Advanced Specialty Education in Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics

The mission of the Georgia School of Orthodontics is to educate qualified dentists to become specialists in orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics with a commitment to excellence in patient-centered care, effective teaching, meaningful research and service to the community.

As of June 2024, GSO has saved Atlanta families over $35 million in orthodontic treatment costs. The School also serves the Greater Atlanta community through its philanthropic endeavors and has provided over $250,000 in complimentary orthodontic care. Twenty-two local children were selected to receive treatment at no cost through GSO’s Gift of a Smile Program and 14 adults are receiving complimentary orthodontic care through the Gift of a Smile Heroes Program. Through its Purple Heart Smiles Program, the School provides complimentary, high-quality orthodontic treatment to over 40 children and grandchildren of veterans who were injured or killed during their service. GSO’s Cleft Palate and Craniofacial Program will provide over 100 children born with cleft lip, cleft palate, and craniofacial anomalies comprehensive orthodontic care at no cost.

GSO is proud to have provided over $4,300,000 in scholarships to its residents, supporting the education of future leaders in orthodontics.

The goals of the program are to:

• Encourage socially responsible behavior in residents through the service of underprivileged patients.
• Provide underserved and diverse patient populations access to affordable orthodontic treatment.
• Develop ethical, skilled practitioners who are prepared to efficiently manage an orthodontic practice.
• Develop dentists to become leaders in the dental specialty of orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics.
• Educate culturally competent orthodontists who understand the changing population demographics and needs.

• Provide a foundational knowledge of orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics. Teach residents how to critically evaluate scientific literature and conduct research designed to advance the knowledge of the specialty.

The educational objectives to achieve our goals are to train residents to:

• Diagnose and manage malocclusions.
• Utilize basic sciences in orthodontic delivery.
• Use sound mechanical and biological principles.
• Manage craniofacial, occlusal and TMD problems.
• Maintain orthodontic records.
• Be proficient in the literature review.
• Instill a commitment to community service.
• Foster a philosophy of lifelong learning.
• Prepare the resident for successful certification by the American Board of Orthodontics.

Go to our Admissions page to learn more about applying for our residency program or contact us for more information.

The Core Curriculum consists of the following courses and clinical activities:

The Georgia School of Orthodontics Advanced Specialty Education Program in Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics is designed to provide advanced knowledge and skills in orthodontics with several objectives. These include creating a well-educated and well-rounded professional who practices orthodontics at the highest level of clinical and ethical standards. The curriculum has been designed to not just meet the Accreditation Standards for Advanced Specialty Education in Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics as designed by the American Dental Association’s Commission on Dental Accreditation (ADA/CODA), but exceed it.

The curriculum is diverse and comprehensive in both didactic and clinical platforms. It prepares residents for the written portion of the examination leading to board certification with the American Board of Orthodontics (ABO). Residents will work closely with their faculty as they immerse themselves in a clinically intense environment utilizing various contemporary appliances and treatment modalities as they serve a very diverse patient population pool. Residents will also become confident in applying EBD to their diagnostic and treatment considerations. As part of the curriculum, residents will conduct an independent research project that must be presented at scientific symposia and submitted for publication.

The first year of the program focuses on didactics and clinical development. First-year residents take Biomedical Core (basic sciences) as part of their core curriculum. This core curriculum stresses the fundamentals of normal and abnormal dentofacial growth and development; embryology, genetics, and hereditary influences in cranial and dentofacial growth; head and neck anatomy, histology and physiology; oral biology, pharmacology, oral pathology, oral medicine, and immunology; and patients afflicted with dentofacial deformities and craniofacial anomalies and syndromes.  During the first year, residents will also receive training in cephalometrics and applied biomechanics, orthodontic materials science, and research design. Residents will choose their research project and start the data collection process. All of this is in preparation for an intense immersion into the orthodontic clinic where they are expected to start a minimum of 30 orthodontic cases per year comprised of various types of malocclusions.

During the second and third years of the program, the focus is on developing independent clinical skills and post-treatment evaluations. The clinical schedule is continued and additional seminar instruction is provided in a supporting curriculum with an emphasis on practice and patient management, risk management, ethics, integration of evidence-based orthodontics into clinical decision making, interdisciplinary treatment, public health considerations regarding access to care and other public policy concerns, and understanding the nuances of various appliance systems. Mock boards are initiated in preparation for the mandatory requirement of sitting for the written portion of the ABO examination. Residents’ research projects are completed, presented at a scientific symposium, and submitted for publication.

We provide our residents with access to a dedicated career services department to better enable them to thrive post-education. Throughout their time at GSO, they have scheduled individual strategy sessions, professional guidance, access to our wide network of doctors and advisors, and a library of resources to better enable them to navigate the vast array of career decisions, with the best possible outcome.