Orthodontic education in Gulf Cooperation Council countries: Overview of programs and challenges

This article aims to provide an overview of currently available orthodontic residency programs in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries against a backdrop of dental education institutions in the region. Studying the history of dental and orthodontic education in the GCC revealed relatively young dental education institutions in the region starting in the latter half of the twentieth century. GCC orthodontic programs are profiled in this article showcasing available programs and sharing descriptive information about their manpower, academic degrees offered and teaching methods. Two main categories of training programs were observed: clinical, board-type and academic, degree-type programs. Thirty-nine training centers were identified, of which thirty-one fall under the umbrella of the Saudi Board of Orthodontics. The remaining programs are offered under various other schemes. Challenges and concerns expressed by program directors in the region regarding the establishment and running of these programs are also discussed which included academic, manpower, administrative, financial, and logistical challenges. The information is discussed with reflections against available literature in the field.