College of Dentistry



www.dental.ufl.edu

www.dental.ufl.edu/graduate.htm

        The College of Dentistry is one of the six colleges which constitute the University of Florida Health Science Center–an integral component, both geographically and functionally, of the university. Many joint projects among the college and other units of the Health Science Center and university have been formulated and implemented.

        The nine departments that make up the College of Dentistry are dental biomaterials, endodontics, operative dentistry, oral biology, oral and maxillofacial surgery and diagnostic sciences, orthodontics, pediatric dentistry, periodontology and prosthodontics.

Doctor of Dental Medicine Degree Program

        The first year of the curriculum includes basic science, preclinical and dental science courses. This structure allows students to develop psychomotor skills while completing didactic courses. The basic science courses are completed in the second year, and all preclinical courses are completed by the end of the summer semester of the third year. The remaining five semesters are devoted to clinical experiences, rotations, electives and advanced clinical didactic courses. The college’s program includes a variety of teaching methods so that the instruction in each course can best match the content of the course and the faculty member’s teaching style.

        The goals of the college are to prepare the graduate to enter private dental practice, to enter advanced education programs in any of the dental specialties, to enter into research activities and to be prepared for a lifetime of continuing education.

        Generally, students applying for admission to the D.M.D. degree program should plan to complete the requirements for a bachelor’s degree. Outstanding students may be accepted without fulfilling the degree requirements, provided they show evidence of sufficient preprofessional preparation for the study of dentistry. Applicants with an overall B+ average as a minimum will receive strongest consideration for admission to the college. Applicants should initiate the application process approximately 15 months prior to anticipated enrollment by submitting an application through the centralized American Association of Dental Schools Application Service (AADSAS), 1625 Massachusetts Ave., N.W., Suite 101, Washington, D.C. 20036.

        The first class of students was graduated in 1976. The college offers the Doctor of Dental Medicine (D.M.D.) degree. (The D.M.D. and D.D.S. degrees are equivalent.)

        The college offers two programs for graduates of non-accredited foreign dental schools. A three-and-a-half-year program leads to the D.M.D. degree. A two-year certificate program meets the educational prerequisites of the Florida Board of Dentistry and dental boards of several other states. Completion of this program allows applicants to take the
Florida state licensure exam.

Advanced and Graduate Evaluation Programs

        The college presently offers advanced educational programs in the following areas: One-year programs in advanced education in general dentistry are offered at the main campus as well as at the college’s St. Petersburg, Hialeah and Jacksonville clinics. A one-year general practice residency program is offered in Gainesville and in Jacksonville. A two-year pediatric dentistry residency is offered in conjunction with Miami’s Children Hospital.

        Additional programs based at the college’s Gainesville facility include the following certificate programs: a one-year advanced general dentistry program, a dental public health residency (available as either a one- or two-year program), two-year programs in endodontics and pediatric dentistry, a 33-month program in prosthodontics and a three-year program in oral and maxillofacial pathology.

        The college offers several graduate degree programs. A three-year program awards both a Master of Science in Dental Sciences and a certificate is offered in endodontics, orthodontics, periodontics and prosthodontics. Combined programs leading to a Master of Science in Dental Sciences and a certificate in a dental specialty are also available.

        The college in Gainesville offers a six-year program that awards both an M.D. degree and a certificate in oral and maxillofacial surgery. A two year fellowship in craniofacial pain and mandibular dysfunction also is based in Gainesville.
The college’s Department of Oral Biology, in conjunction with the College of Medicine, offers a program leading to a Ph.D. in medical sciences with specialization in oral biology. In conjunction with the Department of Materials Science and Engineering in the College of Engineering, the Department of Dental Biomaterials offers a program leading to either an M.S. or Ph.D. in materials science.

General Information

        The College of Dentistry seeks students of the highest caliber for its various programs. A strong record of scholastic achievement, moral character and motivation is expected of the applicant. Because of the vast amount of science that must be mastered by the dentist, a dental student must have a basic aptitude and adequate academic preparation in science. The highly personal relationship between patient and dentist places the latter in a position of trust, which demands maturity, integrity, intellectual honesty and responsibility. A broad representation of the ethnic mixture of the state is repesented in the student body through active recruitment. The college adheres to the principles of ethnic, racial, sexual, religious and social equality among its student body and faculty.

        The application process is described in more detail in this catalog (see Index) and fully in the College of Dentistry bulletin. Copies may be obtained by writing to the Office of Admissions, College of Dentistry, University of Florida, Box 100445, Gainesville, FL 32610-0445.

        Registration in dentistry (DEN) courses is restricted to students admitted to the College of Dentistry with 0DN to 8DN classifications.

Undergraduate Preparation for Dentistry

        Preprofessional students at the university may major in any department or college of the university; however, an in-depth background in biological sciences is necessary to master the dental curriculum. The Office of Health and Legal Professions Advising is described in the Academic Advising section in this catalog.

Computer Requirement

        All students entering the university are expected to purchase or lease computer hardware and software, as required by their programs. Refer to the university's computer requirement in the Admissions section of this catalog, the university’s home page at http://www.ufl.edu or the CIRCA web page at http://www.circa.ufl.edu/ computers for general computer information as well as a link to the college’s web page for specific requirements.