Orthodontics Dental Specialty Assessment and Training Program (DSATP)
The DSATP is a non-degree, non-certificate program for internationally-trained orthodontists (36 months of full-time dental specialty training in a university-based graduate program) who were not educated in programs accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of Canada (CDAC) or the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CoDA) in the United States.
The program aims to determine clinical skills and judgment gaps that can be reasonably addressed within 12 months of training. There is no formal didactic component.
This is a two-phase program:
- An assessment phase of up to 3 months (April - July)
- A training phase of up to 9 months (August - March)
Should the DSATP Program Director believe at any time that the candidate cannot achieve the required level of clinical skills and judgment equivalent to that of the cohort of senior, final-year graduate students in a CDAC or CoDA accredited dental specialty program within the remaining months of the training phase, the candidate will be dismissed from the DSATP. Should the candidate successfully complete the DSATP, the Program Director will provide a letter of successful completion of the DSATP to the Royal College of Dentists fo Canada (RCDC), informing the Board that the candidate is eligible to apply to write the Canadian National Dental Specialty Examination. This letter will be provided a week before the RCDC/NDSE application window closes.
Application Information
The program spans 12 months from April 1 to March 31 each year. We are currently accepting applications for the 2027 training year.
Applications Open: June 15, 2026
Application Deadline Exended: October 5, 2026
It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that all required documents are received by the application deadline noted above, or the application will not be considered for admission.
Please complete the following application form and submit it to pgde@ualberta.ca along with all required application documents. All applications should be sent as a single PDF file.
Interviews will be held in-person in December. (TBD).
Admission Requirements
All applicants must meet the eligibility requirements established by the: Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies & and Graduate Orthodontics Program Admission Subcommittee.
An academic record that satisfies the basic entrance requirements does not necessarily guarantee admission. Enrollment in this graduate program is limited (up to one spot per year), and the number of qualified applicants greatly exceeds the number of yearly positions available. Admission will be based on demonstrated clinical excellence, the quality of letters of recommendation, and interview performance including oral interactions and written exam. Additional consideration may be given to community involvement.
Citizenship
Canadian Citizen or Landed Permanent Resident status (by the application deadline).
Dental Degree & GPA
Successful completion of a Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) or equivalent degree with a minimum admission GPA of 3.4 out of 4.0 or equivalent.
Admission GPA is calculated using:
- the last 60 units of graded coursework complete, or;
- the equivalent of the last two years of full-time graded coursework
Orthodontic Specialty Training
Have at least 36 months or more of full-time dental speciality training (2500+ hours) in a university-based graduate program not accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of Canada (CDAC) or the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CoDA) in the United States.
Dental Experience & Licensure
Completion of at least one year of experience as a licensed dentist or in a clinical graduate/postgraduate program within 12 months of the program start date.
Although a current Albertan dental license is not a requirement to apply, preference may be given to candidates who have successfully completed the National Dental Examining Board of Canada's (NDEB) Certification Process.
American Dental Aptitude Test
Submission of ADAT scores is required for admission. Applicants who fail to provide ADAT scores by the application deadline will not be considered. ADAT results must be no older than three years.
English Language Proficiency
English is the primary language of instruction and communication at the University of Alberta. All applicants must demonstrate satisfactory English language proficiency prior to admission either by:
- Possession of an undergraduate degree or equivalent from an institution recognized by the University of Alberta, in which the language of instruction is English, or;
- Minimum scores on an approved English language test described in the table
- Test scores must be valid and verifiable. Test scores cannot be more than two years old.
Unofficial test results can be submitted initially. If admitted, official test results must be issued directly from the testing office pgde@ualberta.ca.
| Accepted English Tests | Minimum Scores |
| TOEFL Internet-based |
For tests written before January 21, 2026: Minimum score of 95 with the minimum following scores in each subsection:
For tests written on or after January 21, 2026: Minimum score of 5.5 with the minimum following scores in each subsection:
|
| IELTS Academic | Overall score of 7.5 with at least 7 on each band |
| CAEL | Overall score of 80 with at least 70 on each subtest |
Required Documents
Documents must be received by October 5. Applications missing required documents will not be considered for admission.
Applicants must complete the following application form and pay a $250 CAD application fee (non-refundable).
Applicants are also required to submit the following:
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Unofficial transcripts of all academic work in progress or completed at all post-secondary institutions attended.
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Degree Certificates must accompany transcripts that do not clearly indicate that a degree has been conferred/awarded/granted and the date on which the degree was conferred. Degree certificates must include the date of conferral, the registrar's signature, and a post-secondary institution stamp or seal. Documents that are not in English must be accompanied by a certified English translation.
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A letter from your Dental School noting your graduation ranking (it should include the number of students in your graduating class and your ranking within the class) is expected if available. Stronger consideration may be given to those that provide such ranking. The letter can be either uploaded directly to your online application as a single PDF document, or the Dental School can send the letter directly to pgde@ualberta.ca.
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Letter(s) of good standing from current and all previous licensing bodies. For candidates not licensed yet but in a GPR program, a letter from the Program Director stating they are in good standing with no professional conduct issues is required. The letter(s) can be either uploaded directly to your online application as a single PDF document, or the licensing bodies can send the letter(s) directly to pgde@ualberta.ca.
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Proof of English Language Proficiency.
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The names and contact information of three professional referees who need to provide their recommendation letter before the application deadline. The reception of those letters implies that the UofA Orthodontics DSATP may contact those referees directly to clarify any points based on the recommendation letter. All reference letters must be signed and dated on official letterhead, and submitted to pgde@ualberta.ca.
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Curriculum vitae (resume), which includes education, qualifications, publications, community involvement, and previous professional and research experience
- Statement of Interest, no more than a one page summary describing why you wish to pursue the DSATP program at the University of Alberta.
Official documents (transcripts, degree certificates, etc.) will be required upon receiving the conditional offer of admission letter. The documents must be sent directly from the post-secondary institution to the Postgraduate Dental Office (PGDE) at the School of Dentistry. Please confirm that your documents meet the Application Requirements for Academic Documents. Documents that are not in English must be accompanied by a certified English translation.
Selection Process
Applications are reviewed by all full-time Faculty members of the Graduate Orthodontics program.
Interviews
A limited number of applicants will be granted interviews. If you are invited for interview, you will be advised by email at least two weeks in advance.
All interviews are conducted in-person at the University of Alberta North Campus. Online interviews requests will not be granted.
The interview committee may include:
- Full-time and part-time Orthodontics faculty
- An Orthodontics Graduate student
- Affiliate Academic staff
- A representative from the Orthodontia Alumni/Mentorship Association
The interview process includes a written orthodontic exam about orthodontic-related
topics and a 60-90 min group interview that may consider hypothetical and real
orthodontic cases. Questions about patient management will also be considered. Conversational English skills will be further assessed during the day.
Admission
Interviewed candidates will be ranked, and offers of admission will be made based on the number of available spots. It is possible that no admission offer will be granted.
Admission will be based on demonstrated clinical excellence, the quality of letters of recommendation and interview performance, including oral interactions and written exam. Additional consideration may be given to community involvement. Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission.
Preference may be given to candidates who have successfully completed the National Dental Examining Board of Canada's (NDEB) Certification Process.
Program Cost
Program Fees for 2027-2028 Session at a Glance:
| Deposit (non-refundable) | $5,000 |
| Assessment Phase Fee | $30,000 |
| Training Phase Fee | $65,000 |
Fees for the entire year of the 2027-2028 session are approximately $95,000 CAD.
Payment Schedule:
- A nonrefundable $5,000 deposit is required to accept the offer of admission. This deposit will be applied to the assessment phase fees.
- Non-refundable assessment phase fees (first three months): $30,000 CAD. Payment is due at the start of the assessment program.
- Non-refundable training phase fees (for 9 months): $65,000 CAD. Payment will be due at the start of the training program.
Note: Costs are estimates and subject to change. Fees are paid at registration.
Students should be prepared to financially support themselves for the duration of their program.
Cost of Living
Edmonton offers a moderate cost of living when compared with other major cities in Canada.
UAlberta no longer provides cost of living estimates for graduate students but you might be able to find useful information by using the Undergraduate Cost Calculator instead.