AO Master and Diplomate Certificates
Specialist Requirements:
Applicants are exempt from providing documentation for CE if they provide a copy of their certificate or a confirmation letter from an accredited University program as proof of specialty certification. Specialty certificates qualifying for exemption are in periodontology, prosthodontics or oral and maxillofacial surgery from North American (U.S. or Canada) NCRDSCP approved university programs. An image of this certificate can be uploaded within the application.
Applicants currently enrolled in a North American University Specialist Program (Periodontics, Prosthodontics or Oral Maxillofacial Surgery) should only apply for the Master Certificate.
Early-career clinicians are encouraged to apply for the Master Certificate. Once the Master Certificate is received, you can then apply the following year for the Diplomate Certificate.
AO Master Certificate applicants must:
- Complete the online application to upload two implant cases from the applicable category. See below for case criteria.
- Successfully pass a comprehensive one-hour online multiple-choice exam.
- Successfully pass a one-hour oral examination at the upcoming AO Annual Meeting where the applicant will be scheduled to meet with at least two AO Credentialing Board Members to review committee-selected cases and provide and defend treatment decisions based on the following criteria:
- Response is complete and supported by sound rationale and appropriate scientific literature
- Response is complete but lacks sound rationale and supporting evidence
- Response is incomplete
- Response could be harmful to the patient
- Have attended at least one AO Annual Meeting in the past 3 years.
AO Diplomate Certificate applications must:
- Complete the online application to upload two implant cases from the applicable category. See below for case criteria.
- Successfully pass a comprehensive one-hour online multiple-choice exam.
- Successfully pass a one-hour oral examination at the upcoming AO Annual Meeting where the applicant will be scheduled to meet with at least two AO Credentialing Board Members to review committee-selected cases and provide and defend treatment decisions based on the following criteria:
- Response is complete and supported by sound rationale and appropriate scientific literature
- Response is complete but lacks sound rationale and supporting evidence
- Response is incomplete
- Response could be harmful to the patient
- Have attended at least two AO Annual Meeting in the past 5 years.
Case Presentation Information
Applications for both the Master and Diplomate Certificates request the following information:
- Title
- Clinician Name
- Summary
- Background – up to 60 words about why you think this case is important
- Case Presentation – Presenting features, dental/social/family history
- Investigations / Evidence-based Research – This is required to support your treatment. Limit the literature review to 4 – 5 key articles
- Outcome and Follow-up – Provide 150-word description for the final treatment outcome and whether or not the goals of your treatment have been achieved
- Discussion – Include a brief review, 100 words or less, of any complications or problems and how they were handled.
- Learning Points / Take-home Messages – List 3-5 bullet points
- Image Upload – Upload one or multiple images in jpg, png, pdf format. Hard copies can be sent by using the mailing address listed at the top of this form.
– Please place all images for each case together in a PowerPoint file, Keynote file, or Word document. Keynote files will need to be converted to a .pdf file for upload.
Required Implant Case Presentations:
Applicants must submit 2 case presentations – surgical or restorative – all representative of the chosen track:
- Surgical Certificate Cases – 1 case should be without grafting and 1 with grafting with 2 implants per arch;
- Restorative Certificate Cases – 1 single unit, 1 multiple either fixed or removable implant supported prostheses;
- GP or combined Surgical and Restorative Certificate Cases – 1 case with grafting and either 1 single unit restoration, 1 multiple unit restoration or 1 implant supported overdenture or fixed partial denture.
Please ensure to include the following in your case presentations:
- Pre-op and post-op clinical photos and radiographs
- Specific treatment photos/radiographs (show surgery procedure or prosthetic procedure – step-by-step – as thoroughly as possible)
- Final outcome photos and radiographs
- Written narrative of treatment and outcome assessment in this case including any complications that occurred and how you resolved them. Also, please provide scientific examples/citations behind your rationale where applicable. Pre-existing conditions, including periodontal conditions, should be indicated.
- FOR DIPLOMATES ONLY: Only completed cases with at least a one-year follow-up will be considered.
Apply for the AO Master Certificate
Apply for the AO Diplomate Certificate
