*****Official PASS 2026 Endodontic Residency Interviews/Information***

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
Ah yes… The inevitable saltiness of this thread every year. Verbal promises carry a little weight and a lot of programs are democratic and who they pick over one person having final say. Prior to the new PD, faculty and residents all voted equally where I went. This process makes most sense to me as it’s not just the chair or PD working with you, but the senior residents and other faculty too. I don’t know what else to say but it is what it is in a crappy process. Congrats to those that have interviews and acceptances. o7
 
I also agree — even if a PD says you’d make a great candidate and is giving you lip service, you’re not accepted until you get an acceptance letter. I was told by some former residents, if XX PD lets you speak to them and invites you to visit, then you have an in — nottttttt trueeeee. Lol. I thought I hit it off with some PDs, but didn’t get an invite or didn’t seal the deal at interview. Again, like poster above said, PD doesn’t always make the final deal. I acknowledged I wasn’t the cohort they were looking for or that I wasn’t going to fit in with the selected class.
 
MasterFile said:
He is the Chair AND Director smh

At this point unless I see a written email sitting in my inbox, I'm gonna take everything with a whole pack of salt
Click to expand...
Oof, that’s tough. But does happen. Guy who was a year below me was promised a spot in my class and didn’t get it. But then they brought him in the following year.
 
isthmus508 said:
Why is endodontic so competitive?
Click to expand...
A lot of GP’s start developing a similar mindset. Want to get better at one thing. Tired of trying to do a bit of everything. Endo you are solving problems, eliminating pain, a fixer. Dentistry is a lot of prevention but ultimately your work can lead to other issues. Just part of it. But it wears on you. “My tooth never hurt before they did that filling (or cleaning)”. “Do I really need that crown”. “They are just trying to sell me a treatment plan”. Endo is mostly black and white. You need a root canal. You want it or want to pull it and place an implant. Or “congrats, you don’t need a root canal”. The work is really hard but you are also well compensated for almost everything you do. Worst I get is a young kid that is a direct pulp cap. Tough to manage, deal with the parents, can be tough to isolate in a young molar that hasn’t erupted, MTA, Occlusal composite. All that and it’s only like $200 for the treatment. But besides that it’s nice payouts for your hard work. Where in general there are a ton of low paying procedures that can wear you out. Overall it’s just a great specialty for those that like dentistry, enjoy being meticulous, and like challenging work. You also deal with so much less than a GP. And the more people practice the more they realize it. So they apply…
 
isthmus508 said:
Why is endodontic so competitive?
Click to expand...
There has been growing interest in specializing due to influx of DSOs and private equity into general dentistry. A lot of corporate models treat GPs like factory workers leading to burnout with subpar salaries. Endo provides the chance to make a really great salary while not having to juggle 3+ columns of patients. Also the fact that there aren’t a lot of new endo programs opening- keeping numbers at a stable level in order to maintain salary
 
Milkteeth12 said:
There has been growing interest in specializing due to influx of DSOs and private equity into general dentistry. A lot of corporate models treat GPs like factory workers leading to burnout with subpar salaries. Endo provides the chance to make a really great salary while not having to juggle 3+ columns of patients. Also the fact that there aren’t a lot of new endo programs opening- keeping numbers at a stable level in order to maintain salary
Click to expand...
why aren't a lot of new endo programs opening like orthodontics or pediatric? is it because endo specialty AAE try to keep the entry low??
 
isthmus508 said:
why aren't a lot of new endo programs opening like orthodontics or pediatric? is it because endo specialty AAE try to keep the entry low??
Click to expand...
Why would Endo want to saturate the market? No thanks… why lower the standards? I worked my butt off to get here and deserve some of the benefits. There are a lot of issues with what ortho is doing. Applicants are so focused on getting a certificate and literally committing financial suicide. Don’t even get me started on the market itself. Endo is competitive just like certain specialties in medicine are. Opening more spots and/or programs is a mistake. I would say the same for all these new dental schools.
 
SirBrotherJam said:
Why would Endo want to saturate the market? No thanks… why lower the standards? I worked my butt off to get here and deserve some of the benefits. There are a lot of issues with what ortho is doing. Applicants are so focused on getting a certificate and literally committing financial suicide. Don’t even get me started on the market itself. Endo is competitive just like certain specialties in medicine are. Opening more spots and/or programs is a mistake. I would say the same for all these new dental schools.
Click to expand...
💯
 
AAdentist said:
And a lot of $$$$ to set up endo departments (microscopes and chairs…)
Also AAE is one of the greatest dental association against this..
Click to expand...
Against what? The AAE and Foundation of Endo spends a lot investment in trying to recruit more full time Endo faculty.
There is not enough Endo faculty at the predoctoral level and even less at the graduate level.
 
princeafrica said:
Against what? The AAE and Foundation of Endo spends a lot investment in trying to recruit more full time Endo faculty.
There is not enough Endo faculty at the predoctoral level and even less at the graduate level.
Click to expand...
Against opening more endodontics programs.
 
princeafrica said:
There is not enough Endo faculty at the predoctoral level and even less at the graduate level.
Click to expand...
💯

For many dental schools DDS/DMD programs it’s hard enough to get enough cases and faculty for the dental students let alone add more residents.

Regarding faculty, it’s hard to get US endodontists to teach. Financially if you can still see patients 1-2 days a week you’ll make more than a full time faculty (at most schools that I know of). That’s part of why a significant amount of faculty are international, they can be very talented but have fewer options to leave for private practice.
 
AAdentist said:
Against opening more endodontics programs.
Click to expand...
You can’t just open more programs if you are having a faculty shortage. For one, CODA requirements require that the program director be board certified. AAE is not against programs opening but does stand for Endodontics being taught by Endodontists.
 
well i ask Chat GPT 🤓
"

🟢 1. Fewer Residency Positions Available​


  • Endodontics:

    • Approximately 60–65 programs nationally, most accepting only 2–5 residents per year.

    • This creates intense competition for a very limited number of spots (about 200 positions nationwide annually).

  • Orthodontics/Pediatric Dentistry:

    • Significantly more programs (about 70–80 orthodontic and 80–90 pediatric dentistry programs nationally), with many offering larger classes (4–8 residents/year), resulting in more available positions overall.

🟢 2. Small Faculty-to-Resident Ratios​


  • Endodontic residency training demands meticulous, one-on-one clinical teaching due to procedural complexity and extensive use of microscopes.

  • Thus, programs deliberately remain small to maintain high-quality training, directly limiting expansion and the number of residents accepted annually.

🟢 3. High Barriers to Entry (Competitive Applicant Pool)​


  • Clinical Experience: Endo programs strongly prefer candidates with significant general dentistry practice experience (often multiple years of practice), making the applicant pool extremely qualified.

  • High Test Scores & GPA: Applicants typically have very high academic and ADAT scores, resulting in fierce competition.

  • Research Experience: Endo programs value research or academic involvement heavily, further narrowing the selection criteria.

🟢 4. Endodontics Is Increasingly Seen as an Elite Specialty​


  • High earning potential, professional autonomy, and excellent work-life balance attract more qualified candidates.

  • Increasing student debt pushes applicants toward financially lucrative specialties like endodontics.

  • Consequently, more applicants (often highly qualified) compete for fewer spots, increasing selectivity.

🟢 5. Procedure Complexity and Advanced Training​


  • Endodontics training programs must ensure residents achieve mastery of microscope-assisted procedures, microsurgery, retreatments, regenerative techniques, and CBCT interpretation.

  • This clinical rigor limits how many residents each program can realistically train per year without compromising education quality.

🟢 6. Limited Job Market Saturation​


  • Unlike orthodontics or pediatrics, endodontics has managed to avoid significant market saturation.

  • Programs consciously maintain smaller class sizes to ensure that graduates have viable career opportunities and referral sources upon completion.

🟢 Quick Comparison Table:​

FactorEndodonticsOrtho/Pediatric Dentistry
Residency Positions🔴 Very limited (2–5/program)🟢 Moderate to high (4–8/program)
Faculty-to-Resident Ratio🔴 Small (1:2 or 1:3)🟢 Larger (often 1:4 or greater)
Barrier to Entry (Experience)🔴 Very High (often 3–5 yrs exp.)🟡 Moderate (often right from dental school)
Procedural Complexity & Technology🔴 High complexity, microscope-intensive🟡 Moderate complexity, standardized procedures
Market Saturation🟢 Low risk, tightly managed🟡 Higher risk, especially ortho
Career Earning Potential🟢 High🟡 Moderate-to-High

🔑 Bottom Line (Concise Answer):​

It’s harder to get into endodontic residency because:

  • Few spots available (200/year nationally).

  • Highly qualified and experienced applicant pool.

  • Small programs designed for intensive, personalized training.

  • Desirable career outcomes attracting elite candidates.
Collectively, these reasons make endodontics significantly more competitive to enter than orthodontics or pediatric dentistry."
 
I was just accepted to an Endo program. I graduated from dental school a few years ago with 300k in loans. The program would cost me 200k+ to cover tuition and living expenses for the next two years. How do I go about paying for school if I have already hit the loan limit according to the Big Beautiful Bill? What price is residency not worth it for Endo?
 
pulpyboi said:
I was just accepted to an Endo program. I graduated from dental school a few years ago with 300k in loans. The program would cost me 200k+ to cover tuition and living expenses for the next two years. How do I go about paying for school if I have already hit the loan limit according to the Big Beautiful Bill? What price is residency not worth it for Endo?
Click to expand...
Ive heard of people considering going through Sallie Mae
 
pulpyboi said:
I was just accepted to an Endo program. I graduated from dental school a few years ago with 300k in loans. The program would cost me 200k+ to cover tuition and living expenses for the next two years. How do I go about paying for school if I have already hit the loan limit according to the Big Beautiful Bill? What price is residency not worth it for Endo?
Click to expand...
let me have your spot and I'll let you know in a couple of years 😆
 
pulpyboi said:
I was just accepted to an Endo program. I graduated from dental school a few years ago with 300k in loans. The program would cost me 200k+ to cover tuition and living expenses for the next two years. How do I go about paying for school if I have already hit the loan limit according to the Big Beautiful Bill? What price is residency not worth it for Endo?
Click to expand...
I go to sleep at night praying to get hit (gently) by a Maybach
 
I had a number of people reach out for CV/PS review and did a virtual mock interview with some SDN users, which turned out well IMO!

If you need a second person to review your app, I’m thinking about making an organized endo application mentorship program / support group. We can review what could be improved if you’re at the end of your line this cycle, and possibly start the program for the next cycle in January 2026. Let me know if you have any interest. I think my system worked really well for me, and I was able to help out my friends. Good idea to reach out early if you need to add significant activities to your CV.
 
I am an international dentist with one year AEGD and applied this cycle but did not get any interview. Should I do an internship or observership program in endo to make connection or these programs are just waste of money?
 
When faculty or PD asks if we have any questions for them ? What's your fav ones
 
SirBrotherJam said:
Only military programs... There is no civilian program that has "spots" for military.
Click to expand...
I agree. I do know schools interview candidates who have some military background, but those are not guaranteed
You are interviewing with everyone else
 
Chin up everyone. I just want to let everyone knows I got in after applying second time 🙂. The only thing change is that I just apply to more schools this time 🙂 So please apply BROADLY to 40+ schools.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

K
***Official PASS 2026 Prosthodontic Residency Interviews/Information***
Replies
21
Views
3K
kumsu
K
jreed0102
***Official 2026 PERIO PASS/interviews/match/non-match information***
Replies
22
Views
4K
PerioRez2026
P
Futureoms26
**Official 2026 OMFS PASS/Interviews/Match/Non-Match/Information**
Replies
0
Views
2K
Futureoms26
Futureoms26
O
**Official 2026 Ortho Pass/Interviews/Match/Non- match**
Replies
45
Views
8K
Pickle Dental
Pickle Dental
StarENDO1
*****Official PASS 2025 Endodontic Residency Interviews/Information***
20 21 22 23 24
Replies
1K
Views
262K
endodocdds
endodocdds
Top