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Overview

The Faculty of Dentistry offers advanced study leading to the PhD in Craniofacial Science through one of the following areas of study:

  • Research in Population Health will explore the complex interactions (social, cultural, environmental) that affect the oral health of individuals, communities and populations.
  • Oral health related clinical research includes both interventional and observational studies focusing on the following: disease prevention, diagnosis, risk, treatment, prognosis and health care.
  • Basic science research in the areas of biomaterials, cell biology, developmental biology, microbiology and molecular biology is available.
 
 
 

Program Enquiries

Still have questions after reviewing this page thoroughly?
Contact the program

Admission Information & Requirements

1) Check Eligibility

Minimum Academic Requirements

The Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies establishes the minimum admission requirements common to all applicants, usually a minimum overall average in the B+ range (76% at UBC). The graduate program that you are applying to may have additional requirements. Please review the specific requirements for applicants with credentials from institutions in:

Each program may set higher academic minimum requirements. Please review the program website carefully to understand the program requirements. Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission as it is a competitive process.

English Language Test

Applicants from a university outside Canada in which 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 24 months at the time of submission of your application.

Minimum requirements for the two most common English language proficiency tests to apply to this program are listed below:

TOEFL: Test of English as a Foreign Language - internet-based

Overall score requirement: 93

Reading

22

Writing

21

Speaking

21

Listening

22

IELTS: International English Language Testing System

Overall score requirement: 7.0

Reading

6.5

Writing

6.5

Speaking

6.5

Listening

6.5

Other Test Scores

Some programs require additional test scores such as the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Graduate Management Test (GMAT). The requirements for this program are:

The GRE is not required.

Prior degree, course and other requirements

Prior Degree Requirements

Applicants for the Ph.D. degree must hold a D.D.S., D.M.D., M.D., or D.V.M., or equivalent, or an M.Sc. in dental science or a related discipline.

2) Meet Deadlines

Application open dates and deadlines for an upcoming intake have not yet been configured in the admissions system. Please check back later.

3) Prepare Application

Transcripts

All applicants have to submit transcripts from all past post-secondary study. Document submission requirements depend on whether your institution of study is within Canada or outside of Canada.

Letters of Reference

A minimum of three references are required for application to graduate programs at UBC. References should be requested from individuals who are prepared to provide a report on your academic ability and qualifications.

Statement of Interest

Many programs require a statement of interest, sometimes called a "statement of intent", "description of research interests" or something similar.

Supervision

Students in research-based programs usually require a faculty member to function as their thesis supervisor. Please follow the instructions provided by each program whether applicants should contact faculty members.

Instructions regarding thesis supervisor contact for Doctor of Philosophy in Craniofacial Science (PhD)
Applicants should browse faculty profiles and indicate in their application who they are interested in working with. No commitment from a supervisor prior to applying is necessary, but contacting faculty members is encouraged.

Citizenship Verification

Permanent Residents of Canada must provide a clear photocopy of both sides of the Permanent Resident card.

4) Apply Online

All applicants must complete an online application form and pay the application fee to be considered for admission to UBC.

Tuition & Financial Support

Tuition

FeesCanadian Citizen / Permanent Resident / Refugee / DiplomatInternational
Application Fee$116.25$168.25
Tuition *
Installments per year33
Tuition per installment$1,838.57$3,230.06
Tuition per year
(plus annual increase, usually 2%-5%)
$5,515.71$9,690.18
Int. Tuition Award (ITA) per year (if eligible) $3,200.00 (-)
Other Fees and Costs
Student Fees (yearly)$1,116.60 (approx.)
Costs of livingEstimate your costs of living with our interactive tool in order to start developing a financial plan for your graduate studies.
* Regular, full-time tuition. For on-leave, extension, continuing or part time (if applicable) fees see UBC Calendar.
All fees for the year are subject to adjustment and UBC reserves the right to change any fees without notice at any time, including tuition and student fees. Tuition fees are reviewed annually by the UBC Board of Governors. In recent years, tuition increases have been 2% for continuing domestic students and between 2% and 5% for continuing international students. New students may see higher increases in tuition. Admitted students who defer their admission are subject to the potentially higher tuition fees for incoming students effective at the later program start date. In case of a discrepancy between this webpage and the UBC Calendar, the UBC Calendar entry will be held to be correct.

Financial Support

Applicants to UBC have access to a variety of funding options, including merit-based (i.e. based on your academic performance) and need-based (i.e. based on your financial situation) opportunities.

Program Funding Packages

From September 2024 all full-time students in UBC-Vancouver PhD programs will be provided with a funding package of at least $24,000 for each of the first four years of their PhD. The funding package may consist of any combination of internal or external awards, teaching-related work, research assistantships, and graduate academic assistantships. Please note that many graduate programs provide funding packages that are substantially greater than $24,000 per year. Please check with your prospective graduate program for specific details of the funding provided to its PhD students.

Average Funding
Based on the criteria outlined below, 15 students within this program were included in this study because they received funding through UBC in the form of teaching, research, academic assistantships or internal or external awards averaging $25,731.
  • 8 students received Teaching Assistantships. Average TA funding based on 8 students was $4,954.
  • 6 students received Research Assistantships. Average RA funding based on 6 students was $11,276.
  • 2 students received Academic Assistantships. Average AA funding based on 2 students was $5,601.
  • 13 students received internal awards. Average internal award funding based on 13 students was $15,421.
  • 3 students received external awards. Average external award funding based on 3 students was $22,333.

Study Period: Sep 2022 to Aug 2023 - average funding for full-time PhD students enrolled in three terms per academic year in this program across years 1-4, the period covered by UBC's Minimum Funding Guarantee. Averages might mask variability in sources and amounts of funding received by individual students. Beyond year 4, funding packages become even more individualized.
Review methodology
Scholarships & awards (merit-based funding)

All applicants are encouraged to review the awards listing to identify potential opportunities to fund their graduate education. The database lists merit-based scholarships and awards and allows for filtering by various criteria, such as domestic vs. international or degree level.

Graduate Research Assistantships (GRA)

Many professors are able to provide Research Assistantships (GRA) from their research grants to support full-time graduate students studying under their supervision. The duties constitute part of the student's graduate degree requirements. A Graduate Research Assistantship is considered a form of fellowship for a period of graduate study and is therefore not covered by a collective agreement. Stipends vary widely, and are dependent on the field of study and the type of research grant from which the assistantship is being funded.

Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTA)

Graduate programs may have Teaching Assistantships available for registered full-time graduate students. Full teaching assistantships involve 12 hours work per week in preparation, lecturing, or laboratory instruction although many graduate programs offer partial TA appointments at less than 12 hours per week. Teaching assistantship rates are set by collective bargaining between the University and the Teaching Assistants' Union.

Graduate Academic Assistantships (GAA)

Academic Assistantships are employment opportunities to perform work that is relevant to the university or to an individual faculty member, but not to support the student’s graduate research and thesis. Wages are considered regular earnings and when paid monthly, include vacation pay.

Financial aid (need-based funding)

Canadian and US applicants may qualify for governmental loans to finance their studies. Please review eligibility and types of loans.

All students may be able to access private sector or bank loans.

Foreign government scholarships

Many foreign governments provide support to their citizens in pursuing education abroad. International applicants should check the various governmental resources in their home country, such as the Department of Education, for available scholarships.

Working while studying

The possibility to pursue work to supplement income may depend on the demands the program has on students. It should be carefully weighed if work leads to prolonged program durations or whether work placements can be meaningfully embedded into a program.

International students enrolled as full-time students with a valid study permit can work on campus for unlimited hours and work off-campus for no more than 20 hours a week.

A good starting point to explore student jobs is the UBC Work Learn program or a Co-Op placement.

Tax credits and RRSP withdrawals

Students with taxable income in Canada may be able to claim federal or provincial tax credits.

Canadian residents with RRSP accounts may be able to use the Lifelong Learning Plan (LLP) which allows students to withdraw amounts from their registered retirement savings plan (RRSPs) to finance full-time training or education for themselves or their partner.

Please review Filing taxes in Canada on the student services website for more information.

Cost Estimator

Applicants have access to the cost estimator to develop a financial plan that takes into account various income sources and expenses.

Career Outcomes

20 students graduated between 2005 and 2013. Of these, career information was obtained for 18 alumni (based on research conducted between Feb-May 2016):


RI (Research-Intensive) Faculty: typically tenure-track faculty positions (equivalent of the North American Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, and Professor positions) in PhD-granting institutions
TI (Teaching-Intensive) Faculty: typically full-time faculty positions in colleges or in institutions not granting PhDs, and teaching faculty at PhD-granting institutions
Term Faculty: faculty in term appointments (e.g. sessional lecturers, visiting assistant professors, etc.)
Sample Employers in Higher Education
University of British Columbia (4)
University of Victoria
King Saud University
University of Northern British Columbia
University of Alberta
Nova Southeastern University
University of Pittsburgh
Thammasat University
Sample Employers Outside Higher Education
Family Dental Centres
Univision Communications Inc.
BC Cancer Agency
Cresta Dental
BC Academy of Medical Aesthetics and Skin Care Inc.
BC Government
Sample Job Titles Outside Higher Education
Dentist (2)
Clinician Scientist
Associate Dentist
Instructor
Policy Analyst
Director
PhD Career Outcome Survey
You may view the full report on career outcomes of UBC PhD graduates on outcomes.grad.ubc.ca.
Disclaimer
This program underwent a name or structural change in the study time frame, and all alumni from the previous program were included in these summaries. These data represent historical employment information and do not guarantee future employment prospects for graduates of this program. They are for informational purposes only. Data were collected through either alumni surveys or internet research.

Enrolment, Duration & Other Stats

These statistics show data for the Doctor of Philosophy in Craniofacial Science (PhD). Data are separated for each degree program combination. You may view data for other degree options in the respective program profile.

ENROLMENT DATA

 20232022202120202019
Applications810191011
Offers13444
New Registrations13442
Total Enrolment2019201514

Completion Rates & Times

Based on 5 graduations between 2020 - 2023 the minimum time to completion is 3.75 years and the maximum time is 7.42 years with an average of 5.62 years of study. All calculations exclude leave times.
Disclaimer
Admissions data refer to all UBC Vancouver applications, offers, new registrants for each registration year, May to April, e.g. data for 2022 refers to programs starting in 2022 Summer and 2022 Winter session, i.e. May 1, 2022 to April 30, 2023. Data on total enrolment reflects enrolment in Winter Session Term 1 and are based on snapshots taken on November 1 of each registration year. Program completion data are only provided for datasets comprised of more than 4 individuals. Graduation rates exclude students who transfer out of their programs. Rates and times of completion depend on a number of variables (e.g. curriculum requirements, student funding), some of which may have changed in recent years for some programs.

Research Supervisors

Supervision

Students in research-based programs usually require a faculty member to function as their thesis supervisor. Please follow the instructions provided by each program whether applicants should contact faculty members.

Instructions regarding thesis supervisor contact for Doctor of Philosophy in Craniofacial Science (PhD)
Applicants should browse faculty profiles and indicate in their application who they are interested in working with. No commitment from a supervisor prior to applying is necessary, but contacting faculty members is encouraged.
 
Advice and insights from UBC Faculty on reaching out to supervisors

These videos contain some general advice from faculty across UBC on finding and reaching out to a supervisor. They are not program specific.

 

This list shows faculty members with full supervisory privileges who are affiliated with this program. It is not a comprehensive list of all potential supervisors as faculty from other programs or faculty members without full supervisory privileges can request approvals to supervise graduate students in this program.

  • Aleksejuniene, Jolanta (Theory-based behavioural management, Evidence-based Practice, Caries risk assessment, ePortfolio learning, Oral Epidemiology)
  • Almeida, Fernanda (Dentistry and oral health; Sleep and Sleep Disorders; craniofacial characteristics in sleep apnea; diagnosis; edentulism; oral appliances for snoring and sleep apnea; sleep apnea)
  • Bromme, Dieter (Lysosomal proteases, centre for blood research )
  • Brondani, Mario (Dentistry and oral health; Community Health / Public Health; Dental Health; social determinants of health; Health Policies; Quality of Life and Aging; Adult Education and Continuing Education; Epidemiology; Access to care; Dental Education; Dental Geriatrics; Dental Public Health; Epidemiological data; Health Policy; Qualitative research)
  • Bryant, Ross (Prosthodontics, Geriatrics, Patient-based assessments, Oral implants, Jawbone densitometry)
  • Carvalho, Rick (Other health sciences, n.e.c.; Biomaterials; materials interfaces; bonding to hard tissues; materials development)
  • Coil, Jeffrey Martin (Pulp Biology, Endodontic Materials)
  • Donnelly, Leeann (Oral Malodor, Special Care Populations, Community Oral Health Education and Program Development)
  • Ford, Nancy (Medical physics; Medical biotechnology diagnostics (including biosensors); Dental materials and equipment; micro-computed tomography; physiological gating; contrast agents; models of respiratory disease; image-based measurements; dental imaging; x-ray imaging)
  • Graf, Daniel (Bone, skin and cartilage science; Cell differentiation, proliferation and death; Developmental genetics (including sex determination); Developmental and degenerative pathologies associated with cartilage, bone, and teeth)
  • Grazziotin Soares, Renata (Dentistry and oral health; Endodontics - materials and techniques, digital technologies, micro-CT and synchrotron images; Dental Education)
  • Hakkinen, Lari (Dentistry and oral health; Cell signaling; Cell therapy; Cell to cell communication; Connective Tissue; Extracellular matrix; Fibroblasts, MSC; Oral mucosa and skin; Tissue regeneration; Wound Healing)
  • Hieawy, Ahmed (Endodontics; Dental Trauma; Endodontic Treatment Outcome; Endodontic Microsurgery; Endodontic Instrumentation; Pediatric Endodontics; Endodontic Treatment for Medically Compromised Patients)
  • Kim, Hugh (platelet biochemistry)
  • Larjava, Hannu (Wound healing)
  • Laronde, Denise (Cancer; oral cancer screening; malignant transformation; early detection; oral premalignant lesions)
  • MacDonald, David (Systematic review, Diagnostic radiology, particularly of the Hong Kong Chinese)
  • Macdougall, Mary (molecular mechanisms associated with epithelial mesenchymal interactions, identification of critical signaling pathways, matrix formation and biomineralization)
  • Mathu-Muju, Kavita (Public Health Dentistry, Clinical Pediatric Dentistry)
  • Matthew, Ian (Dental Education, biomaterials; implantology)
  • Overall, Christopher Mark (Blood research, antiviral immunity)
  • Pigozzo Manso, Adriana (Dentistry and oral health; Color shade in resin composite; Dental adhesive interfaces; Resin dentin bond stability)
  • Pliska, Benjamin (Dentistry and oral health; Sleep and Sleep Disorders; Oro-Dental Disorders; Facial growth and development; sleep medicine)
  • Poh, Catherine (Optical Techniques and oral precancer management)

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Doctoral Citations

A doctoral citation summarizes the nature of the independent research, provides a high-level overview of the study, states the significance of the work and says who will benefit from the findings in clear, non-specialized language, so that members of a lay audience will understand it.
Year Citation
2024 Dr. Maragha uncovered the various domains that contribute to students' wellbeing, in addition to the challenges they experience and their support needs. These studies can guide educators, administrators, and students themselves in examining the curriculum and the learning environment in dental education, using a wellbeing lens that can support students.
2023 Sleep apnea risks include life-threatening breathing interruptions. Dr. Alshhrani compares Tongue-Stabilizing Device (TSD) to Mandibular Advancement Device (MAD). TSD equals MAD in apnea improvement but falls short in quality-of-life and daytime sleepiness. TSD, while effective long-term, has lower acceptance.
2023 Dr. Datta examined how DNA image Cytometry can serve as an early detection tool for oral cancer. DNA image Cytometry uses cells from oral precancerous lesion brushing to estimate the amount and organization of DNA. This work showed how this tool can be used to screen patients for oral cancer and identify oral precancers at a high-risk of turning into cancer.
2022 Dr. Urbanetto Peres investigated the role of adhesion molecules and oxidative stress markers in sleep apnea patients. These long-term follow-up studies help us understand how can we better identify which patients are at increased risk of serious adverse consequences of obstructive sleep apnea.
2022 Dr. Hamoda's research focused on the management of Obstructive Sleep Apnea or OSA. She conducted clinical trials to compare the effectiveness of the two main OSA therapies. She also explored the combination of these two therapies. Her work is a step towards providing a personalized treatment approach and an improved overall management of OSA.
2022 Dr. Gazzaz studied how social factors influence oral health in children and adolescents. She found that several psychosocial factors associate with oral health providing insights into the pathways potentially linking social factors and oral health. Her research contributes to our understanding of oral health inequalities.
2022 Dr. Alawaji studied the factors that could impact the risk of having gum diseases in a group of never treated individuals. She found many factors contributed to having the gum disease such as the increased age, male sex, low education, low income, cigarette smoking and diabetes mellitus.
2022 Dr. Liu examined the biological signatures of tumour spread to neck lymph nodes in early-stage oral cancer. Her work revealed micro-RNA and immune genes, and nuclear phenotype that can identify high-risk patients. This contributes to translating clinical biomarkers for the decision of early neck management and preventing under- and over-treatment.
2021 Dr. Adeniyi explored the views of healthcare providers and pregnant women in British Columbia on integrated prenatal oral care. Her results show the need for a clear referral process for prenatal oral care, oral health funding, and interprofessional collaboration. A model to guide healthcare providers, policymakers, and advocates was produced.
2020 Dr. Danescu established novel microscopic methods to visualize the embryonic face as it develops. He was able to see coordinated and symmetrical patterns of cell behaviour and observe how specific drugs block cell movements. The insights from his work will impact our understanding of normal and abnormal facial development.

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Further Information

Specialization

Craniofacial Science covers the following areas of study:

  • Research in Population Health explores the complex interactions (social, cultural, environmental) that affect the oral health of individuals, communities and populations.
  • Oral health related clinical research includes both interventional and observational studies focusing on the following: disease prevention, diagnosis, risk, treatment, prognosis and health care.
  • Basic science research in the areas of biomaterials, cell biology, developmental biology, microbiology and molecular biology is available.

Faculty Overview

Academic Unit

Program Identifier

VGDPHD-FT
 
 
 
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