Dental Medicine, DMD
Degree: Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD)
Program Overview
The School of Dental Medicine Predoctoral DMD program accomplishes its goals through academic work in four themes and two threads, which are woven throughout the four years of the program. The program includes a variety of educational formats to deliver the curricula, including problem-based learning sessions, team-based learning, interprofessional education courses and experiential learning, independent study, seminars, extensive hands-on preclinical simulation education and dental procedural skills development, use of digital dental technologies, experiential learning opportunities, traditional lectures, laboratories, standardized patient experiences, and patient-based comprehensive care. An important goal of the curriculum is to help students become better prepared in applying their knowledge and skills in independent learning, interprofessional practice, critical thinking, and the clinical use of scientific evidence. The curriculum includes the following themes and threads:
Themes
Health and Well-Being
This theme contains all curricula—both didactic and clinical—that apply to health and the normal structure and functioning of the body and of the oral complex. The traditional content areas of physiology, biochemistry, anatomy, histology, among other dental science classes, are integrated through cases to form a better bridge and connections with the basic sciences and the clinical dental sciences.
Disease Processes
The Disease Processes theme includes content related to general and oral diseases and oral and overall health. These topics are often combined with healthy structure and function content to provide students with a global perspective of the implications and impact of oral and systemic diseases on the human body and a person's normal physical functioning.
Restoration of Health
This theme contains content related to therapies necessary for treatment of medical disease and dental disease. A focus on restoring oral health is accomplished through virtual reality clinical skills training, training on models and progression to comprehensive dental care in conjunction with didactic knowledge.
Maintenance of Health
The Maintenance of Health theme focuses on a curriculum which explores strategies for preserving health through general and oral health therapies, patient education, disease risk assessment and risk reduction, and disease prevention. This theme provides a viewpoint from which students can develop life-long care plans for their patients.
Threads
Inquiry
This thread that runs throughout the four-year program supports student growth in skills and application of clinical decision-making. Students develop an understanding of what scientific evidence is, how to make clinical decisions based on the best available evidence and to value scientific discovery in all aspects of dentistry.
Leadership
This thread contains curriculum for the development of students as ethical professionals and caring practitioners who are stewards of oral health of the individual patient, the community, and society. An important focus in the Leadership curriculum is professionalism and character development. The Leadership curriculum also focuses on patient and risk management as well as a strong practice management curriculum, and integration and application of the practice management curriculum within student's clinical preceptor groups.
Years
Year 1
This year includes curriculum describing normal healthy functioning and disease processes. Basic science content is taught in the context of clinical cases. Foundational work in understanding human structure and function is paired with learning about disease. Students participate in 3D extended reality learning of anatomy using MetaQuest 3 headsets and HoloAnatomy and HoloNeuro software, use 3D Complete Anatomy software as well as hands-on learning of cadaveric anatomy. Students learn the foundational elements of oral health. Preclinical simulation education and dental procedural skills development include dental anatomy, masticatory dynamics/occlusion, operative dentistry and fixed prosthodontics. Students enhance their preclinical skills through use of the SimEx Dental Virtual Reality Simulator. Digital dental technology is incorporated into the first year curriculum with use of 3D optical scanning. Students also complete a first year team-based Interprofessional Education course. D1 students have early clinical experiences with the Health Smiles Sealant Program and assist and observe in the clinics in the Spring of the D1 year.
Year 2
This year continues with an integrated approach to curricula in health and disease involving all of the clinical dental disciplines as well as oral-systemic health, with an emphasis on the development of dental clinical skills. Digital dental technologies are incorporated into the second year curriculum with digital radiology, 3D optical scanning, and CADCAM. Preclinical simulation education and dental procedural skills development include radiology, operative dentistry, fixed and removable prosthodontics, endodontics, periodontics, orthodontics, pediatric dentistry and implant dentistry. Students will enhance their preclinical skills through use of the SimEx Dental Augmented Reality Simulator. Students participate in 3D extended reality learning of anatomy using MetaQuest 3 headsets and HoloAnatomy & HoloNeuro software and 3D Complete Anatomy software. D2 students have early clinical experiences with the Health Smiles Sealant Program and assist and observe in the clinics over the entire D2 year. In the pivotal 2nd year, students develop and demonstrate competency in clinical skills and didactic knowledge in order to be prepared to transition into the clinic at the beginning of the 3rd year and begin delivering patient-centered comprehensive clinical care.
Year 3
Students gain clinical experience in the Comprehensive Care Clinics and take clinically-focused didactic courses to advance levels of knowledge and clinical experience. Students participate in rotations to specialty clinical areas while accomplishing comprehensive patient care. Students complete patient-based Clinical Qualifying Exams and clinical prerequisite patient experiences in preparation for challenging patient-based Comprehensive Care clinical competencies in their 4th year. Students complete a year-long Integrated National Board Dental Examination (INBDE) Preparation Course and take the INBDE at the end of the 3rd year.
Year 4
Students continue to gain clinical experience in the Comprehensive Care Clinics, complete patient-based clinical competencies and finish didactic courses which may include enrichment courses. They participate in practice management activities of their preceptor group, developing critical skills for general practice dentistry. 4th year students take the simulation clinic ADEX Exam Prep Course in the Fall semester and then are prepared to take the ADEX dental licensing exam during the middle of the 4th year.
Program Requirements
First Year Courses
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| First Term | ||
| DSPR 136 | Cariology | 1 |
| DSPR 139 | Neoplasia and Genetics | 1 |
| HEWB 121 | Cellular and Molecular Biology | 2 |
| HEWB 130 | Oral Histology | 1.5 |
| HWDP 131 | Heart and Lungs in Health and Disease | 4.5 |
| LDRS 101 | Interprofessional Education I | 1.5 |
| LDRS 111 | Epidemiology for Public Health and Clinical Practice | 2.5 |
| LDRS 113 | Personal Finance | .5 |
| MAHE 145 | ACE: Outreach Preventive Dentistry | 2 |
| REHE 151 | Dental Anatomy | 3 |
| REHE 153 | Dental Anatomy Laboratory | 1 |
| Second Term | ||
| COMP 106 | Clinical Observation and Assisting I | 2 |
| HEWB 123 | Facial Growth | 1.5 |
| HEWB 124 | Masticatory Dynamics | 2 |
| HEWB 126 | Masticatory Dynamics Lab | 1.5 |
| HEWB 128 | Body as Host | 4 |
| HEWB 134 | Head and Neck Structure and Function | 4.5 |
| HWDP 142 | Gastrointestinal System in Health and Disease | 2 |
| LDRS 102 | Interprofessional Education II | 1.5 |
| LDRS 118 | Ergonomics | .5 |
| MAHE 147 | ACE Clinical Outreach Preventive Dentistry | 2 |
| REHE 120 | Introduction to Radiography | 1.5 |
| REHE 152 | Basic Procedures in Fixed Prosthodontics | 1 |
| REHE 154 | Basic Procedures in Fixed Prosthodontics Lab | 1 |
| REHE 158 | Dental Materials I | .5 |
| REHE 162 | Basic Procedures in Restorative Dentistry I | .5 |
| REHE 172 | Basic Procedures in Restorative Dentistry I Lab | 1 |
Second Year Courses
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| First Term | ||
| COMP 205 | Clinical Observation and Assisting II | 2 |
| HWDP 232 | Renal and Hematologic Systems in Health and Disease | 2 |
| HWDP 243 | Endocrine and Reproductive Systems in Health and Disease | 1.5 |
| HWDP 245 | Musculoskeletal System in Health and Disease | 1.5 |
| HWDP 246 | Neuroscience in Health and Disease | 2 |
| MAHE 241 | Preventive Periodontics | 1 |
| REHE 223 | Digital Dentistry I | 1 |
| REHE 257 | Prosthodontic Technology | 2 |
| REHE 267 | Prosthodontic Technology Lab | 2 |
| REHE 259 | Basic Procedures in Fixed Prosthodontics II | 1 |
| REHE 269 | Basic Procedure Fixed Prosthodontics II Lab | 1.5 |
| REHE 262 | Basic Procedures in Restorative Dentistry II | 1 |
| REHE 272 | Basic Procedures in Restorative Dentistry II Lab | 1 |
| REHE 264 | Endodontics | .5 |
| REHE 274 | Endodontics Lab | 1 |
| REMA 261 | Preclinical Orthodontics | 1 |
| Second Term | ||
| COMP 206 | Clinical Observation and Assisting III | 2 |
| DSPR 232 | Periodontics | 1 |
| DSPR 234 | Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology | 3 |
| INQU 202 | Introduction to Medicine: Patient Assessment | 1.5 |
| REHE 224 | Digital Dentistry II | 1 |
| REHE 252 | Pain Control | 1 |
| REHE 253 | Basic Procedures in Esthetics | 1 |
| REHE 263 | Basic Procedure in Esthetics Lab | .5 |
| REHE 254 | Pharmacology | 4 |
| REHE 256 | Radiologic Interpretation | 1 |
| REHE 258 | Principles of Treatment Planning I | 1 |
| REHE 260 | Basic Procedures in Fixed Prosthodontics III | .5 |
| REHE 270 | Basic Procedure Fixed Prosthodontics III Lab | 1 |
| REHE 266 | Partial Denture Design | 3 |
| REHE 276 | Partial Denture Design Lab | 2 |
| REMA 270 | Introduction to Pediatrics | 1 |
Third Year Courses
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Summer Term | ||
| COMP 341 | Patient Care I | 2 |
| COMP 372 | Patient Care Experience I | 2 |
| DSPR 333 | Management of Medical Emergencies | .5 |
| DSRE 335 | Clinical Pharmacology | 1.5 |
| DSRE 395 | Introduction to Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery | .5 |
| DSRE 396 | Temporomandibular Disorders and Occlusion | 1 |
| HEWB 349 | Dentofacial Morphology | 1 |
| REHE 358 | Dental Materials II | .5 |
| REMA 324 | Introduction to Laser Applications in Dentistry | .5 |
| REMA 327 | Non-Surgical Periodontal Therapy Intensive | 2 |
| First Term | ||
| COMP 351 | Patient Care II | 5 |
| COMP 382 | Patient Care Experience II | 5 |
| COMP 386 | Quality Assurance I | 1 |
| DSPR 341 | Oral Diagnosis and Radiology | 2 |
| DSPR 344 | Principles of Medicine | .5 |
| DSRE 391 | Endodontics | 1 |
| DSRE 393 | Principles of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery I | 1 |
| HWDP 300 | Integrated National Dental Board Exam Preparation (graded in the spring) | 1 |
| LDRS 317 | Dental Auxiliary Management | .5 |
| REHE 351 | Surgical Periodontics | 1 |
| REHE 353 | Principles of Treatment Planning II | 1 |
| REHE 360 | Implant Dentistry | 1 |
| REHE 362 | Application of Digital Dentistry | 1 |
| Second Term | ||
| COMP 361 | Patient Care III | 5 |
| COMP 378 | Pediatric Dentistry Clinic | 1.5 |
| COMP 392 | Patient Care Experience III | 5 |
| DSPR 342 | Oral Cancer Diagnosis | 1 |
| DSRE 370 | Principles of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery II | 1 |
| DSRE 374 | Fixed Prosthodontics | 1 |
| DSRE 392 | Nitrous Oxide and Conscious Sedation | .5 |
| HWDP 300 | Integrated National Dental Board Exam Preparation | 1 |
| LDRS 310 | Professional Development | 1 |
| LDRS 318 | Community Oral Health Overview | .5 |
| MAHE 340 | Nutrition for Dentistry | 1 |
| REHE 355 | Esthetic Dentistry | .5 |
| REMA 380 | Introduction to Geriatric Dentistry | 1 |
Fourth Year Courses
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Summer Term | ||
| COMP 358 | Clinical Oral Surgery I | 1 |
| COMP 441 | Patient Care IV | 2 |
| COMP 476 | Patient Care Experience IV | 2 |
| COMP 498 | Quality Assurance II | 1 |
| REHE 413 | Advanced Implant Dentistry I | 1 |
| REHE 482 | Orthodontics | 1 |
| First Term | ||
| COMP 422 | Clinical Periodontics (graded in the spring) | 1.5 |
| COMP 427 | Oral Diagnosis and Treatment Planning | 1 |
| COMP 428 | Oral Diagnosis and Radiology (graded in the spring) | .5 |
| COMP 448 | Endodontics (graded in the spring) | 2 |
| COMP 451 | Patient Care V | 5 |
| COMP 458 | Clinical Oral Surgery II (graded in the spring) | 1 |
| COMP 478 | Pediatric Dentistry (graded in the spring) | 1.5 |
| COMP 480 | Clinical Geriatric Dentistry (graded in the spring) | .5 |
| COMP 482 | Clinical Orthodontics (graded in the spring) | 1 |
| COMP 486 | Patient Care Experience V | 5 |
| LDRS 416 | Practice Management | 1.5 |
| REHE 400 | ADEX Exam Preparation (graded in spring) | .5 |
| REHE 455 | General Anesthesia, Oral Surgery | .5 |
| REHE 488 | Case Presentations I | 1 |
| Second Term | ||
| COMP 422 | Clinical Periodontics | 1.5 |
| COMP 428 | Oral Diagnosis and Radiology | .5 |
| COMP 430 | Comprehensive Care Clinical Competencies | 7 |
| COMP 448 | Endodontics | 2 |
| COMP 458 | Clinical Oral Surgery II | 1 |
| COMP 461 | Patient Care VI | 5 |
| COMP 478 | Pediatric Dentistry | 1.5 |
| COMP 480 | Clinical Geriatric Dentistry | .5 |
| COMP 482 | Clinical Orthodontics | 1 |
| COMP 496 | Patient Care Experience VI | 5 |
| REHE 414 | Advanced Implant Dentistry II | 1 |
| REHE 489 | Case Presentations II | 1 |
| REHE 400 | ADEX Exam Preparation | .5 |
Sample Plan of Study
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credit Hours | |
| DSPR 136 | Cariology | 1 |
| DSPR 139 | Neoplasia and Genetics | 1 |
| HEWB 121 | Cellular and Molecular Biology | 2 |
| HEWB 130 | Oral Histology | 1.5 |
| HWDP 131 | Heart and Lungs in Health and Disease | 4.5 |
| LDRS 101 | Interprofessional Education I | 1.5 |
| LDRS 111 | Epidemiology for Public Health and Clinical Practice | 2.5 |
| MAHE 145 | ACE: Outreach Preventive Dentistry | 2 |
| LDRS 113 | Personal Finance | .5 |
| REHE 151 | Dental Anatomy | 3 |
| REHE 153 | Dental Anatomy Laboratory | 1 |
| Credit Hours | 20.5 | |
| Spring | ||
| COMP 106 | Clinical Observation and Assisting I | 2 |
| HEWB 123 | Facial Growth | 1.5 |
| HEWB 124 | Masticatory Dynamics | 2 |
| HEWB 126 | Masticatory Dynamics Lab | 1.5 |
| HEWB 128 | Body as Host | 4 |
| HEWB 134 | Head and Neck Structure and Function | 4.5 |
| HWDP 142 | Gastrointestinal System in Health and Disease | 2 |
| LDRS 102 | Interprofessional Education II | 1.5 |
| LDRS 118 | Ergonomics | .5 |
| MAHE 147 | ACE Clinical Outreach Preventive Dentistry | 2 |
| REHE 120 | Introduction to Radiography | 1.5 |
| REHE 152 | Basic Procedures in Fixed Prosthodontics | 1 |
| REHE 154 | Basic Procedures in Fixed Prosthodontics Lab | 1 |
| REHE 158 | Dental Materials I | .5 |
| REHE 162 | Basic Procedures in Restorative Dentistry I | .5 |
| REHE 172 | Basic Procedures in Restorative Dentistry I Lab | 1 |
| Credit Hours | 27 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| COMP 205 | Clinical Observation and Assisting II | 2 |
| HWDP 232 | Renal and Hematologic Systems in Health and Disease | 2 |
| HWDP 243 | Endocrine and Reproductive Systems in Health and Disease | 1.5 |
| HWDP 245 | Musculoskeletal System in Health and Disease | 1.5 |
| HWDP 246 | Neuroscience in Health and Disease | 2 |
| MAHE 241 | Preventive Periodontics | 1 |
| REHE 223 | Digital Dentistry I | 1 |
| REHE 257 | Prosthodontic Technology | 2 |
| REHE 267 | Prosthodontic Technology Lab | 2 |
| REHE 259 | Basic Procedures in Fixed Prosthodontics II | 1 |
| REHE 269 | Basic Procedure Fixed Prosthodontics II Lab | 1.5 |
| REHE 262 | Basic Procedures in Restorative Dentistry II | 1 |
| REHE 272 | Basic Procedures in Restorative Dentistry II Lab | 1 |
| REHE 264 | Endodontics | .5 |
| REHE 274 | Endodontics Lab | 1 |
| REMA 261 | Preclinical Orthodontics | 1 |
| Credit Hours | 22 | |
| Spring | ||
| COMP 206 | Clinical Observation and Assisting III | 2 |
| DSPR 232 | Periodontics | 1 |
| DSPR 234 | Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology | 3 |
| INQU 202 | Introduction to Medicine: Patient Assessment | 1.5 |
| REHE 224 | Digital Dentistry II | 1 |
| REHE 252 | Pain Control | 1 |
| REHE 253 | Basic Procedures in Esthetics | 1 |
| REHE 263 | Basic Procedure in Esthetics Lab | .5 |
| REHE 254 | Pharmacology | 4 |
| REHE 256 | Radiologic Interpretation | 1 |
| REHE 258 | Principles of Treatment Planning I | 1 |
| REHE 260 | Basic Procedures in Fixed Prosthodontics III | .5 |
| REHE 270 | Basic Procedure Fixed Prosthodontics III Lab | 1 |
| REHE 266 | Partial Denture Design | 3 |
| REHE 276 | Partial Denture Design Lab | 2 |
| REMA 270 | Introduction to Pediatrics | 1 |
| Credit Hours | 24.5 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Summer | ||
| COMP 341 | Patient Care I | 2 |
| COMP 372 | Patient Care Experience I | 2 |
| DSPR 333 | Management of Medical Emergencies | .5 |
| DSRE 335 | Clinical Pharmacology | 1.5 |
| DSRE 395 | Introduction to Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery | .5 |
| DSRE 396 | Temporomandibular Disorders and Occlusion | 1 |
| HEWB 349 | Dentofacial Morphology | 1 |
| REHE 358 | Dental Materials II | .5 |
| REMA 324 | Introduction to Laser Applications in Dentistry | .5 |
| REMA 327 | Non-Surgical Periodontal Therapy Intensive | 2 |
| Credit Hours | 11.5 | |
| Fall | ||
| COMP 351 | Patient Care II | 5 |
| COMP 382 | Patient Care Experience II | 5 |
| COMP 386 | Quality Assurance I | 1 |
| DSPR 341 | Oral Diagnosis and Radiology | 2 |
| DSPR 344 | Principles of Medicine | .5 |
| DSRE 391 | Endodontics | 1 |
| HWDP 300 | Integrated National Dental Board Exam Preparation | 1 |
| DSRE 393 | Principles of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery I | 1 |
| LDRS 317 | Dental Auxiliary Management | .5 |
| REHE 351 | Surgical Periodontics | 1 |
| REHE 353 | Principles of Treatment Planning II | 1 |
| REHE 360 | Implant Dentistry | 1 |
| REHE 362 | Application of Digital Dentistry | .5 |
| Credit Hours | 20.5 | |
| Spring | ||
| COMP 361 | Patient Care III | 5 |
| COMP 378 | Pediatric Dentistry Clinic | 1.5 |
| COMP 392 | Patient Care Experience III | 5 |
| DSPR 342 | Oral Cancer Diagnosis | 1 |
| DSRE 370 | Principles of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery II | 1 |
| DSRE 374 | Fixed Prosthodontics | 1 |
| DSRE 392 | Nitrous Oxide and Conscious Sedation | .5 |
| HWDP 300 | Integrated National Dental Board Exam Preparation | 1 |
| LDRS 310 | Professional Development | 1 |
| LDRS 318 | Community Oral Health Overview | .5 |
| MAHE 340 | Nutrition for Dentistry | 1 |
| REHE 355 | Esthetic Dentistry | 1 |
| REMA 380 | Introduction to Geriatric Dentistry | 1 |
| Credit Hours | 20.5 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Summer | ||
| COMP 358 | Clinical Oral Surgery I | 1 |
| COMP 441 | Patient Care IV | 2 |
| COMP 476 | Patient Care Experience IV | 2 |
| COMP 498 | Quality Assurance II | 1 |
| REHE 413 | Advanced Implant Dentistry I | 1 |
| REHE 482 | Orthodontics | 1 |
| Credit Hours | 8 | |
| Fall | ||
| COMP 422 | Clinical Periodontics | 1.5 |
| COMP 427 | Oral Diagnosis and Treatment Planning | 1 |
| COMP 428 | Oral Diagnosis and Radiology | .5 |
| COMP 448 | Endodontics | 2 |
| COMP 451 | Patient Care V | 5 |
| COMP 458 | Clinical Oral Surgery II | 1 |
| COMP 478 | Pediatric Dentistry | 1.5 |
| COMP 480 | Clinical Geriatric Dentistry | .5 |
| COMP 482 | Clinical Orthodontics | 1 |
| COMP 486 | Patient Care Experience V | 5 |
| LDRS 416 | Practice Management | 1.5 |
| REHE 400 | ADEX Exam Preparation | .5 |
| REHE 455 | General Anesthesia, Oral Surgery | .5 |
| REHE 488 | Case Presentations I | 1 |
| Credit Hours | 22.5 | |
| Spring | ||
| COMP 422 | Clinical Periodontics | 1.5 |
| COMP 428 | Oral Diagnosis and Radiology | .5 |
| COMP 430 | Comprehensive Care Clinical Competencies | 7 |
| COMP 448 | Endodontics | 2 |
| COMP 458 | Clinical Oral Surgery II | 1 |
| COMP 461 | Patient Care VI | 5 |
| COMP 478 | Pediatric Dentistry | 1.5 |
| COMP 480 | Clinical Geriatric Dentistry | .5 |
| COMP 482 | Clinical Orthodontics | 1 |
| COMP 496 | Patient Care Experience VI | 5 |
| REHE 400 | ADEX Exam Preparation | .5 |
| REHE 414 | Advanced Implant Dentistry II | 1 |
| REHE 489 | Case Presentations II | 1 |
| Credit Hours | 27.5 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 204.5 | |