Degree Programs
MPH-DDS
Master of Public Health - Doctor of Dental Surgery
Public health dentistry is focused on controlling dental diseases and promoting dental health through organized community efforts, locally and globally. It is a dental practice that serves the community as a patient, rather than the individual.
Public health dentists have a broad knowledge of and skills in:
- Public health administration
- Research methodology
- Prevention and control of oral diseases
- Delivery and financing of oral health care
Training in both dentistry and public health provides professionals with unique knowledge and skills, which provide a broad, culturally sensitive, community-based perspective on issues related to health and social well-being.
This program will prepare students with both a theoretical and a systems approach to solving complex health issues affecting populations of diverse communities.
Curriculum
Students will earn both the MPH and DDS in four years. Students in the dual degree program will complete a total of 199 credit hours (163 credit hours in dentistry and 36 credit hours in public health).
MPH-DDS students will pursue the dental curriculum only in years one and two and begin their public health curriculum starting the summer of their third year. Courses in the public health curriculum are offered in the evening with an online degree option, which allows students to pursue both the MPH and DDS programs simultaneously without course conflicts.
MPH-DDS students will continue with the prescribed dental curriculum and incorporate a maximum of six hours of public health coursework in each of the remaining summer, fall, and spring semesters of years three and four.
The 45-credit hour public health curriculum includes six public health core courses, two practical experience courses (internship and capstone) for 24 credit hours, and nine credit hours shared from designated courses in the DDS curriculum.
Admissions
Dental students who are interested in pursuing the joint MPH-DDS degree must apply and be admitted to the Fairbanks School of Public Health through the dual degree application supplement. Once accepted you will be asked to complete an IU application through the Online Graduate and Professional Admissions Application.
Admission deadlines
Students will start their MPH program in the summer semester of their third year in the DDS program.
- Application opens: January 1
- Priority application deadline: February 1
- Application closes: March 31
Steps to apply
Current dental students who are interested in the MPH degree will complete the dual degree application supplement and submit the following items:
- Current résumé or CV
- One-page statement addressing the following two questions:
- Where did your interest in public health originate?
- How do you plan to integrate your dental and public health degrees after graduation?
Students who are offered admission will be required to submit an IU Graduate CAS application. The IU Graduate CAS application fee will be waived; a link from FSPH admissions will be supplied as a next step.
Updated: April 2025
