Duration of Specialty Program: 36 months
The American University of Beirut started in the fall of 2001 a specialty study and training program in orthodontics. The program’s activities are carried out in the newly developed Division of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics in the Department of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery. The below information is part of a document prepared to institute official certification in this specialty in the Faculty of Medicine and the Medical Center at AUB, and includes the definition, scope, and educational mission of the program, a summary table of the curriculum, and number of hours required for teaching.
The American University of Beirut offers an advanced education program in orthodontics. This program is designed to carry clinical activities in a scholarly environment where basic science and clinical orthodontics are integrated. The goal is to develop clinically proficient specialists who possess a scholarly insight into the orthodontic, dental, and medical theories as they relate to patient care.
The major part of the postdoctoral program consists of clinical education and training. The teaching is not limited to one technique, but includes a variety of popular methods. The aim of this approach is to provide the orthodontic resident with a comprehensive knowledge of the merits of different treatment philosophies and develop the resident’s competence in applying these principles clinically. Not only will the resident acquire the acumen to handle fixed appliances and removable (functional and retention) appliances, but the spectrum of treatment spans different ages from childhood to adulthood, and includes early treatment, comprehensive corrective treatment of the adolescent and adult, and treatment combining orthodontics and orthognathic surgery.
Since early treatment and many corrective treatments of malocclusion involve children and adolescents, knowledge of growth and development of the craniofacial complex and body is emphasized. Also, a core of basic science courses is presented to build on the residents’ predoctoral knowledge of oral biology and related sciences. Such courses include anatomy, anthropology, biostatistics, dental materials, and biomechanics. Where appropriate, laboratory courses are given to ensure the full understanding of orthodontic appliance systems.
Management of the adult patient is emphasized along with other disciplines pertinent to the treatment of adults namely, periodontics, restorative dentistry, orthognathic surgery, and other multidisciplinary areas that involve dental and general knowledge. Specialists in the different disciplines are involved in teaching and treatment. The fact that the program is based at the American University Medical Center allows for interaction with numerous other specialists involved in maxillofacial and pediatric treatment that address craniofacial anomalies. Joint seminars with other disciplines provide a venue for additional learning. An externship in an orthodontic program abroad to enrich the resident’s education is encouraged if timing and financial support allow it.
The completion and defense of a research project, clinical or basic, is a requirement toward certification. For this reason, and because basic sciences teaching is also needed (within the guidelines of the American Dental Association’s Commission on Accreditation and the American Association of Orthodontics Council on Education), these requirements will be met in the pursuit of a master’s degree in one of the existing graduate programs (eventually including a planned master’s program in oral craniofacial biology). The residents are encouraged to use state of the art computer technology to aid in their clinical practice and research. Also, the residents are encouraged to participate in discussions and presentations, and be creative and open-minded in their approach to clinical activities and scientific endeavors.
Goals of the Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics Program
he goal of the Orthodontic and Dentofacial Orthopedics program is to provide the residents with an education that enables them to be qualified clinicians with a scientific aptitude and ethical sensitivity through:
- Delivering of the highest standards of evidence-based orthodontic care and development of an enduring commitment to these standards with a self-renewing dedication to continued education and meaningful application of biotechnological advances;
- Conducting of research rooted in rigorous science with creative and critical thinking, aiming to answer questions with direct or eventual clinical significance, and worthy of communication through peer reviewed publications;
- Promoting a commitment to serve disadvantaged individuals and collegial interaction with other professionals and organizations.
Program Objectives
- To provide the residents with in depth knowledge of the biological and mechanical principles
- underpinning orthodontic treatment, and enhance their appreciation of continued education.
- To develop the residents’ proficiency in orthodontic healthcare, through proper diagnosis, treatment planning and clinical management of various types of malocclusion.
- To develop the residents’ research skills and related communication of results.
- To provide, as a dental unit in a medical center, service to AUB and the surrounding communities, particularly patients with limited means or compromised health.