EBDM 511/DHYG 416: Principles of Scientific Evidence
Course Directors: Drs. Mark Macek and Mary Ann Rizk

Principles of Scientific Evidence introduces Year 1 dental and senior dental hygiene students to the role of study design and statistical analysis in the conduct and interpretation of basic, clinical, and health services research.  The course instructs students how to efficiently access and critically analyze scientific information, and places these skills in the context of evidence-based dental and dental hygiene practice.

DDPH 511: History of Dentistry
Course Director: Dr. Scott Swank

History of Dentistry provides students with knowledge of dentistry's development from ancient times through early 20th century.  The interrelationship between dentistry, medicine and science will be emphasized in order for students to fully appreciate dentistry's contributions to mankind.

OHC 511: Perspectives in Oral Health Care Services
Course Directors: Dr. Mark Macek

Perspectives in Oral Health Care Services is a lecture course that introduces Year 1 undergraduate dental students to the dental profession.  Students are exposed to a variety of topics, including descriptions of organized dentistry, practice models, workforce, disease burden, dental public health, health policy, and others.

Prac 532: Applied Business Practice
Course Director: Dr. Scott Swank

Applied Business Practice is designed to enhance practice management and behavioral science learning. The course will include two parts and will introduce business and behavioral concepts providing dental students with an appreciation of skills and knowledge needed to become productive and successful dental care practitioners including the skills necessary to establish, purchase, associate with and manage a dental practice. The practice management component of this course will include a discussion of the following topics: capital cost, leasehold improvements, operating expenses, working capital, risk, space requirements, marketing and location preference will all be considered. The behavioral component of this course will include topics on choosing and staffing a dental practice, communications with staff and patients, informed consent as well as patient and staff behavioral practice management.

Prac 542: Practice Management
Course Director: Dr. Richard Manski Co-Director: Patrick Cutter

Practice Management provides dental students with many of the necessary skills needed to effectively respond to a fast-changing professional environment.  The course is a three-session seminar designed to enhance practice management learning by focusing on the transition from dental school to dental practice.  The sessions have been crafted and integrated to provide students with substantive knowledge and material in the topics of business law, accounting, financial record-keeping, business planning, and practice transitions.

CSLX 548: Community Service Learning Externship
Course Director: Dr. Scott Swank

The Community Service Learning Externship is a clinical experience to be performed outside of the Dental School and is intended to provide senior dental students with an appreciation for cultural diverstiy as well as first-hand clinical experience attending to the oral health needs of underserved populations.  The Commission on Dental Accreditation requires all US dental schools to provide their students with clinical experiences performed outside of the parent institution.

DDS-MPH Dual Degree Program

The DDS-MPH program is designed to prepare outstanding clinical scientists, thoroughly versed in public health and capable of addressing significant problems in oral health.  Students can choose a Masters in Public Health and graduate with a DDS-MPH.  The master's degree adds an additional year so that students graduate with both degrees in five years.  A maximum of two students are admitted into the program each year.  A student may enter the program in year one, two, or prior to entering the third year of dental school.