Residencies in general dentistry 

One year residencies in general dentistry are available in the following University of Toronto teaching hospitals:

• The Hospital for Sick Children (4 positions)
• Mount Sinai Hospital (6 positions)
• Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre (3 positions)

Residents are given supervised clinical experience in hospital dentistry and assignments to other hospital departments.

A three-week to one month assignment to a northern Ontario hospital is offered also.

The Associate Dean of Graduate Education, in consultation with Hospital Directors, arranges a special seminar course for dental residents. Completion of the seminar course comprises residents to demonstrate –

1. Minimum of 70% attendance of seminars
2. Active participation and involvement in discussions of seminars
3. A grade of 80% or better on the IV sedation exam

Other components of the one year residency program require that residents give a group oral presentation at the City Wide rounds in November and May of the following year. A critically important part of the course is participation in the question and answer period that follows each presentation.

Admission requirements

To be eligible for admission into the Dental Residency program applicants must:

• Be a graduate of a four year dentistry program or possess equivalent qualifications, by the commencement of the appointment in June.
• Foreign-trained dental graduates, i.e. graduates of non-accredited dental programs, should have completed the International Dentist Advanced Placement Program and the National Dental Examining Board of Canada (NDEB) examinations.

• As English is the primary language of instruction and communication at the University of Toronto,             applicants must demonstrate an adequate level of proficiency in English, regardless of their          citizenship status or country of origin. Applicants from universities outside Canada where English is             not the primary language of instruction must provide results of an English language proficiency                examination as part of their application. Tests must have been taken within the last 2 years at the time of submission of their application. Acceptable proof of English facility must be submitted by          the application deadline (September 29). Official test scores must be sent by the testing agency         directly to the University of Toronto. Our institution code is 0982. The following tests are       recognized:

1. Test of English as a Foreign (TOEFL): The Minimum requirement is TOEFL PBT - total          score 600 + 5.0 on TWE and for TOEFL IBT - total score 100 + 22 on Writing.
2. Michigan English Language Assessment Battery (MELAB): The minimum requirement is an overall score of 85, with no part below 80.
3. International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic Module: The       minimum requirement is an overall band of 6.5, with no band below 6.0.
4. The Certificate of Proficiency in English (COPE): The minimum requirement is an overall score of 86, with 32 in Writing and 22 in each of the Reading and Listening        sections.
5. Academic Preparation ESL, School of Continuing Studies, University of Toronto: The                 minimum requirement is a grade of 'B' at the 60/Advanced level.

Residents must conform to Faculty of Dentistry and hospital regulations as they relate to conduct and patient care.

How to apply

This is a five-step application process. Documentation must be provided for each step according to the following schedule:

• Step 1 – Application Deadline: September 30.
• Step 2 – Register with the National Match Service Deadline: October 1. Step 3 - Interviews.
• Step 4 – Submit Rank Order List to National Match Service Deadline: November 15.
• Step 5 – Review Match Results and Respond to a Matched Program.

STEP 1 - Submitting an application

To apply to the Dental Residency program you must complete a paper application form which can be obtained from the Faculty of Dentistry website. In addition to the application form the following documents must be received by the Admissions office by the September 30th application deadline:

• Non-refundable application service fee of $ 275.00 CDN payable to the University of Toronto.      Payment may be made by bank draft or money order. We do not accept personal checks or cash.
• One to two page biographical statement.
• Official transcripts of all previous university education including both undergraduate and dental school studies.* Transcripts must be sent to the Admissions office directly from the issuing      institution in a sealed envelope. University of Toronto students applying to the dental residency         program do not need to send in their official University of Toronto transcripts. We will download      them from ROSI.

*Applicants seeking admission on the basis of official documents that are in a language other than English must submit photocopies of their original documents attached to notarized English translations. In addition, applicants must arrange for an official transcript to be forwarded directly to the Admissions Office from the institution(s) attended by the application deadline.

• • Two letters of reference in sealed envelopes.
  • Proof of English facility (if applicable) sent directly by the testing agency to the University of          Toronto.

Admission documents need to be mailed to the following address:

Admissions Office
Faculty of Dentistry
124 Edward Street, Room 104
Toronto, ON M5G1G6
Canada

STEP 2 – Register for the MATCH

October 1: Applicants should register with the National Match Service (NMS) for Canadian General Practice Residency (GPR-CAN) https://www.natmatch.com/ beginning on this date. REGISTRATION DEADLINE is November 15. Instructions from NMS on Rank Order Lists and obtaining Match results is sent to registered applicants, therefore it is recommended that you register prior to the deadline.   

STEP 3 – Interviews

Interviews are an integral part of the application process. The U of T Teaching Hospitals will conduct their interviews after the application deadline. The interviews will take place the last weekend in October. Please follow the instructions below:

Each Hospital Dental Department sets its own interview schedule independently of the other Hospitals. If you are selected for an interview, the hospital dental department will contact you directly to set up a date and time for your interview.

STEP 4 – Submit rank order list to National Match Service

November 15: DEADLINE FOR RANK ORDER FORMS to be submitted to the National Match Service by applicants and programs.

STEP 5 – Review MATCH and respond to matched program

On November 22 the results of the match are released by the NMS to applicants and program directors via the website. The program director of the program to which you have been matched will contact you by e-mail. An immediate response is expected.

A list of unmatched programs and unmatched candidates will be available on the NMS website following the release of the match results.   

Selection of applicants

The criteria for selection include academic achievement, motivation, maturity, professionalism, and the ability to work as a team member. Applicants who have never held a dental residency will have preferred status over those who have had this experience. Positions will be offered only to applicants participating in the Match Process.

Applicants should review the Match Process, including the Overview of the Match, Rules for Participation, and the Matching Algorithm in the NMS website at: https://www.natmatch.com/dentres/.

Matched applicants will be e-mailed by the Program Directors on November 22; immediate confirmation by the applicant by e-mail is expected. The Hospital Dental Departments and Faculty GPR Program will maintain all correspondence with incoming residents pertaining to contracts, schedules, responsibilities, payroll procedures, etc. The Admissions and Graduate Offices in the Faculty of Dentistry will maintain all correspondence pertaining to admission/registration as students in the Faculty of Dentistry.

Practice of Dentistry in Ontario

Successful applicants will be required to obtain either an Educational Certificate or a General Certificate of Registration (license) before they may practice in Ontario. Candidates who have not completed the NDEB examinations obtain an Educational Certificate. Incoming residents should contact the Registrar at the Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario (RCDSO) well in advance of their official starting date to obtain annual licensing costs and to make the necessary arrangements. The RCDSO can be reached at:

Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario

6 Crescent Road, Fifth Floor

Toronto, ON, M4W 1T1

Telephone: (416) 961-6555

Special students

1.  Dental graduates who apply to spend up to one year in the department without enrolling in a program

Dental graduates, who seek advanced clinical training, without enrolling in the M.Sc. program, are occasionally accepted for no more than one year, provided space and resources are available. Such persons must fulfil the following requirements.

(a)   Must have completed specialist training in the specialty for which they are applying.

(b)  Must be supported by the specialty department of a teaching institution in which they are employed or have an offer of employment.

Such students must be aware that there will be no active clinical treatment without the permission of the Graduate Chair.

2.  Dental graduates who have been accepted as clinical fellows at one of the teaching hospitals legally affiliated with the Faculty of Dentistry, University of Toronto

The head of the hospital department must present the academic transcript and C.V. of the candidate together with a plan for the study he/she will undertake while at the hospital. If approved by the Graduate Advisory Committee such candidates will be registered as Special Students and will be able to perform clinical work under supervision in the hospitals.