Advanced Specialty Education in Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics

The Georgia School of Orthodontics is an Advanced Specialty Education Program in Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics that offers a 36-month residency certificate program to residents at its Atlanta, Georgia campus. 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.

The Residency Program consists of intensive didactic, clinical, and research components that are taught in state-of-the-art facilities with technologically advanced equipment and materials. Our two campuses have over 21,000 square feet of clinical, research, academic, and administrative spaces. Our clinical technology includes 3D Intraoral Scanners, a CBCT scanner (3-D x-ray), and 100% digital records for maximum efficiency.

Each year, 18 students who have completed their dental degree are selected for the Residency Program leading to a certificate of proficiency in clinical orthodontics. Our residents are selected from a diverse group of outstanding, well-qualified applicants. An evidence-based approach to diagnosis and treatment planning is emphasized via the didactic, clinical, and research curriculum. Also, residents are given courses in the business of orthodontic practice to create a well-rounded professional. The highest ethical standards are emphasized throughout the length of the Program. It is our mission to create professionals who exhibit diversity and will provide affordable orthodontic care to underserved communities.

Our resident dentists are educated by our eighteen orthodontic faculty, an immensely talented group of doctors who have experience in the areas of full-time academics as well as a full-time private practice in the orthodontic profession. They include the best in the field of orthodontics and are dedicated to providing residents with exceptional didactic and clinical training. The faculty includes Diplomates of the American Board of Orthodontists (ABO) and world-renowned researchers. The faculty and the residents are supported by an excellent group of administrative and clinical staff.

The 36-month Residency Program begins in July. It provides a comprehensive understanding of the basic sciences as well as their application to the various orthodontic techniques and methods in contemporary clinical practice. This Program also provides experience in teaching orthodontics as well as in the conduct of research by completing a paper approved by the program faculty.

GSO also offers a non-accredited Fellowship Program for up to six dental school graduates per year who would like to pursue a career in orthodontics. Our Fellowship Program is one year in length, and fellows who complete the Fellowship Program will be given strong consideration for admittance into the Residency Program for the next class. Our fellows attend all classes with the first-year residents and can participate in the clinic, subject to obtaining a Georgia Dental License. Please visit our Admissions Page for information on our Residency and Fellowship Programs and how to apply.

Mission

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.

To date, GSO has saved Atlanta families over $2,400,000 in orthodontic care. The School also serves the Atlanta community through its philanthropic endeavors, and its pledge to provide $100,000 in complimentary orthodontic care over the next three years. Each year, three local children are selected to receive orthodontic care at no cost through GSO’s Gift of a Smile Program. Through its Purple Heart Smiles Program, the School provides complimentary, high-quality orthodontic care treatment to children of veterans who were wounded, injured, or killed during their service. The Georgia School of Orthodontics Cleft Palate and Craniofacial Center will provide comprehensive complementary treatment to over one hundred children born with cleft lip, cleft palate, and craniofacial anomalies.

GSO has committed to over $1,000,000 in scholarships to its current residents. 

Goals and Objectives

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.

Core Curriculum

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

Orthodontic Curriculum

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.

First-Year Curriculum

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.

Second and Third Year Curriculum

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.

Continuing Education

Please check back for more information on our continuing education.