.
2. Clinical provision of comprehensive orthodontic care including patients requiring surgical alteration of the jaws.
3. Provide comprehensive clinical orthodontic care to at least fifty (50) patients representing a diverse case load of malocclusion types and categories as follows:
A minimum of two cases each of the following categories:
Class I malocclusion, transverse discrepancies; vertical discrepancies; Class II division 1 non-extraction cases; Class II division 1 extraction cases; Class II division 2 malocclusion; Class III malocclusion; mixed dentition cases and adult patients.
A minimum of one case including orthodontic treatment in combination with orthognathic surgery
A minimum of four cases including multidisciplinary treatment.
Remaining cases as diversified as the practice permits.
4. A minimum of 70% of achieved treatment of any case is considered as a complete case.
5. Present and defend all aspects of orthodontic treatment of 5 completed cases assessed and approved by the faculty.
6. Present and defend a research project with manuscript format suitable for submission to a refereed professional journal.
Diversity of the types of cases is tracked very carefully in order to provide each student with the broadest clinical training possible. The list of patients by malocclusion category is updated twice per semester in an Excel spreadsheet program called the Patient Diversity List. Each resident-in-training is requested to update the list continually because new patient assignments are based upon malocclusion categories needed (as described above).
Attestation of clinical proficiency includes treating at least 50 cases, submitting 10 completed cases for review, and comprehensively presenting and defending 5 cases in terms of the diagnosis, treatment plan, treatment strategy and materials used during an oral examination.
Course Description
Year 1, Semester 1 (Fall) (credit hours = 17)
| 1003731 – Orthodontic Patient Care 1 (7 cr. hrs.) |
| This course will train residents in medical, odontological, and orthodontic examination procedures, orthodontic registration, clinical analysis of occlusion/malocclusion, and a functional examination of the stomatognathic system. Based upon the patient history, medical, and odontological orthodontic diagnosis, residents will develop problem lists and treatment models for each patient. This course is also designed to train residents in therapy presentation and discussions with patients and parents and the first treatment sequences. |
| 1003701- Orthodontic Documentation, Diagnosis & Analysis (2 cr. hrs.) |
| Orthodontic Documentation, Diagnosis & Analysis is designed to orient the new resident to orthodontics as a specialty practice by reviewing and discussing the textbook “Contemporary Orthodontics" by Proffit (4th edition). Basic facial, morphological, and cephalometric methods used in clinical orthodontic practice will be reviewed, including principles of describing the face and facial proportions, analyzing the facial skeleton, intermaxillary relations, and tooth positions by model analysis and by standard cephalometric techniques. Emphasis is placed on various techniques and analyses used in analyzing patient records and the skills necessary to secure and prepare orthodontic records and to document comprehensively problems related to oral-facial health and malocclusion. |
| 1003701- Orthodontic Documentation, Diagnosis & Analysis (2 cr. hrs.) |
| Orthodontic Documentation, Diagnosis & Analysis is designed to orient the new resident to orthodontics as a specialty practice by reviewing and discussing the textbook “Contemporary Orthodontics" by Proffit (4th edition). Basic facial, morphological, and cephalometric methods used in clinical orthodontic practice will be reviewed, including principles of describing the face and facial proportions, analyzing the facial skeleton, intermaxillary relations, and tooth positions by model analysis and by standard cephalometric techniques. Emphasis is placed on various techniques and analyses used in analyzing patient records and the skills necessary to secure and prepare orthodontic records and to document comprehensively problems related to oral-facial health and malocclusion. |
| 1003707 - Anatomy & Orthodontics (2 cr. hrs.) |
| This course is designed to review the functional anatomy of the head and neck necessary for the complete understanding of orthodontic, orthopedic, and surgical applications on human biology. The course will especially focus on the functional morphology of the temporo-mandibular joints, masticatory system, and upper cervical region, as well as the topographic relations within the maxilla and mandible with regard to orthodontic tooth movement, sutures, and related structures of the facial skeleton. In addition, topographical relationships of hard and soft tissues in relation to orthognathic surgery will be covered. |
| 1003703 - Orthodontic Mechanics 1 (2 cr. hrs.) |
| This course will describe the basic concept of straight wire treatment, especially MBT systemized treatment, for developing proficient skills in planning the mechanic strategies from the diagnosis, treatment plan, aim, and commencing of treatment. The content includes the design of appliances, bracket prescriptions, the need and design of enforcement, etc. Also included is an overview of the biomechanics of removable functional appliance therapy. |
| 1003704 - Cephalometric & Cast Analysis & Dentofacial Photography (1 cr. hr.) |
| This course will introduce the residents to the procurement and analysis of cephalometric radiographs, study casts, and patient photographs. In this course, the residents will hand and computer trace lateral cephalograms to produce cephalometric analysis using a variety of different methods and techniques. Study casts will be analyzed with different types of analysis such as arch length analysis and the Bolton tooth-size analysis. The concept of “excellent" patient photos is taught in this course. |
| 1003705 - Typodont Course (1 cr. hr.) |
| This course prepares residents for clinical work by training them in bracket placement, arch bow ligatures, bend backs, tie-backs, and introduction to bending exercises. Banding and bracket placement will be taught by the use of study models, as well as the basic biomechanics of straight wire treatment before applications on patients. |
| 1002709 – Research Methodology I (2 Cr. Hrs.) |
| This course will provide an opportunity for students to advance their understanding of research through critical exploration of research language, ethics, and approaches. The course introduces the language of research, ethical principles and challenges, and the elements of the research process within quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods approaches. Participants will use these theoretical underpinnings to begin to critically review literature relevant to their field of interests and determine how research findings are useful in forming their understanding of their clinical work and patient care. |
Year 1, Semester 2 (Spring) (credit hours = 17)
| 1003732 – Orthodontic Patient Care 2 (7 cr. hrs.) |
| This course is a continuation of Orthodontic Patient Care 1 and represents full exposure to patient clinical orthodontic care. Residents are taught to procure the necessary patient records, to implement initial treatment plans and choices of treatment methods using either fixed or removable appliances. |
| 1003702 - Craniofacial Biology & Development (2 cr. hrs.) |
| This course offers a clinically relevant understanding of craniofacial growth and development. The course covers basic knowledge of prenatal development, craniofacial growth, the development of occlusion, and of skeletal and dental structures of particular importance for orthodontics. This course also provides a clinically relevant understanding of growth and development in relation to the practice of clinical orthodontics and how growth is used in the treatment of malocclusion. |
| 1003708 - Craniofacial Biology & Orthodontics (2 cr. hrs.) |
| This course will explore the relationship between tooth movement and orthopedic jaw movement and the nature of the associated physiological events. The physiology of mineralized tissues and the process of alveolar bone changes are also explored. |
| 1003709 - Orthodontic Mechanics 2 (2 cr. hrs.) |
| This course will provide residents with knowledge on current and classical orthodontic literature, the history, use, effect, and possible side effects of orthodontic treatment, both fixed and removable. |
| 1003710 - Literature Review (1 cr. hr.) |
| This course includes instruction on critically evaluating professional dental journal articles, predominantly of an experimental nature. The course will consist of monthly seminars on evaluations of current orthodontic literature. Residents will receive training in reviewing current and past literature and understanding its relevance to clinical orthodontics. |
| 1003711 - Wire Bending Exercises (1 cr. hr.) |
| Residents will be introduced to and trained in wire bending, and wire bending techniques. Applied use of different arch bow materials and bending techniques and how the different materials react to bending and sliding. |
| 1002713 – Research Methodology II (2 Cr. Hrs.) |
| Biostatistics course provides an introduction to selected important topics in biostatistical concepts and reasoning. This course represents an introduction to the field and provides a survey of data and data types. Specific topics include tools for describing central tendency and variability in data; methods for performing inference on population means and proportions via sample data; statistical hypothesis testing and its application to group comparisons; issues of power and sample size in study designs; and random sample and other study types. While there are some formulae and computational elements to the course, the emphasis is on interpretation and concepts. This course shall strengthen students' preparation in their research proposal in the second year of the program. |
Year 2, Semester 3 (Fall) (credit hours = 15)
| 1003733 – Orthodontic Patient Care 3 (8 cr. hrs.) |
| This course is a continuation of Orthodontic Patient Care 2 and represents full exposure to patient clinical orthodontic care. Residents are introduced to selected referrals with more complicated orthodontic problems, adult patients, and patients having periodontal conditions or other complicating factors. |
| 1003737 - Orthodontics & Maxillofacial Surgery & Planning (2 cr. hrs.) |
| This course is based on surgical orthodontic lectures and seminars discussing the diagnosis, treatment planning, and treatment of dentofacial |
Career Path
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