Program Information
Objective:
The Orthodontic Department has as its objective the education of excellent, ethical, compassionate, and versatile practitioners in the art and science of orthodontics. In addition, the program will provide a basis of graduates to pursue an academic career if they so desire.
Type of Program:
The Postdoctoral program is CODA accredited, it extends over a period of 30 months and leads to a certificate in Orthodontics. Those applicants wishing to pursue a Master’s Degree will be admitted to the Graduate School, where in addition to completing the didactic courses offered, the student will be required to complete a thesis, based on original research. On successful completion of requirements of the program and defense of a thesis, the candidate will be awarded a Master’s Degree in Dentistry as well as a Certificate in Orthodontics.
General Description of Program:
The Postdoctoral program is designed to educate and train dentists while meeting the standards of the American Dental Association Commission on Dental Education for Advanced Education Programs in Orthodontics. The program extends over two and a half academic years (30 months) and combines laboratory and clinical work with didactic courses. Successful completion of the program leads to a specialty certificate.
For the Certificate (non-degree) Program, there will be tuition/fees of approximately $13,000 per academic year (Tuition/fees may change as they are updated prior to the start of each academic year). Since students may also be enrolled in the Graduate School, additional fees will have to be paid for various prescribed courses in the graduate program.
Each student will be required to purchase instruments, a camera, laptop computer, books and other supplies as specified by the Department. The total costs of these items could amount to approximately $15,000.
All students are required to carry acceptable health insurance and furnish proof to this effect. Upon notification of acceptance either by telephone or letter, a deposit of $850.00 must be remitted by Cashier’s Check. This is not refundable under any circumstance but is applied against the tuition charges at the time of matriculation. At time of enrollment students must present certification of vaccination for, or immunity to, Hepatitis B.
The Orthodontic program is a participate in the PASS (Postdoctoral Application Support Service) central application service sponsored by the American Association of Dental Schools. Interested applicants should apply through PASS. Completed applications and supporting documents must be received in this office by August 15 in order to be considered for the program beginning the following summer. PASS applications can be requested online at their website address, www.ADEA.org.
This program is also a participant of the National Matching Program. The administration of the Updated June 2025 matching program, including the performance of the match, is carried out by the National Matching Services, as an independent contractor. If there are any questions regarding the matching program prior to application, applicants should contact the following office:
National Matching Services
595 Bay Street
Suite 301
Toronto, Ontario
CANADA M5G 2C2
Telephone: (416) 977-3431
Fax: (416) 977-5020
(It is the responsibility of the applicant to forward their match number to our office at UAB School of Dentistry-
The deadline for receipt of completed applications is August 15, 2025. Formal interviews by the Selection Committee will be scheduled on October 16-17, 2025.
New students report July 1st for orientation. Students will be required to obtain and maintain appropriate professional liability insurance, which is obtained through the UAB Medical Liability Trust Fund.
For first, second and third year students, there may be limited financial support, if available, in the form of scholarship and/or teaching assistantship. Teaching responsibilities will be required of all students regardless of availability of funding.
Pre-Clinical Course:
A planned pre-clinical course is given prior to treating patients and will include various aspects of orthodontic technology. This section of the course will include wire bending exercises, soldering, and orthodontic appliance fabrication.
The student will also be required to be proficient in taking complete orthodontic records which include history, intraoral scans and/or study casts, intraoral/extraoral photos, cephalometric radiographs, panoramic radiographs as well as CBCT. Photographic and imaging techniques will be taught prior to beginning patient treatment. Orthodontic diagnosis and treatment planning will be an ongoing teaching process to be continued in conjunction with didactic courses, lectures, seminars and patient treatment that includes but is not limited to comprehensive orthodontics, clear aligner therapy, early treatment, adjunctive orthodontics, multidisciplinary care, orthognathic surgery, cleft lip and palate treatment, as well as management of craniofacial syndromes and temporomandibular disorders.
Patient Treatment:
The major technique taught will be an edgewise technique using pre-angulated pre-torqued brackets. A number of patients, however, will be treated using removable and other appliances including clear aligners. Many new patients will be started by the incoming students. In addition, a number of transfer patients will be assigned to the students.
As mentioned earlier, students will also have the opportunity of interacting with other departments Updated June 2025 where orthodontic treatment will form part of the treatment procedure such as in orthognathic surgery, cleft palate, periodontal and prosthodontic patients etc. Orthognathic surgery plays a significant role in the orthodontic program and occupies an appropriate amount of time. A portion of the clinic program is devoted to the management of temporomandibular joint disorders.
Early orthodontic treatment or interceptive guidance of orthodontic patients is also taught.
Didactic Courses, Seminars and Assignments:
The following didactic courses are currently being offered. The list is subject to periodic alterations:
- Selected topics in Anatomy of the Head and Neck
- Advanced Oral Pathology
- Advanced Craniofacial Growth
- Genetics
- Evidence Based Orthodontics
- Design and Analysis on Clinical Dental Research
- Research Methodology in Orthodontics
- Craniofacial Syndrome Series (Includes Cleft Lip and Palate)
- Multidisciplinary Seminars
- Translational Literature Reviews
- ABO Literature
- Orthodontic Biomechanics
- Clear Aligner Therapy
- Surgical Orthodontics
- Dentofacial Esthetics
- Temporomandibular Disorders
- Photography and Cephalometrics
- 3D Imaging
- Excellence in Orthodontics (Case-Based Learning)
- Biostatistics
- Seminar Topics (Contemporary Straight Wire Systems, Dentofacial Orthopedics, Critical Evaluation of Industry Devices, etc.)
- Special Topics (Early Orthodontic Treatment, Temporary Anchorage Devices, Obstructive Sleep Apnea, Ethics and Jurisprudence, Biomaterials, Psychology, Pharmacology, Practice Management, History of Orthodontics, Oral Physiology, Concepts of Occlusion etc.)
Students will also be required to attend other selected courses and lectures by invited speakers. Some courses are offered only bi-annually or every third year.
Seminars are held daily to cover various aspects of orthodontics. These will include topics prepared by the students with one or more faculty members in attendance. The seminars will embrace orthodontic diagnosis, treatment planning, visual treatment objectives, case presentations as well as literature reviews of current and selected scientific papers and other pertinent material. Comprehensive literature reviews with written summaries are also conducted in seminar format.
Selected seminars are also conducted for students by invited clinicians and teachers. In addition, students may be required to attend weekend continuing education courses in subjects pertinent to Updated June 2025 their interests and must register for them, at a very minimal cost, at the Continuing Education Office. Students are also expected to attend the Annual Alabama Orthodontic Alumni Meeting.
Attendance Time:
The program commences July 1 and ends 30 months later. The students have a full five-day schedule from 8:00-5:00 unless earlier lectures are scheduled. Should the School of Dentistry, or any other department, present a weekend course which would relate to their education or be of orthodontic interest, the students may be required to attend.
The students are expected to familiarize themselves with the departmental manual and to abide by all rules contained therein.
Time Off:
During the scheduled holidays, it is the policy of the department to allow each student adequate time off. Some emergency clinic coverage will be necessary.
Each student may take time to attend dental meetings, or state board examinations of his choice. Financial support for attendance at selected meetings may be available. At no time may all postgraduate students be absent at the same time; except when the department is officially closed.
Facilities:
The Department of Orthodontics has its own facility within the main clinic building a the School of Dentistry. This clinic has 17 newly equipped operatories. Facilities also include two conference rooms with projection equipment, laboratory, computer/video imaging room, study room, digital radiology equipment, three CBCT imaging systems, a 3dMD surface imaging system, and departmental office space. The clinic also has digital photography, computer patient check-in and appointment, and digital charts. Intraoral scanners are also used.
Disclaimer:
The contents of this prospectus represent the most current information available at the time of publication. It is possible that changes may be made with respect to this information without prior notice. The provisions of this prospectus are not to be regarded as an irrevocable contract between the school and the student.
Full-Time/Regular Faculty Members:
Professor and Chair
Chung How Kau, BDS, MScD, MBA, PhD, MOrth, FDS, FFD, FAMS **
Associate Professor and Post-Doctoral Program Director
Christos C. Vlachos, DMD, DDS, MS **
Associate Professor and Research Director
Ejvis Lamani, DMD, PhD **
Part-Time Faculty Members:
Professor Emeritus
Lionel Sadowsky, BDS, DMD, MS **
Adjunct Professors
- Luther T. Cale, Jr., DMD, PhD **
- David Sarver, DMD, MS **
Adjunct Associate Professors
- Richard Bryant, DMD, MS **
- Nada M. Souccar, DMD, DDS, MS **
Adjunct Assistant Professors
- William Bates, DMD, MS **
- Barry Benton, DMD, MS **
- John Benton, DDS **
- Elvin Bhaskar, BDS, MS *
- David Bowen, DMD, MS *
- Christopher Canales, DMD, MS **
- Terpsithea (Teti) Christou, DMD, DDS, MS **
- Ryan Cox, DMD, MS **
- Matthew Davis, DMD, MS*
- André Ferreira, DMD, MS **
- William Harrell, DMD **
- Katie Haynie, DMD, MS **
- Roberto Hernandez, DDS, MS **
- Shane Langley, DMD, MS*
- Greg Rape, DDS, MS **
- Lew Sample, DMD, MS **
- Don Spillers, DDS, MS *
- Trey Spillers, DMD, MS **
- Timothy Trulove, DMD, MS **
- Mark Yanosky, DMD, MS **
** Diplomate, American Board of Orthodontics
* Board Eligible
International Faculty Members
Visiting Professors
- Letizia Perillo, DDS, PhD
- Peter Borbely, DDS, MS
- Benedict Wilmes, DMD, MS
- Hiro Ishikawa, DDS, MS
Updated June 2025