Program Director: Dr. Bekir Karabucakcontact

Program Overview

The University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine has the unique honor of being the birthplace of modern endodontics with Dr. Louis Grossman, the father of modern endodontics, having established the Penn Dental Medicine endodontic program.

The endodontic residency program is designed to provide postgraduate students with advanced training in endodontics, and upon its successful completion, students are eligible for the Board of Endodontics. This program is fully accredited by the American Dental Association’s Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA).

The highly respected research environment at Penn Dental Medicine and throughout the University of Pennsylvania provides a valuable opportunity for students applying to residency programs to combine their training with advanced research and academic opportunities. To that end, Penn Dental Medicine offers a Master of Science in Oral Biology (MSOB) and a Doctor of Science in Dentistry (DScD) that can be earned concurrent with a certificate, preparing students to successfully enter the field of academic dentistry while also becoming skilled clinicians in care. Through the MSOB and DScD programs, students are encouraged to pursue their individual research interests with projects that can span the diverse disciplines and research labs within Penn Dental Medicine’s basic and clinical sciences and across the University. Learn more about the combined Endodontics/DScD program »

Students in the residency program are exposed to the many facets of modern clinical endodontics with an emphasis on the utilization of the microscope in all types of procedures, including emergency treatment, complex conservative treatment, microsurgery, pediatric endodontics, and the treatment of traumatic injuries to teeth. All residents must conduct and prepare an independent research project for presentation at the Annual Session of the American Association of Endodontists and for publication.

In addition to the core basic science courses required for all postgraduate students, the endodontic department arranges further basic science courses related to the program. Clinical seminars, planned reading seminars, and an extensive guest lecture series are also part of the educational experience.

Academic Track: MSOB and certificate (3 years), DScD and certificate (5 years)
Clinical Certificate Track: certificate only (2 years)
Number of residents accepted: 8 per year

Clinical Education

The program has a strong clinical component – approximately 50 percent of the time is spent in the clinic, affording a broad-based clinical experience in conventional and surgical endodontic treatment. Residents work in their operatories, equipped with an operating microscope all the latest instruments and materials necessary to practice modern endodontics. Highly skilled members of the endodontic community staff the program. Under their supervision, residents develop advanced nonsurgical and surgical endodontic skills; use a variety of techniques and technologies, including the surgical operating microscope; and develop a unique endodontic treatment philosophy.

Admissions Process

Application Deadline: August 1 — See Graduate Dental Education Programs Admissions Requirements and Procedures for detailed information and instructions.

All applications will be reviewed by the Endodontics Admissions Selection Committee. Late or incomplete applications will not be considered. Decisions to interview applicants will be made by the Endodontics Admissions Section Committee and such decisions will be communicated to applicants directly from the Endodontics Department.

A personal interview is required as part of the selection process. Selected applicants will be invited to interview at Penn Dental Medicine. Approximately 40 applicants are invited to interview. Interview invitations will be sent via email starting late August. Interviews will be conducted at the School beginning late August. Travel and lodging information will be included with the interview invitation. The interview day will consist of interviews with department faculty, a tour of the facilities, and lunch with faculty and other invited candidates.

The Endodontics Program does not participate in the Match Process. Accepted candidates will be notified via telephone call on a rolling basis until the entering class reaches capacity. All admitted candidates are obligated to submit a non-refundable acceptance deposit in the amount of $1,000 within ten business days of acceptance. The Office of Graduate Dental Education will provide assistance to coordinate pre-enrollment activities such as establishing a PennKey for access to the University’s online resources, establishing a university email address, and initiating the visa process for international students.