The general concepts, design criteria, and physical parameters, such as component placement and electroluminescence, that relate to the construction of OLED devices are described, followed by a discussion of the current literature detailing the use of branched and dendritic materials as the key electroluminescent elements of single- and multi-layered fabricated devices. Their configurations, efficiencies, emission intensities, and molecular structural implications are also delineated and discussed. This critical review should appeal to researchers in the synthetic, material, and physical sciences (122 references).