This is the preliminary (or launch) version of the 2025-2026 VCU Bulletin. Courses that expose students to cutting-edge content and transformative learning may be added and notification of additional program approvals may be received prior to finalization. General education program content is also subject to change. The final edition and full PDF version will include these updates and will be available in August prior to the beginning of the fall semester.

Program Goals

  1. To establish a well-rounded and comprehensive academic setting for prosthodontic education, emphasizing excellence in teaching, research and clinical care. 

  2. To prepare prosthodontists capable of applying modern clinical prosthodontic techniques, utilizing both conventional and advanced technologies.

  3. To educate a prosthodontist proficient in digital dentistry and modern biomaterials, capable of effectively assessing and utilizing these materials in patient treatment through evidence-based practices. 

  4. To instill a commitment to continuous learning in prosthodontics. 

  5. To equip students/residents for serving the profession and community.

  6. To facilitate prosthodontic trainees in achieving American Board of Prosthodontics diplomate status.

Student learning outcomes

Graduates of this program will:

  1. Be able to formulate and conduct a research project relevant to their discipline
  2. Practice evidence-based advanced level dentistry
  3. Demonstrate the ability to communicate with patients, colleagues in general dentistry, dental specialties, medicine and other health care practitioners
  4. Demonstrate advanced clinical skills in the provision of ethical and informed patient care

  5. Be proficient in the delivery of state of the art prosthodontic care including:

    1. Diagnosis treatment and planning of complex prosthodontic needs

    2. Expertise in full mouth functional and esthetic rehabilitation

    3. Management of advanced fixed and removable prosthodontics

    4. Management of advanced implant-based therapies

    5. An in-depth knowledge of oral and maxillofacial rehabilitation

    6. Advanced clinical skills in cutting-edge prosthodontic and dental implant treatment modalities

    7. Use of emerging digital technologies in prosthodontic treatment and dental implant therapy

VCU Graduate Bulletin, VCU Graduate School and general academic policies and regulations for all graduate students in all graduate programs

The VCU Graduate Bulletin website documents the official admission and academic rules and regulations that govern graduate education for all graduate programs at the university. These policies are established by the graduate faculty of the university through their elected representatives to the University Graduate Council.

It is the responsibility of all graduate students, both on- and off-campus, to be familiar with the VCU Graduate Bulletin as well as the Graduate School website and academic regulations in individual school and department publications and on program websites. However, in all cases, the official policies and procedures of the University Graduate Council, as published on the VCU Graduate Bulletin and Graduate School websites, take precedence over individual program policies and guidelines.

Visit the academic regulations section for additional information on academic regulations for graduate students.

Degree candidacy requirements

A graduate student admitted to a program or concentration requiring a final research project, work of art, thesis or dissertation, must qualify for continuing master’s or doctoral status according to the degree candidacy requirements of the student’s graduate program. Admission to degree candidacy, if applicable, is a formal statement by the graduate student’s faculty regarding the student’s academic achievements and the student’s readiness to proceed to the final research phase of the degree program.

Graduate students and program directors should refer to the following degree candidacy policy as published in the VCU Graduate Bulletin for complete information and instructions.

Visit the academic regulations section for additional information on degree candidacy requirements.

Graduation requirements

As graduate students approach the end of their academic programs and the final semester of matriculation, they must make formal application to graduate. No degrees will be conferred until the application to graduate has been finalized.

Graduate students and program directors should refer to the following graduation requirements as published in the Graduate Bulletin for a complete list of instructions and a graduation checklist.

Visit the academic regulations section for additional information on graduation requirements.

Apply online today.

Admission requirements

Degree: Semester(s) of entry: Deadline dates: Test requirements:
M.S.D. Fall (Jul 1 start date) Aug 1 of the year prior to entry National Dental Boards, parts I and II or Integrated National Board

Upon acceptance into the speciality certificate program in periodontics the applicants must apply to  the Graduate School for the M.S.D. program.

In addition to the general admission requirements of the VCU Graduate School, the following requirements represent the minimum acceptable standards for admission:

  1. All residents are required to hold a Virginia temporary resident’s license. Requirements for licensure are:
    1. Be eligible to obtain a Virginia temporary resident's license from the Virginia Board of Dentistry. Eligibility for the Virginia temporary resident's license from the Virginia Board of Dentistry is no longer dependent on graduation from a dental school accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association. Therefore, graduates from CODA-approved programs as well as from foreign dental schools not approved by CODA can be considered for admission.
    2. Successfully completed Part 1 with application and will complete Part 2 of the NBDE by the time of acceptance or the INBDE.
  2. Completion of PASS application and agreement to participate in the PASS and the Postdoctoral Dental Match Program.
  3. Completion of TOEFL or IELTS (for students whose native language is not English and who don’t have a degree from a U.S. or Canadian accredited institution).
  4. Minimum grade point average of 3.0 (4.0 scale) or the equivalent, or a ranking of the top 50% of the dental school class.
  5. Successful interview with the program director, faculty, and residents.

The VCU graduate prosthodontics concentration participates in the ADEA PASS program and the MATCH program. All applicants are responsible for registering for the PASS and MATCH programs and are responsible for adhering to all the deadline dates associated with PASS and MATCH. The deadline for applications is August 1. A selection committee consisting of the program director and selected faculty screen applications for eligibility. Interviews are by invitation only.

The PASS application will include but not limited to the following:

  1. Current curriculum vitae or resume
  2. Official copies of dental school transcripts
  3. GPA/class ranking forwarded from the dean's office of the dental school attended
  4. Three letters of recommendation from individuals who can personally attest to personal and professional qualities, including at least one letter from an individual who can discuss prosthodontic skills
  5. Institution Evaluation Form (completed by the dean of the dental school attended)
  6. Personal statement indicating interest in the specialty of prosthodontics; information about experience and career goals (personal and professional) is required
  7. INBDE/NBDE I and II
  8. 2X2 inch photograph
  9. For international students submit the following:
    1. Test of English as a Foreign Language (original copy and minimum score of 92 is required for consideration) or International English Language Testing System (original copy and score of 6.5 or greater acceptable: test must be taken within two years of application date) 
    2. An official, detailed, course-by-course evaluation by Education Credential Evaluators or World Education Services

In addition, a non-refundable $75 application fee should be paid directly to the VCU Department of Prosthodontics after submitting the PASS application.

Degree requirements

In addition to general VCU Graduate School graduation requirements, a cumulative GPA of 3.0 must be maintained. Students must receive a minimum grade of B for all required courses. Students will take written and oral examinations and must obtain a minimum grade of B or a passing grade. If either is not obtained, then the examination must be retaken. For research the student must have a thesis defense, present a poster and prepare a manuscript for submission by May 1 of the third year. Extensions may be approved, but students are responsible for the expense.

Curriculum requirements

Course Title Hours
Core courses
DENS 550Update in Practice Administration1
DENS 580Biostatistics and Research Design in Dentistry (two credits taken twice)2
DENS 660Interdisciplinary Care Conference (0.5 credits taken twice) 10.5
DENS 680Graduate Dental Clinic (four credits taken four times)4
DENS 699Thesis Guidance (two credits taken six time)2
DENS 700Basic Sciences and Graduate Dentistry3
ORPT 750Advanced Oral Diagnostic Sciences (0.5 credits taken twice)0.5
Concentration courses
DENS 630Orthodontic-Periodontic-Prosthodontic-AEGD Conference (0.5 credits taken six times)0.5
PROS 500Advanced Biomaterials in Prosthodontics1
PROS 501Diagnosis, Treatment Planning and Case Presentation Seminar (two credits taken six times)2
PROS 503Fundamentals of Prosthodontics (one credit taken twice)7
PROS 600Advanced Prosthodontics Literature Review (one credit taken six times)1
PROS 601Surgical and Prosthodontic Principles of Implant Therapy1
PROS 630Principles of Maxillofacial Prosthetics0.5
PROS 680Clinical Prosthodontics (Taken four times for 16 credits and two times for 16 credits)1-12
Total Hours100.5
1

For DENS 660, students register for 0.5 credits for both fall and spring semesters in the first two years of the program. They receive a continuing grade in the fall semester and grade at the end of the spring semester for the entire year. Students take the class four times for 0.5 credits each time, but they are only graded for two 0.5 credit classes.

The minimum number of graduate credit hours required for this degree is 100.5.

Students who complete the requirements for this degree will receive a Master of Science in Dentistry.

Plan of study

Year one
Fall semesterHours
DENS 580 Biostatistics and Research Design in Dentistry 2
DENS 630 Orthodontic-Periodontic-Prosthodontic-AEGD Conference 0.5
DENS 660 Interdisciplinary Care Conference 1 0.5
DENS 680 Graduate Dental Clinic 4
DENS 699 Thesis Guidance 2
ORPT 750 Advanced Oral Diagnostic Sciences 0.5
PROS 500 Advanced Biomaterials in Prosthodontics 1
PROS 501 Diagnosis, Treatment Planning and Case Presentation Seminar 2
PROS 503 Fundamentals of Prosthodontics 7
PROS 600 Advanced Prosthodontics Literature Review 1
PROS 601 Surgical and Prosthodontic Principles of Implant Therapy 1
PROS 680 Clinical Prosthodontics 4
 Term Hours: 25
Spring semester
DENS 580 Biostatistics and Research Design in Dentistry 2
DENS 630 Orthodontic-Periodontic-Prosthodontic-AEGD Conference 0.5
DENS 660 Interdisciplinary Care Conference 1 0.5
DENS 680 Graduate Dental Clinic 4
DENS 699 Thesis Guidance 2
DENS 700 Basic Sciences and Graduate Dentistry 3
ORPT 750 Advanced Oral Diagnostic Sciences 0.5
PROS 501 Diagnosis, Treatment Planning and Case Presentation Seminar 2
PROS 600 Advanced Prosthodontics Literature Review 1
PROS 680 Clinical Prosthodontics 4
 Term Hours: 19.5
Year two
Fall semester
DENS 630 Orthodontic-Periodontic-Prosthodontic-AEGD Conference 0.5
DENS 660 Interdisciplinary Care Conference 1 0.5
DENS 680 Graduate Dental Clinic 4
DENS 699 Thesis Guidance 2
PROS 501 Diagnosis, Treatment Planning and Case Presentation Seminar 2
PROS 600 Advanced Prosthodontics Literature Review 1
PROS 630 Principles of Maxillofacial Prosthetics 0.5
PROS 680 Clinical Prosthodontics 4
 Term Hours: 14
Spring semester
DENS 630 Orthodontic-Periodontic-Prosthodontic-AEGD Conference 0.5
DENS 660 Interdisciplinary Care Conference 1 0.5
DENS 680 Graduate Dental Clinic 4
DENS 699 Thesis Guidance 2
PROS 501 Diagnosis, Treatment Planning and Case Presentation Seminar 2
PROS 600 Advanced Prosthodontics Literature Review 1
PROS 680 Clinical Prosthodontics 4
 Term Hours: 14
Year three
Fall semester
DENS 550 Update in Practice Administration 1
DENS 630 Orthodontic-Periodontic-Prosthodontic-AEGD Conference 0.5
DENS 699 Thesis Guidance 2
PROS 501 Diagnosis, Treatment Planning and Case Presentation Seminar 2
PROS 600 Advanced Prosthodontics Literature Review 1
PROS 680 Clinical Prosthodontics 8
 Term Hours: 14.5
Spring semester
DENS 630 Orthodontic-Periodontic-Prosthodontic-AEGD Conference 0.5
PROS 501 Diagnosis, Treatment Planning and Case Presentation Seminar 2
PROS 600 Advanced Prosthodontics Literature Review 1
DENS 699 Thesis Guidance 2
PROS 680 Clinical Prosthodontics 8
 Term Hours: 13.5
 Total Hours: 100.5
1

For DENS 660, students register for 0.5 credits for both fall and spring semesters in the first two years of the program. They receive a continuing grade in the fall semester and a grade at the end of the spring semester for the entire year. Students take the class four times for 0.5 credits each time, but they are only graded for two 0.5-credit classes.

The minimum number of graduate credit hours required for this degree is 100.5.

Contact
Sandra Al-Tarawneh, D.D.S., M.S., FACP
Associate professor and graduate program director
altarawnehs@vcu.edu
(804) 628-4550