July 19, 2013

Each third-year clinical specialty graduate student at UBC Dentistry—14 in five clinical specialties—successfully completed their respective National Dental Specialty Examination (NDSE) administered by the Royal College of Dentists of Canada.

Clinical specialty graduate students in their final year at UBC—in this case those undertaking a combined master of science and specialty diploma—undertake these examinations as part of the requirement for licensure as a specialist.

This was the first time UBC students from its programs in pediatric dentistry, prosthodontics and orthodontics—programs which began in 2010—undertook the national examinations alongside students from its endodontics program (launched in 2008) and longer established periodontics program (launched in 1979).

The NDSE is administered in two parts and at two separate times: This year the written examination occurred during the first week of March and the oral component was held in mid-June, both in Toronto, Ontario.

“It is my absolute pleasure to congratulate all of you on your successful completion of your Royal College exams,” says Dr. Edward Putnins, Associate Dean Research, Graduate and Postgraduate Studies, speaking on behalf of the faculty. “Successful completion of this stepping stone represents a major accomplishment and all of you should feel very proud of this success.” Moreover, he extends congratulations to all of the full- and part-time instructors who worked with the graduate specialty students to accomplish this goal.

“Collectively, very well done,” he says of everyone’s hard work and strong and positive representation of UBC during the national examinations.

Congratulations to the following clinical specialty graduate students for the successful completion of their national examinations:

Dr. David Alfaro (prosthodontics)
Dr. Reza Aran (orthodontics)
Dr. Marina Braniste (endodontics)
Dr. Les Campbell (endodontics)
Dr. Shannon Davis (endodontics)
Dr. Farzan Ghannad (periodontics)
Dr. Breanne Joslin (periodontics)
Dr. Asef Karim (orthodontics)
Dr. Melanie Mattson (orthodontics)
Dr. Carter Ng (pediatric dentistry)
Dr. Jonathan Ng (prosthodontics)
Dr. Nancy Vertel (pediatric dentistry)
Dr. Angela Wong (prosthodontics)
Dr. Winnie Zhao (pediatric dentistry)

More information

For more information about UBC Dentistry’s Clinical Specialty Graduate Programs, visit this webpage >>

For more information about the National Dental Specialty Examination, visit the Royal College of Dentists of Canada’s webpage here >>