Fields of Study

Graduate Programs

Fields of Study

In addition to the general requirements for the degree program as described in the following pages, the various departments may specify additional didactic or clinical requirements in order for students to qualify for a major or minor in that field. Details regarding specific course requirements for individual graduate (degree) and postgraduate (certificate) programs are available from the School of Dentistry. Contact the Office of Graduate Education (for the M.S., M.S.D., and Ph.D. programs) and the Department of Oral Surgery and Hospital Dentistry for the oral and maxillofacial surgery residency (see Contact Information).

Dental Materials

Available as an M.S. or M.S.D. degree program or as a track offered in the Ph.D. in Dental Science degree program. Minor concentration: operative dentistry or prosthodontics (for M.S.D. degree); chemistry, material science engineering, or mechanical engineering (for M.S. degree). For details about the Ph.D. dental biomaterials track, see the Dental Biomaterials Track Core Curriculum.

Core Competencies

Graduates of the two-year postdoctoral program in dental materials will achieve core competencies in Materials Knowledge, Critical Thinking, and Effective Communication.

Materials Knowledge

The graduate will be prepared to:

1. Describe major classes of dental biomaterials used in clinical dentistry;
2. Explain the differences in the chemical nature of the major classes of materials;
3. Recognize the effects of chemical nature on the mechanical behavior of materials; and
4. Describe the relationship between material characteristics and clinical performance of dental biomaterials.

Critical Thinking

The graduate will be prepared to:

1. Identify the physical and chemical principles of major material testing methods;
2. Select and justify appropriate testing methods for major classes of dental biomaterials; and
3. Formulate hypotheses and design the necessary experiments for a given material evaluation scenario.

Effective Communication

The graduate will be prepared to:

1. Present research methods and results correctly in oral and written reports;
2. Provide evidence-based arguments on research findings in oral and written reports; and
3. Provide suggestions on dental biomaterial selection based on current dental literature.

Dental Science

Ph.D. degree program offering tracks in preventive dentistry, oral biology, dental materials and dental biomaterials. For details about the Ph.D. degree, see the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) Degree in dental Science section.

Core Competencies

The graduate of the Ph.D. program in dental science will be prepared to:

1. Demonstrate an in-depth understanding of the biology of the oral cavity;
2. Demonstrate the principles/mechanisms pertinent to human physiology and disease;
3. Demonstrate competency in performing complex scientific literature searches;
4. Write a detailed grant proposal;
5. Express scientific material, including original research data, in both oral and written form;
6. Demonstrate skills in critical thinking; and
7. Plan and undertake independent research.

Endodontics

M.S.D. degree program. Minor concentration: oral pathology

Core Competencies

Students who successfully complete the two-year postdoctoral endodontics program will be able to achieve proficiency in the following areas of clinical science:

1. Diagnosis, treatment planning, and prognosis;
2. Evidenced-based nonsurgical and surgical treatment and retreatment;
3. Outcome evaluation;
4. Radiography and other diagnostic imaging technologies;
5. Management of endodontic treatment of medically compromised patients;
6. Emergency treatment for endodontic conditions;
7. Management of patients with orofacial pain and anxiety;
8. Preparation of space for intraradicular restorations and cores in endodontically treated teeth;
9. Use of enhanced magnification technologies; and
10. Communications with patients and health care professionals.

Students will also be prepared to achieve competency in a variety of endodontic techniques, including, for example: vital pulp management, endodontic management of traumatic dental injuries, and endodontic management of developing permanent teeth.

The postdoctoral endodontic program will also prepare the graduate to conduct all phases of a research project, including protocol development, review of literature, management of all stages of the study, and preparation of a manuscript for publication.

Maxillofacial Prosthetics

M.S.D program. Maxillofacial prosthetics is a track of the prosthodontics program (listed below) and is hospital-based.

Core Competencies

Students who successfully complete the four-year postdoctoral program in maxillofacial prosthetics will demonstrate competency in the following areas:

Clinical Skills and Knowledge

The successful graduate will be able to:

1. Diagnose, treatment plan, and rehabilitate patients with defects of the maxilla, mandible, and facial structures using biocompatible substitutes;
2. Be competent in a wide variety of treatment modalities used in the pre-prosthetic, prosthetic, and post-prosthetic management and treatment of patients with defects of the maxilla, mandible, and facial structures;
3. Be competent in all aspects of the utilization of dental implants to restore intraoral and extraoral defects;
4. Be competent in the prosthetic management of both radiation therapy and chemotherapy patients;
5. Be competent in the laboratory procedures associated with the treatment of patients with defects of the maxilla, mandible, and facial structures; and
6. Describe the relationship between material characteristics and clinical performance of dental biomaterials.

Critical Thinking 

The successful graduate will be able to:

1. Draw upon evidence-based research to select and justify appropriate treatment methods and biomaterials; and
2. Formulate hypotheses and design the necessary experiments for a given procedure or material evaluation scenario.

Effective Communication 

The successful graduate will be able to:

1. Present appropriate treatment plans to patients and referring dentists correctly in oral and written reports;
2. Provide evidence-based agreements on research findings in oral and written reports; and
3. Provide patient education and oral hygiene instructions to patients based upon clinical findings and upon current maxillofacial prosthetic literature.

Cariology and Operative Dentistry

M.S.D. degree program. Minor concentration: dental materials or preventive dentistry.

Core Competencies

Graduates of the two-year postdoctoral program in operative dentistry will be prepared to: 

1. Manage caries risk patients based on Caries Management by Risk Assessment (CAMBRA);
2. Discuss current direct and indirect dental restorative materials (gold, dental amalgam, ceramics, glass ionomer cement, and resin-matrix composite) including associated setting reactions, physical properties, and indications and contraindications for their clinical use;
3. Demonstrate clinical proficiency when performing routine and advanced restorative procedures;
4. Demonstrate a broad knowledge base of dental restorative materials and procedures;
5. Demonstrate knowledge of current restorative dentistry scientific literature;
6. Develop and present evidence-based restorative dentistry lectures; and
7. Develop a research protocol and perform controlled dental research.
8. Describe the dental caries process in detail;
9. Describe and contrast the interaction of the etiological factors associated with dental caries;
10. Distinguish and assess the different presentations of dental caries
11. Recognize the epidemiology of dental caries
12. Discriminate populations at high risk for dental caries;
13. Analyze the external and internal risk determinants of dental caries;
14. Compare and contrast the different methodologies utilized for caries detection;
15. Demonstrate diagnosis of dental caries;
16. Assess caries risk status;
17. Assess salivary flow measurements, buffering capacity, and management approaches for patients with low salivary flow;
18. Compare and contrast some of the different strategies utilized for caries management;
19. Discriminate the therapeutics used in caries management;
20. Compare and contrast the use of sealants based on risk assessment, for individuals and populations;
21. Support the values of prevention, evaluation, and reevaluation;
22. Develop an oral health plan to be incorporated by a health professional team;
23. Develop a community health plan;
24. Summarize the basic principles on developing patient education plans;
25. Critically review scientific methodology; and
26. Recognize the different methodologies and techniques related to caries research.

Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

Four-year hospital-based postgraduate residency leading to a certificate in the specialty. For application forms, admission requirements, and other information about this program, contact the School of Dentistry’s Department of Oral Surgery and Hospital Dentistry (see Contact Information).

Core Competencies

Residents who complete the four-year oral and maxillofacial residency will be prepared to:

1. Demonstrate proficiency in the core procedures, treatments, and surgical techniques available to oral and maxillofacial surgeons;
2. Demonstrate familiarity with the full range of procedures, treatments, and surgical techniques available to oral and maxillofacial surgeons
3. Demonstrate competency in the medical management of the surgical patient, including the ability to adequately perform a preoperative assessment;
4. Demonstrate proficiency in the full range of anesthetic techniques available to oral and maxillofacial surgeons;
5. Manage medical emergencies;
6. Demonstrate familiarity with and an understanding of relevant literature as well as an ability to apply critical thinking to their reading; and
7. Participate in scholarly activity, including the ability to develop a research project, write a manuscript, and give scientific and/or case study presentations.

Orthodontics

M.S.D. degree program. Minor concentration: dental materials, oral pathology, dental education, or life sciences.

Core Competencies

Students who successfully complete the two-year postdoctoral orthodontics program will demonstrate competency in the following areas: 

Clinical Skills and Knowledge

The graduate will be able to:

1. Correctly identify dental and skeletal problems and discrepancies that contribute to malocclusion;
2. Correctly classify malocclusion;
3. Be competent in selecting, placing, and activating appropriate appliances to treat malocclusion;
4. Describe the relationship between material characteristics and clinical performance of orthodontic biomaterials;
5. Explain the force load that appliances place on the dentition;
6. Use patient management software and imaging software correctly;
7. Identify the need and timing of interdisciplinary care; and
8. Identify the effects of growth and development on malocclusion.

Critical Thinking

The graduate will be able to:

1. Draw upon evidence-based research to select and justify appropriate treatment methods and biomaterials; and
2. Formulate a hypothesis and design methods to solve a problem.

Effective Communication 

The graduate will be able to:

1. Effectively present appropriate treatment plans in written and oral formats to patients and referring dentists;
2. Explain research results correctly in oral and written formats; and
3. Provide appropriate patient education concerning the need for appliances, the care of appliances, and the effect of diet and hygiene on the dentition.

Pediatric Dentistry

M.S.D. degree program (hospital-based). Minor concentration: child psychology, dental materials, education, genetics, oral pathology, preventive dentistry, radiology, or speech pathology.

Core Competencies

Students who successfully complete the two-year postdoctoral pediatric dentistry program will demonstrate competency in the following areas:

Clinical Skills and Knowledge

The successful graduate will be able to:

1. Diagnose and provide dental treatment to the child and adolescent patient;
2. Manage the dental patient with the use of non-pharmacologic and pharmacologic management techniques; and
3. Provide comprehensive management of the disabled patient.

Critical Thinking

The successful graduate will be able to:

1. Draw upon evidence-based literature to select and justify appropriate treatment;
2. Learn the dental care systems, both public and private sectors; and
3. Successfully complete and present research relevant to the specialty of pediatric dentistry.

Effective Communication

The successful graduate will be able to:

1. Present appropriate treatment plans to patients and family members;
2. Present accurate oral and written reports to referring physicians and dentists;
3. Draw upon the latest evidence-based literature to provide education and oral hygiene instructions to patients, and interpret and present the findings of medical and laboratory reports.

Periodontics

M.S.D degree program. Minor concentration: oral pathology.

Core Competencies

Students who successfully complete the three-year postdoctoral periodontics program will demonstrate competency in the following areas:

Clinical Skills and Knowledge

The successful graduate will be able to:

1. Diagnose and treat diseases affecting the periodontium;
2. Demonstrate competency in a wide variety of surgical techniques used in treatment of periodontal diseases;
3. Demonstrate competency in all aspects of surgical placement of dental implants including implant site development; and
4. Describe the relationship between material characteristics and clinical performance of dental biomaterials. 

Critical Thinking 

The successful graduate will be able to:

1. Draw upon evidence-based research to select and justify appropriate treatment methods and biomaterials, and
2. Formulate hypotheses and design the necessary experiments for a given procedure or material evaluation scenario. 

Effective Communication

The successful graduate will be able to:

1. Present appropriate treatment plans to patients and referring dentists correctly in oral and written reports;
2. Provide evidence-based arguments on research findings in oral and written reports; and
3. Provide patient education and oral hygiene instructions to patients based on clinical findings and current periodontal literature.

Research

The postdoctoral periodontics program will also prepare the graduate to conduct all phases of a research project, including protocol development, review of literature, management of all stages of the study, and preparation of a manuscript for publication.

Prosthodontics

M.S.D. degree program. Minor concentration: dental materials.

Core Competencies

Students who successfully complete the three-year postdoctoral program in prosthodontics will demonstrate competency in the following areas:

Clinical Skills and Knowledge

The successful graduate will be able to:

1. Diagnose, treatment plan, and rehabilitate dentate, partially edentulous, and completely edentulous patients having clinical conditions associated with missing or deficient teeth and/or oral and maxillofacial tissues using biocompatible substitutes;
2. Be competent in a wide variety of treatment modalities utilized in the treatment and/or rehabilitation of dentate, partially edentulous, and completely edentulous patients;
3. Be competent in all aspects of the restoration of dental implants;
4. Be competent in all aspects of occlusion and the prosthodontic management of TMD/TMJ disorders and/or orofacial pain;
5. Be competent in the laboratory procedures associated with the treatment of complete edentulism, partial edentulism, and dentate patients; and
6. Describe the relationship between material characteristics and clinical performance of dental biomaterials.

Critical Thinking

The successful graduate will be able to:

1. Draw upon evidence-based research to select and justify appropriate treatment methods and biomaterials; and
2. Formulate hypotheses and design the necessary experiments for a given procedure or material evaluation scenario.

Effective Communication

The successful graduate will be able to:

1. Present appropriate treatment plans to patients and referring dentists in oral and written reports;
2. Provide evidence-based agreements on research findings in oral and written reports; and
3. Provide patient education and oral hygiene instructions to patients based upon clinical findings and upon current prosthodontic literature.

 

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