Doctoral (PhD) Periodontology
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Application Information | Requirements | Documents | Selection | Cost | Program Information
A periodontist is a dentist specialist in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of periodontal diseases, the management of oral inflammation, and the placement of dental implants.
Our Doctoral (PhD) Periodontology program offers extensive, cutting-edge training in these areas. You will gain expertise in both classic and the latest techniques for diagnosing and treating periodontal disease, alongside training in performing cosmetic periodontal procedures. Residents in this program will treat complex and advanced periodontal cases, including those involving patients with a complex medical history. Furthermore, residents will be specially trained in the placement and repair of dental implants and bone-related surgeries.
Upon completion of the program, you will possess the necessary knowledge to challenge both the Royal College of Dentists of Canada (RCDC) Fellowship national specialty examination and the American Board of Periodontology examination.
Application Information
The admissions cycle is a year-long process. Applications are submitted in the year prior to the Fall term admission is sought.
Applications open: January 1
Application deadline: June 1
Once you submit and pay for your application, you can use the GSMS Portal to:
- check the status of your application
- determine if references have been received
- change referees
- upload documents
To access the portal, please sign in using the e-mail address and password initially used when you created your account.
Admission Requirements
All applicant must meet the eligibility requirements established by the: Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies, Medical Sciences Graduate Program Committee, and Graduate Periodontology Program Admission Subcommittee.
Dental Degree, Master's Degree & GPA
Successful completion of a Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) or equivalent degree, and a Master's degree with a minimum admission GPA of 3.0 out of 4.0 or equivalent.
A Master's degree is required, except in exceptional cases, which will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
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
Dental Experience & Licensure
Dental experience is not required. Completion of at least one year of experience as a licensed dentist prior to the start of the program is preferred.
Current Alberta dental licensure is not required. Preference may be given to candidates who have successfully completed the National Dental Examining Board of Canada's (NDEB) Certification process.
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 to the Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies.
| 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 the June 1. Applications missing required documents will not be considered for admission.
Applicants should submit supporting documents through the GSMS portal.
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.
Official documents (transcripts, degree certificates, etc.) will be required upon receiving the conditional offer of admission letter. Documents must be sent directly from the post-secondary institution to the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies office.
Degree certificates must accompany transcripts that do not clearly indicate that a degree has been conferred/awarded/granted and the date.
Degree certificates must include:
- date of conferral
- registrar's signature
- post-secondary institution stamp or seal
Stronger consideration may be given to those that provide such ranking.
The letter can be either be:
- uploaded to GSMS as a single PDF document
- sent directly from the dental school to dentgrad@ualberta.ca
Letter(s) of Good Standing are required from all current and previous licensing bodies.
For candidates that are in a General Practice Residency program and are not licensed, a letter from the Program Director stating they are in good standing with no professional conduct issues is required.
Letter(s) can be either be:
- uploaded to GSMS as a single PDF document
- sent directly by the licensing body to dentgrad@ualberta.ca
A Curriculum vitae (or resume) which includes:
- education
- qualifications
- publications
- community involvement
- previous professional and research experience
Applicants must provide the names and contact information of three professional referees who need to provide a recommendation letter.
Once you submit and pay for your application, your referees will receive a notice from GSMS requesting that their reference be submitted within two weeks of receiving the request.
You can check whether reference letters have been received or change a referee through the GSMS portal.
Applicants must identify the following prior to submitting an application:
- a willing faculty supervisor
- a potential thesis topic
- potential funding
Potential supervisors are listed in the section below.
Once your Supervisor is confirmed, the Applicant/Supervisor Checklist should be completed and submitted with the application. Please note that this form requires the signature of the confirmed supervisor.
Selection Process
Applications are reviewed by all full-time and part-time Faculty members of the Graduate Periodontology 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 Periodontology faculty
- a Periodontology Graduate student
- Affiliate Academic staff
- a representative from the Mike Petryk School of Dentistry Graduate Studies Committee
Interviewed candidates, including any MSc applicants also being interviewed, will be ranked.
If determined eligible for admission, the candidate will be offered a second interview with the Mike Petryk School of Dentistry Graduate Studies subcommittee.
Admission
Enrollment is limited. The number of qualified applicants greatly exceeds the number of yearly positions available.
Admission will be based on demonstrated academic excellence, community involvement, quality of letters of recommendation and interview performance. Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission.
Admission to the PhD Periodontology program is dependent upon the recommendation of the Graduate Periodontology Program Admission Subcommittee and Medical Sciences Graduate Program Committee.
The final admission decision is made by the Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies.
Program Cost
Information about tuition and fees can be found on the Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies website.
| Tuition | $13,752 |
| Equipment and Instrumentation Rental | $13,225 |
| Annual Total (including non-instructional fees) | ~$30,000 |
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. Limited funding through scholarships and studentships may be available on a competitive basis.
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.
Additional Anticipated Costs
Students can expect to have the following additional costs:
- IV sedation (two-drug) certification cost (~$25,000)
- Registration with the College of Dental Surgeons of Alberta
- Annual CPR Training
- Camera and Laptop
- Dental Loupes
- Conference-related costs
Program Information
The PhD Periodontology program is offered to post-DDS/DMD applicants. The time required to complete the PhD will vary according to the applicant's previous training and the nature of the research undertaken; however, a minimum of six years is required, with six to seven years being the expected norm.
The maximum time permitted to complete the program as set by the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research is six years. Successful completion of the Candidacy examination is required within three years of the start date of the program.
Students enrolled in the PhD in Periodontology program will not have the option of transferring to the MSc in Periodontology program.
Residency
Students are required to reside in Edmonton for the entirety of their Clinical training. Residency for the remainder of the program is dependent on discussions with your supervisor, research requirements, and course offerings. Oral examinations may be required to be held in-person.
Licensure
An Education and Research license from the College of Dental Surgeons of Alberta (CDSA) is mandatory for the entire duration of the program. Documentation is due by August 1 prior to starting the program in the fall term. If you already possess a full license from the CDSA, you do not need to obtain additional licensure.
Completion of the following courses is required:
- Research Methodology: DENT 542
- Oral Health Sciences Seminars: DENT 635, 636
Additional courses may be taken beyond the required courses for the program, as determined by your supervising committee. Please consult with the Graduate Program Administrator for assistance with registering for any supplementary courses.
Students are required to complete research, usually within the established research focus of the program.
Students must complete a paper-format thesis.
Students should have their research results ready to submit to peer-reviewed journals. It is anticipated that all student research projects will result in publication.
Students may also have an opportunity to present their research results at an international scientific meeting prior to program completion.
PhD students begin the clinical portion of the program after they have completed their Candidacy examination.
Clinical training begins after successful competition of the Candidacy Examination (see Research above for details).
Throughout your clinical training, you will undergo oral assessments conducted by both full-time and part-time academic faculty. These assessments evaluate your skills in diagnosis, treatment planning, and treatment execution.
Assessment feedback will identify areas for improvement in the student's progress, allowing for the development of specific objectives before the next oral assessment. Failure to meet improvement objectives will require the student to extend their program or may result in a failing grade in the clinical course(s).
For detailed contact information for each faculty member, please visit Our Researchers page.
Program Co-Directors:
- Dr. Khaled Altabtbaei
- Dr. Teresa Debevc
Additional Faculty:
- Dr. Dongdong Fang
- Major Bryant Roy
- Dr. Nader Hamdan
- Dr. Andrew Gibb
- Dr. Disha Nagpal
- Dr. Anum Haider
- Dr. Umar Rekhi