Program Overview

---

Program Overview

The advanced postdoctoral education program in endodontics was granted "approval without reporting requirements" by the ADA Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA), a specialized accrediting body recognized by the Council on Post-Secondary Accreditation, effective September 2025.

The objective of this postdoctoral endodontic program is to develop specialists with a sound academic background on which to base clinical treatment, research, and teaching. As many as three postdoctoral students are accepted for matriculation each year.

Learning Experience

Clinical Experience

The clinical components of the program include:

• Diagnostic examination and testing procedures
• Evidence-based dentistry and clinical application
• Interdisciplinary treatment planning
• Odontogenic and nonodontogenic differential diagnosis
• Emergency and pain management
• Trauma management
• Bleaching therapy
• Surgical operating microscope magnification
• Initial and retreatment nonsurgical therapy
• Microsurgical endodontics
• Combined endodontic-periodontic therapy and osseous grafts
• Nitrous oxide and oral sedation antianxiolysis
• Medically compromised patient therapy
• Vital pulp therapy
• Pulp regeneration therapy
• Pediatric therapy
• Post space preparation, and post with core buildup procedures
• Recall assessment
• Digital radiography including CBCT
• Case preparation per American Board of Endodontics format

Didactic Experience

The didactic components of the program include:

• Treatment planning and case review, classic literature, and current literature review each occur weekly in a seminar format.
• Emphasis is placed on training clinicians who are competent in all aspects of endodontics so that they will be eligible for certification by the American Board of Endodontics.
• Candidates will also be required to complete a Master of Science in Dentistry (MSD) in the James B. Edwards College of Dental Medicine with an additional curriculum of core courses in biomedical sciences.
• The curriculum is flexible enough to accommodate candidates desiring private practice as well as those interested in academics and research.
• The MSD program is completed simultaneously with the clinical Certificate program, and there is no option for a Certificate only program.
• The combined MSD and Certificate program is twenty-six (26) months duration and is the only track available.
• New students are expected to begin their program on July 1 and no provision is made for other than full-time participation in the postdoctoral endodontic program.
• A research project culminating in defense of a thesis is mandatory, and the preparation of a manuscript suitable for publication in a peer-reviewed journal is strongly recommended.

Admission

Application Process

The application cycle is conducted through the American Dental Education Association Postdoctoral Application Support Service (ADEA PASS). Following the interview, applicants offered a position in the College of Dental Medicine postdoctoral endodontic program are required to submit a letter of intent.

International Applicants

Applicants are required to have graduated from a CODA-accredited dental school. It is the policy of the Medical University of South Carolina not to discriminate on the basis of race, creed, national origin, or sex in its admissions, employment, and other educational activities and programs.

Funding

Cost of Attendance

The estimated costs for the program are as follows:

• Direct Costs
  • Tuition - In-state/Out-of-state: $45,704/$45,704 (Year 1), $45,704/$45,704 (Year 2), $18,724/$18,724 (Year 3)
  • Health Insurance: $4,591 (Year 1), $3,780 (Year 2)
  • Fees: $4,975 (Year 1), $4,900 (Year 2)
• Indirect Costs
  • Housing/Food: $24,882 (Year 1), $27,144 (Year 2), $9,048 (Year 3)
  • Personal: $2,640 (Year 1), $2,880 (Year 2), $960 (Year 3)
  • Transportation: $2,970 (Year 1), $3,240 (Year 2), $1,080 (Year 3)
  • Books/Required Expenses: $1,360 (Year 1), $2,360 (Year 2), $680 (Year 3)
• Total: $87,122/$87,122 (Year 1), $90,008/$90,008 (Year 2), $30,492/$30,492 (Year 3)

Additional Fees

• A surgical operating microscope and all other necessary patient-related equipment, instruments, and supplies are included.
• All residents will be required to purchase either a laptop or tablet. Only contemporary models will be acceptable.
• Prior to enrollment, MUSC requires submission of an online Supplemental Application and fee of $95 for the MSD program.
• Prior to registration, MUSC requires submission of an Applicant Response Form and Matriculation Fee of $485.

Financial Aid

Financial aid is available for enrolled US Applicants to cover all fees, assessments, tuition, program costs, and personal living expenses.

Program Faculty

The program faculty includes:

• Dr. Michael Cotter, Program Director
• Dr. Luis Yepes, Division Chief
• Dr. Lawrence Miller
• Dr. Wade Nichols

Objectives and Mission

Objectives

The objectives of the Advanced Postdoctoral Education Program in Endodontics are centered around three primary goals:

1. Cultivate transformative leaders and oral health professionals who possess the biomedical knowledge, clinical skills, and competency, and values necessary to excel in endodontics and drive the future of oral health.
2. Demonstrate professional behavior, ethical principles, and competency in clinical skills in all aspects of patient care.
3. Enable residents to design, conduct, and analyze endodontic research, critically evaluate literature, while also fostering lifelong learning.

Mission

To promote an unlimited learning environment for its residents and staff in order to provide the best endodontic care to the patients and to promote continued professional growth through education, patient care, and research.