Predoctoral Prosthodontics

We share common goals and strive for

Teaching Excellence, Innovative and Quality Patient Care,

Collaborations and Teamwork

Welcome to the Section of Prosthodontics

The Section of Prosthodontics involves a number of disciplines including fixed prosthodontics, removable prosthodontics, implant dentistry, and maxillofacial prosthetics. We are committed to provide quality predoctoral/ postgraduate education programs and patient care in the area of dentistry pertaining to the diagnosis, treatment planning, rehabilitation, and maintenance of the oral function, esthetics, and health of patients with clinical conditions associated with missing teeth, deficient teeth, and/or compromised maxillo-facial tissues using biocompatible substitutes.

The faculty team, including part-time and full-time faculty, has tremendous expertise in teaching, patient care, and research/creative work. Nine board-certified prosthodontists are among the faculty team.

Teaching Excellence

Two faculty received UCLA Distinguished Teaching Awards (2016, 2018). We constantly receive very positive results from exit survey from students and appreciation feedback from alumni.

Here are examples of recently published textbooks by the faculty in the Division showcasing the clinical expertise of the faculty team.

Teaching program: recent updates

Improve Competency and Relevance

• GP vs Specialist Competencies

• Clinically Oriented Sequencing/Simulated Patient

• Diagnostic and Procedural Competencies for traditional and digital workflow

Facilitate Earlier Clinical Exposure

• Consolidate Pre-clinical CD Didactic/Lab Curriculum (20 sessions to 10)

• Earlier start (D2 Summer)

Earlier Entry into Clinic (CD by Mid Winter D2, RPD Summer D3)

• Proximity/similarities to Pre-clinical Curriculum

• Maintain Strengths of Clinical Exposure

• Selective Opportunities

• Leverage for Resources/Support

Synergy with School-wide Strategic Plan

• iDDS (digital workflow) and CBCE (earlier entry into clinic)

Digital prosthodontics

Intraoral digital scanning of partial edentulous clinical scenario/digital surveying/digital denture teeth setup for immediate denture clinical scenario were introduced to enhance students’ learning experiences. Dental Implant treatment planning and guided implant surgery using digital technology/digital complete denture therapy will be implemented soon.

RPD digital survey and design

Immediate denture digital extraction and digital teeth set-up

Class 2021, the first class experienced digital denture teeth setup of maxillary immediate denture, attended the office hours in iDDS room and worked on the digital project.

Clinical curriculum

Patient service at UCLA Westood Clinic

Dental students can treat complete edentulous patients in D2 winter quarter and partial dentate patients in D3 summer quarter due to the recent changes in DDS Pros curriculum.

Community partnership: Patient service at Saban Free Clinic and VA sites

Our dental students rotate the respective sites (Saban Free Clinic, VA Wadsworth at West Los Angeles, VA Sepulveda, and MEND clinic*) to treat, under the supervision of school faculty, partial dentate and complete edentulous patients who require prostheses to replace missing teeth. *MEND clinic rotation 2015-2020

Services provided

Our dental students provided approximately 765 patient visits per year at all respective sites and completed removable prosthodontic treatments such as removable partial dentures and complete dentures for these patients as a direct result of these programs.

Who we serve

The patient population in the VA system is mostly elderly and male veterans. The Saban Free Clinic patient population is indigent, and sometimes homeless, as well as the uninsured.