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.

 

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 the human biology. The course will especially focus on the functional morphology about the temporo-mandibular joints, masticatory system and upper cervical region as well as the topographic relations within the maxilla and mandible with regards 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 form the diagnosis, treatment plan, aim and commencing of treatment. The content includes design of appliances, bracket prescriptions, 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 are 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.
 

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, fixed as well as removable.
 

1003710 - Literature Review (1 cr. hr.)
This course includes instruction on critically evaluating professional dental journal articles predominately 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 to understand its relevance to clinical orthodontics.
 

1003711 - Wire Bending Exercises (1 cr. hr.)
Residents will be introduced to and train 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 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 deformities. Emphasis is on differentiating skeletal from dental malocclusion and the application of orthodontic and surgical strategies for the most efficacious and safe surgical-orthodontic patient care.
 

1003714 - Orthodontic Management I (2 cr. hrs.)
This course will give the theoretical background of pre and post normal occlusion. Attention is focused to apply growth and development of the face, the occlusion and the dental arches to biomechanical strategies used to facilitate optimal growth outcomes and how growth can be modified during the treatment of malocclusion. This course will also address different treatment philosophies with respect to both removable and fixed appliances.


1003715 - Biomechanics (1 cr. hr.)
 This course's emphasis is on the action and counteraction of orthodontic forces in a biological milieu. The understanding of orthodontic forces and biomechanics is gained by assigned literature, interactive computer programs and systematic follow up the documentation of treated patients by the use of study models and photographic documentation.
 

1002764 – Research Project I (2 cr. Hrs.)
 In this course, students are expected to search for a suitable research topic, and identify a suitable supervisor to take them through the research project. They shall be guided to perform a literature survey and identify key areas and research gaps in a particular clinical or science area. The course enables students to generate research hypothesis and further introduce them to write a research proposal. They will also learn to request for relevant human ethics and animal ethics approval, and perform a preliminary research proposal presentation.
 
 

Year 2, Semester 4 (Spring) (credit hours = 15)

 
1003734 – Orthodontic Patient Care 4 (8 cr. hrs.)
This course is a continuation of Orthodontic Patient Care 3 and represents full exposure to patient clinical orthodontic care. This course requires the attention of residents to oral or maxillofacial surgery with a special emphasis on diagnosis and management of impacted teeth, advanced tooth extractions, removal of third molars, gingival plastics, implantology and orthognathic surgery.
 

1003718 - Postnatal Growth Determination, Superimposition & Prediction (2 cr. hrs.)
This course provides a detailed review of postnatal growth and development of the craniofacial structures and the jaws. The course is specially designed to provide extensive knowledge in different growth types and differential growth patterns and how they affect the development of the jaws, the inter-maxillary relations and the occlusion. In addition, residents are trained in cephalometric growth and treatment prediction by hand and computerized methods.
 

1003719 - Interceptive Orthodontics (1 cr. hr.) 
This course discusses types of malocclusions that will benefit from early orthodontic treatment to prevent dental injuries, psychosocial problems, or unwanted remodeling changes during the mixed dentition period prior to development of the early permanent dentition. Management of ectopic tooth eruptions with the aim of preventing iatrogenic dental effects is also discussed. Finally, the risk of compromised occlusion and orthodontic treatment need due to tooth migration following premature loss of deciduous and first permanent molars is explored.
 

1003720 - Orthodontic Management 2 (2 cr. hrs.)
This course focuses on the orthodontic management of transverse problems and crowding/spacing issues. Special attention is paid on decision making for extraction – non extraction treatment, expansion versus extraction and transverse discrepancies.
 

1002768 – Research Project II (2 cr. Hrs.)
In this course, students shall organize and prepare their research logistics, begin their pilot study, or validate their questionnaire or run laboratory test to optimize their methods; or begin collecting data either in field work or laboratory experiments. They should ensure that they already have their human or animal ethics approval in place, or they may be needed to provide more information to satisfy the committee in order to get their projects approved. Project supervisors shall follow their research activities very closely.

Year 3, Semester 5 (Fall) (credit hours = 14)

 
1003735 – Orthodontic Patient Care 5 (8 cr. hrs.)
This course is a continuation of Orthodontic Patient Care 4 and represents full exposure to patient clinical orthodontic care. This course places special emphasis on the clinical management of orthodontics in relation to different surgical approaches in the treatment of orthognathic surgery and treatment of craniofacial syndromes. The course also deals with the various aspects of detailing, finishing and retention.

 
1003723 - Orthodontic Management 3 (2 cr. hrs.)
This course will provide information on orthodontic treatment in adults, focusing on iatrogenic effects, multidisciplinary treatment, and orthodontic management of malocclusion in the presence of periodontal problems. This course will also discuss early vs. late treatment, and space closure vs. prosthetic replacement, including use of implants, when managing patients with congenital tooth absence. The overall focus will be on decision making and prognosis of different types of treatment.

 
1003724 - Craniomandibular Function & Orthodontics (1 cr. hr.)
 This course will provide the learner with the basic knowledge of diagnosis and treatment planning of temporo- mandibular joint problems. It also includes a comprehensive literature review with emphasis placed on orthodontic considerations in the prevention and management of mandibular dysfunction.
 

1003725 - Practice Management (1 cr. hr.) 
This course provides practice management information with a focus on how to organize orthodontic care with respect to personnel needed, equipment as well as legal issues. This also addresses the orthodontist as a member of the dental community and how to communicate with other specialists and general dentists and how to organize consultations. The course addresses book keeping, record keeping, and issues of risk management in a dental clinic.
 

1002771 – Research Project III (2 cr. Hrs.)
This course shall concentrate on research activity implementation, with emphasis on data collection and tabulation of preliminary results.
 
 

Year 3, Semester 6 (Spring) (credit hours = 12)

1003736 – Orthodontic Patient Care 6 (7 cr. hrs.) 
This course is a continuation of Orthodontic Patient Care 6 and represents full exposure to patient clinical orthodontic care. This course is also aimed at patient treatment with a special emphasis on retention and retainers. To enhance the clinical experience, the residents will participate in rotations in Cleft Lip and Palate Clinic, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.
 

1003728 - Cleft Palate & Related Syndromes (1 cr. hr.)
This course provides basic knowledge of the development of the skull and jaws with special emphasis on the midface, mandible and TMJ region. A section of the course is designed for the understanding of the development of cranio-facial malformations, especially cleft lip and palate, possible pathogenesis and etiology as well as epidemiology. The course will reflect the multidisciplinary approach to the treatment of craniofacial malformations covering orthodontics and jaw orthopedics, maxillo-facial and plastic/reconstructive surgery, speech pathology and ENT-complications.
 


1003729 - Orthodontic Management 4 (2 cr. hrs.)
This final sequence of Orthodontic Management will address available information on long-term post-retention stability following orthodontic correction of various malocclusion types. As a consequence of this information, appropriate retention types and suitable length of retention for maintenance of each type of correction will be suggested. Finally, any iatrogenic effects of long-term retention will be discussed. In addition, special focus will be on preparing residents for the final clinical examination.
 

1002775 – Research Project IV (2 cr. Hrs.)
This final course in research supports the students in analyzing their research results and writing-up their thesis. They revisit their knowledge in biostatistics and apply relevant formulas/ statistical methods to evaluate and validate their research findings. 





Research Project
The academic courses in Research Methods I and II prepare the trainees in their research project work. Trainees are encouraged to embark onto a research project very early in their program. They will be well guided throughout the research activities through courses in Research Project I to IV with full support from their appointed supervisor.  This course would enable them adopt an inquisitive mind and continue practice evidence-based dentistry. Trainees must submit a thesis and publish a scientific paper which is directly related to their project.

The College of Dental Medicine support the trainees in its three multidisciplinary research clusters as follows:

• Biomaterial Research Group
• Wound Healing and Oral Diagnostic Research Group
• Oral Biofilm in Health and disease Research Group

 

University of Sharjah Graduate Studies Bylaws and Master's Executive Regulations:
For more detailed information regarding the general admission requirements for the Master of Dental Surgery programs at University of Sharjah, as well as the graduation requirements, academic load, maximum duration of program studies, conditional admission, academic probation, examination and grades systems, as well as registration of thesis, you may consult the University of Sharjah Graduate Studies Bylaws and Master's Executive Regulations available in PDF format on the following link (College of Graduate Studies website): https://www.sharjah.ac.ae/en/Research/gs/Pages/br.aspx