Program Overview

Overview

The Faculty of Dentistry offers advanced study leading to the PhD in Craniofacial Science through one of the following areas of study:

• Research in Population Health will explore the complex interactions (social, cultural, environmental) that affect the oral health of individuals, communities and populations.
• Oral health related clinical research includes both interventional and observational studies focusing on the following: disease prevention, diagnosis, risk, treatment, prognosis and health care.
• Basic science research in the areas of biomaterials, cell biology, developmental biology, microbiology and molecular biology is available.

Quick Facts

• Faculty: Faculty of Dentistry
• Academic Unit: Faculty of Dentistry
• Specialization: Craniofacial Science
• Mode of delivery: In person at UBC Vancouver
• Program Components: Dissertation
• Tuition (First Year):
  • Domestic: $5,626.02
  • International: $9,883.98
• Median Funding: 50% of students receive $28,054 or more funding per year in the first 4 years, before tuition and fees

Admission Information & Requirements

Check Eligibility

Minimum Academic Requirements

The Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies establishes the minimum admission requirements common to all applicants, usually a minimum overall average in the B+ range (76% at UBC). The graduate program that you are applying to may have additional requirements.

English Language Test

Applicants from a university outside Canada in which English is not the primary language of instruction must provide results of an English language proficiency examination as part of their application.

• TOEFL:
  • Overall score requirement: 93
  • Reading: 22
  • Writing: 21
  • Speaking: 21
  • Listening: 22
• IELTS:
  • Overall score requirement: 7.0
  • Reading: 6.5
  • Writing: 6.5
  • Speaking: 6.5
  • Listening: 6.5

Prior Degree Requirements

Applicants for the Ph.D. degree must hold a D.D.S., D.M.D., M.D., or D.V.M., or equivalent, or an M.Sc. in dental science or a related discipline.

Tuition & Financial Support

Tuition

• Application Fee:
  • Canadian Citizen / Permanent Resident / Refugee / Diplomat: $118.50
  • International: $168.25
• Tuition per year:
  • Canadian Citizen / Permanent Resident / Refugee / Diplomat: $5,626.02
  • International: $9,883.98

Financial Support

Applicants to UBC have access to a variety of funding options, including merit-based and need-based opportunities.

Program Funding Packages

From September 2024, all full-time students in UBC-Vancouver PhD programs will be provided with a funding package of at least $24,000 for each of the first four years of their PhD.

Career Outcomes

20 students graduated between 2005 and 2013. Of these, career information was obtained for 18 alumni.

• Sample Employers in Higher Education:
  • University of British Columbia (4)
  • University of Victoria
  • King Saud University
  • University of Northern British Columbia
  • University of Alberta
  • Nova Southeastern University
  • University of Pittsburgh
  • Thammasat University
• Sample Employers Outside Higher Education:
  • Family Dental Centres
  • Univision Communications Inc.
  • BC Cancer Agency
  • Cresta Dental
  • BC Academy of Medical Aesthetics and Skin Care Inc.
  • BC Government
• Sample Job Titles Outside Higher Education:
  • Dentist (2)
  • Clinician Scientist
  • Associate Dentist
  • Instructor
  • Policy Analyst
  • Director

Enrolment, Duration & Other Stats

• Applications: 8 (2023), 10 (2022), 19 (2021), 10 (2020), 11 (2019)
• Offers: 1 (2023), 3 (2022), 4 (2021), 4 (2020), 4 (2019)
• New Enrolment: 1 (2023), 3 (2022), 4 (2021), 4 (2020), 2 (2019)
• Total Enrolment: 20 (2023), 19 (2022), 20 (2021), 15 (2020), 14 (2019)
• Completion Rates & Times:
  • Minimum time to completion: 3.75 years
  • Maximum time to completion: 7.42 years
  • Average time to completion: 5.62 years

Research Supervisors

• Aleksejuniene, Jolanta
• Almeida, Fernanda
• Bromme, Dieter
• Brondani, Mario
• Bryant, Ross
• Carvalho, Rick
• Coil, Jeffrey Martin
• Donnelly, Leeann
• Ford, Nancy
• Gebril, Mohamed
• Graf, Daniel
• Grazziotin Soares, Renata
• Hakkinen, Lari
• Hieawy, Ahmed
• Kim, Hugh
• Larjava, Hannu
• Laronde, Denise
• MacDonald, David
• MacDougall, Mary
• Mathu-Muju, Kavita
• Matthew, Ian
• Overall, Christopher Mark
• Pigozzo Manso, Adriana
• Pliska, Benjamin
• Poh, Catherine

Sample Thesis Submissions

• Significance of RhoA signaling in normal and abnormal lip fusion
• Supervision and autonomy in periodontics surgical education: a grounded theory study at an academic institution
• Theory-guided oral health promotion strategies in children and adolescents
• Mandibular advancement splints, continuous positive airway pressure and a combination of both for the management of obstructive sleep apnea
• Unveiling the implicit: exploring professionalism and professional identity formation in dentistry
• Susceptibility of residual oral biofilm to antimicrobials following recovery in harsh nutrient conditions
• A clinical trial of titrated tongue stabilizing device therapy for obstructive sleep apnea: efficacy, quality of life, compliance, and side effects
• The role of inflammation in oral potentially malignant lesions
• Understanding students’ wellbeing domains and contributors in pre-clinical dental education: the role of learning environment, psychomotor development, and thriving

Related Programs

• Master of Science in Craniofacial Science (MSc)
• Doctor of Philosophy in Craniofacial Science and Diploma in Endodontics (PhD/Dip. Endodontics)
• Doctor of Philosophy in Craniofacial Science and Diploma in Orthodontics (PhD/Dip. Orthodontics)
• Doctor of Philosophy in Craniofacial Science and Diploma in Pediatric Dentistry (PhD/Dip. Pediatric Dentistry)
• Doctor of Philosophy in Craniofacial Science and Diploma in Periodontics (PhD/Dip. Periodontics)
• Doctor of Philosophy in Craniofacial Science and Diploma in Prosthodontics (PhD/Dip. Prosthodontics)