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Mission and Goals

Mission Statement

The mission of the University of Colorado Denver Postdoctoral Program in Periodontics, as an integral part of the University of Colorado Denver School of Dental Medicine, is to provide a program of excellence in teaching research, patient care, and community/professional service for Colorado and the nation.

The school's research activities in basic science, clinical and translational research programs contribute to the discovery and dissemination of new knowledge for the benefit of society, faculty and students engage in scholarly activities that have a positive impact on oral and systemic health.

The school's patient care programs provide quality comprehensive care with a focus on prevention and wellness, while serving as a clinical education resource for dental, dental hygiene, and postdoctoral students.

Goals and Objectives

The overall goal of the Post Graduate Periodontics Program is to train periodontists who are proficient in the diagnosis and treatment of periodontal diseases, and competent to provide state-of-the-art dental implant therapy and periodontal plastic surgery procedures. The program is designed to enable the postgraduate periodontal student to become familiar in all aspects of the theoretical and practical knowledge and skills pertinent to the specialty of Periodontics, and to contribute to the available knowledge in the field of dentistry by conducting research.

The primary goal and purpose of the educational program is to develop a thinking periodontist who can effectively and critically assess any new techniques or materials based on a good biologic foundation. These graduates will possess the knowledge, skills, and values to begin the practice of Periodontics as ethical practitioners committed to lifelong learning, and dedicated to fulfilling the public's trust.

Specifically, the goal of the Postgraduate Program in Periodontics is to provide instruction and clinical experience in Periodontics at an advanced level, enabling the dentist to become a trained specialist who is familiar with all aspects of theoretical and practical knowledge and skills pertinent to the specialty. Graduates of this program should be able to:

1. Review information from the biomedical sciences and relate the information to the practice of periodontics.
2. Diagnose, treat and maintain patients with advanced periodontal diseases utilizing current concepts in the etiology, pathogenesis, patient management, prevention and systemic implications of periodontal disease.
3. Place dental implants in edentulous and partially edentulous jaws of patients and develop a program of dental reconstruction and maintenance.
4. Critically evaluate pertinent literature.
5. Contribute to the available knowledge in the field of dentistry by means of a research project which includes a defended presentation, and a submitted manuscript for publication.
6. Communicate effectively with dental colleagues and other health professionals.
7. Activity within organized dentistry, initially by attendance at local and national meetings.
8. Education of non-periodontists concerning periodontics.
9. Supervise treatment procedures by dental hygienists.
10. Patient selection to provide a diverse clinical experience appropriate to normal clinical practice.
11. Gather an appropriate and complete database on each patient to provide a strong foundation for diagnosis, treatment planning, treatment consultation, treatment and retention of the patient.
12. Use of a problem-based diagnostic and treatment planning strategy for all patients.
13. Integration of relevant biological, clinical, and behavioral science into the patient treatment.
14. Use of appropriate interdisciplinary consultation and care when appropriate.
15. Application of the principles of infection control and environmental safety to patient care and clinical operations.

Goal A:
The Program will train periodontists who are proficient in the diagnosis and treatment of periodontal diseases.

1. Students should become proficient in examination/treatment planning, root planing, re-evaluation and various types surgical therapy.
2. Students should obtain experience in treating periodontal patients with a variety of diagnoses and case sensitivity.
3. Students should thoroughly document completed periodontal therapy on a minimum of 25 periodontal patients.
4. A majority of program graduates who attempt to complete all parts of the American Board of Periodontology examination should pass all parts.

Goal B:
The Program will train periodontists who are competent to provide state-of-the-art dental implant therapy and periodontal plastic surgery procedures.

1. Students should surgically place a minimum of 25 dental implants.
2. Students should gain surgical experience in implant site preparation involving sinus lifts and guided bone regeneration for ridge preservation and ridge augmentation.
3. Students should gain surgical experience in periodontal plastic surgery procedures including esthetic crown lengthening and root coverage procedures.

Goal C:
The Program will enable the periodontal student to become familiar in all aspects of the theoretical and practical knowledge and skills pertinent to the specialty of Periodontics.

1. Students should pass the AAP In-Service Examination with a minimum score of 70th percentile ranking (all candidates).
2. A majority of program graduates should pass Parts I and II of the American Board of Periodontology Examination.

Goal D:
The Program will enable the periodontal student to contribute to the available knowledge in the field of dentistry by conducting a research project.

1. Formulate a proposal, carry out a research project, analyze the results, and write the results in a publishable format.
2. Submit a publishable manuscript to a journal as a contribution to the clinical and scientific literature.
3. Develop characteristics of life-long learner in the student.
4. Possible opportunity to earn a Master of Science Degree.

The Periodontics Program has received initial accreditation by the Council on Accreditation of the American Dental Association (2006), and its graduates will be qualified to take the examination of the American Board of Periodontology.