PURPOSE: 

The Orthodontics Internship at Seton Hill University’s Center for Orthodontics is a one-year, non-accredited, certificate program. This program is intended for dental school graduates who have a desire to enhance their knowledge and understanding of orthodontics in order to be better prepared to treat and manage orthodontic patients, which range in difficulty above the level of treatments that might be rendered by general dentists.  This program is also preparation for a possible residency in orthodontics.  At completion of the internship, students will be better prepared to start an orthodontic residency with a strong foundation in clinical orthodontics. In the past, orthodontic faculty have observed that students who completed the internship were better prepared clinically prior to entering an ADA CODA orthodontic residency program.    

DESCRIPTION: 

This program offers post-doctoral orthodontic didactic course work, clinical patient care, and research. Clinically, interns will manage orthodontic cases at all levels of treatment such as recalls, diagnosis and treatment planning, initial bondings, adjustments, emergencies, retention, and aligner cases. Interns have the opportunity to diagnose and treatment plan their own patients with faculty.  If accepted into Seton Hill University’s Advanced Education Program in Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics, this creates an opportunity to have more finished cases.  In addition, interns may simultaneously matriculate into Seton Hill University’s MBA program.  Students who successfully complete the internship should be ahead or equally competent clinically and academically as incoming first year residents.

GENERAL LEARNING OBJECTIVES: 
After completion of the Orthodontic Internship, the orthodontic intern will be able to: 

1. Formulate and present evidence-based orthodontic diagnoses and treatment plans.
2. Demonstrate familiarity with contemporary orthodontics techniques, protocols, and

appliances.

 3. Appraise basic orthodontic biomechanics as it applies to patient management.

 4. Demonstrate competent and clinically relevant wire bending skills.

 5. Fabricate clinically relevant appliances such as models, expanders, lingual arches, and retainers.

 6. Demonstrate effective time management when completing clinical procedures.

 7. Demonstrate effective communication skills with patients and parents.

 8. Apply principles of growth and development to orthodontic diagnosis and treatment planning, and treatment.

 9. Apply basic cephalometric principles to orthodontic diagnostics.

 I0. Adhere to safe orthodontic practices.

 11.Understand the complexity of “party prioritization” as an ethical principle relevant to unique orthodontic situations and dilemmas.

 

Clinic Required:

• Assist with clinical orthodontic treatments during all clinical hours.
• Responsibility for the treatment planning and presentation of 5 cases along with the assigned orthodontic resident.
• Start 3 orthodontic cases.

• Manage orthodontic emergencies.

• Implement retention protocols.

• Demonstrate correct bonding procedures

• Implement laboratory procedures to fabricate appliances.

• Develop proficiency in wire bending.

• Effective communication skills.

• Effective time management for both academic and clinical requirements.

• Demonstrate safety protocols with patients.

• Understanding of orthodontic materials and their uses.

• Show preparedness to perform clinical tasks prior to the patient’s arrival.

• Committed to working before and after clinic hours to enhance skills.

• Competent clinical decision-making.

 

Research:

• Preliminary draft of an IRB proposal.