Programs by Campus
Indianapolis
Dentistry
School of Dentistry
Departmental E-mail: ds-grad [at] iupui [dot] edu
Departmental URL: https://www.dentistry.iu.edu/
(Please note that when conferring University Graduate School degrees, minors, certificates, and sub-plans, The University Graduate School’s staff use those requirements contained only in The University Graduate School Bulletin.)
Curriculum
Degrees Offered
Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy.
In addition, the School of Dentistry offers the Master of Science in Dentistry and a certificate program in oral and maxillofacial surgery; for details see the School of Dentistry Bulletin.
Special School Requirements
(See also general University Graduate School requirements.)
The M.S. and Ph.D. programs are designed principally for students who expect to enter dental education and research upon completion of their programs. The M.S.D. program is intended for students interested primarily in the specialty disciplines of dentistry.
Master of Science Degree
Graduate work in the School of Dentistry leading to the M.S. degree includes advanced laboratory, lecture, library, and seminar courses. (See School of Dentistry Bulletin for M.S.D. and certificate programs offered in the advanced specialty disciplines in dentistry.)
Admission Requirements
(1) Bachelor’s degree with appropriate concentration in science (for applicants, other than dentists, who wish to pursue advanced degrees in dental science); (2) overall B (3.0) average; (3) appropriate level of achievement in course work in the major area of concentration; and (4) evidence of potential for success in advanced graduate work, as attested by letters of recommendation from major professors or others familiar with the applicant’s academic performance or professional background. A personal interview may be required in some instances.
Grades
Students must maintain an academic average of at least 3.0 (B) on a 4.0 scale.
Course Requirements
A minimum of 30 credit hours of approved courses appropriate to one of the major disciplines given above, including 6 credit hours in an approved minor subject and 6 credit hours of research. See School of Dentistry Bulletin and individual program directors for specific details on curricula.
Thesis
Students must submit a thesis or a manuscript for publication, depending on the individual program, based on the original research conducted.
Final Examinations
A comprehensive oral and written examination is taken any time after the first semester. A defense of thesis examination is required upon submission of the thesis or manuscript to the student’s graduate committee.
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) Degree in Dental Science
The objective of the Ph.D. in Dental Science Program is to provide a core curriculum that offers a solid scientific base for a career in research and/or teaching in the dental sciences. The Ph.D. degree in Dental Science (Preventive Dentistry, Oral Biology, Dental Materials or Dental Biomaterials track) focuses on basic and clinical science areas as they relate to the human organism and on the effect of dental materials on biological systems. Graduates of this program are ideal candidates for academic teaching and/or research positions in dental schools, medical schools, and other basic science departments as well as for research positions in government institutions and industry.
General Information
Admission Requirements
The program is open to persons who have earned the Doctor of Dental Surgery degree or its equivalent as well as graduates of bachelor of science degree programs. Applicants must have a minimum grade point average of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale (grade point averages from the dental degree in the case of dental school graduates). Candidates for the Ph.D. degree program must have a minimum score on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) of 160 in the verbal, 148 in the quantitative, or 3.0 in the analytical section. In addition, a TOEFL score of 79 or higher must be obtained by applicants from non-English speaking countries.
Program Requirements
The degree requires 90 credit hours with 32–40 required course credits (depending on the choice of track) and 12 credits in a minor. Disciplines included in the program are anatomy, biochemistry, biomedical engineering, biostatistics, cell biology, chemistry, immunology, materials science engineering, mechanical engineering, microbiology, molecular biology, pathology, physics, and physiology. Students are required to enroll in the IUPUI Preparing Future Faculty (PFF) program.
Minor
The minor consists of 12 credit hours in any one of the advanced basic science courses (anatomy, biochemistry, biomedical engineering, chemistry, materials science engineering, mechanical engineering, microbiology and immunology, pathology, pharmacology, physics, physiology, life science) or their equivalents, as approved by the student’s advisory committee and the chairperson of the minor department. Credit hours for the required courses may not count toward the minor courses.
Qualifying Examination (for Admission to Candidacy)
The qualifying exam consists of two parts: 1) writing and presenting an oral defense of a research proposal, and 2) sitting for a comprehensive written examination.
Core Curriculum
Descriptions of the following courses that do not appear on the list of graduate courses in this bulletin can be found in this bulletin or in the School of Medicine or School of Education bulletin.
Oral Biology Track
(The Oral Biology Track core curriculum is listed below plus 12 minor credits are required.)
Required Courses
Biochemistry
B500 or B800 and G817
Microbiology
J822 or J510 or J805
General Graduate
G651, G504 or G505, G865, G655, and EDUC J500, PSY 608 or other teaching method course recommended by the program director.
Dental/Oral Biology
R959 or G910 and R956
Research (remainder of 90 cr.)
R957 and R958
Preventive Dentistry Track
(The Preventive Dentistry Track core curriculum is listed below plus 12 minor credits are required.)
Required Courses
R909, R910, R911, G974, and G959
Courses from the following list can be used to complete the total hours required for the major subject: G905, G911,
General Graduate
G651, G504 or G505, G655 and EDUC J500, PSY 608 or other graduate level teaching method course recommended by the program director.
Dental/Oral Biology
G910 or R959 and R956
Research (remainder of 90 cr.)
R958 and G930
Required Dental Sciences Courses for Non-Dental Preventive Dentistry Track Applicants
Applicants without a dental degree may apply for the Preventive Dentistry Track, but are required to take the following courses in the first two years of the program: G981, G969, G988 or G935.
Dental Materials Track
(The Dental Materials Track core curriculum is listed below plus 12 minor credits)
Required Courses:
Biochemistry - Microbiology
B500 or G959
General Graduate
G651,G504 or G505 G865, G655, J500 or 608 or other graduate level teaching method course recommended by the program director.
Dental Materials
G911, G912, G913, G910, R956
Dental Biomaterials Track
(The Dental Biomaterials Track core curriculum is listed below, plus 12 minor credits.)
Required Courses
Biochemistry-Microbiology
B500 or G959
General Graduate
G651, G504 or G505, G865, G655 and EDUC J500, PSY 608 or other graduate level teaching method course recommended by the program director.
Dental Materials
G910, G911, G912, G913, and R956
Elective Classes (determined by the student’s advisory committee)
Offered by the Purdue University School of Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) or Indiana University School of Dentistry. MSE 53000 or MSE 23000, MSE 24000, MSE 33500, MSE 35000, MSE 38200, the MSE Graduate Seminar, G865, or M527.
Specialty Courses (determined by the student’s advisory committee)
- Polymers (MSE 59700Y, MSE 52500, and MSE 59700B-A and AE 59000M)
- Ceramics (MSE 51000, MSE 51200, MSE 52300, and MSE 55600)
- Metals (MSE 50800, MSE 52200, and MSE 51000)
- Biomechanics (BME 59500C, BME 59500J, and MSE 55600)
- Tissue Engineering (BME 59500E, BMS 52300, BME 60100, BME 60200, and BME 59500B)
Research (remainder of 90 cr.)
- R957 and G921, G930