DDS Curriculum

The four-year competency-based curriculum includes a blend of biomedical, behavioral and dental science courses delivered in a variety of instructional formats to promote foundational applied and psychomotor learning.

Competencies for aspiring dentists who can begin unsupervised care include the following major focus areas:

• Diagnosis and Clinical Judgement
• Technical Skill
• Patient Management
• Professionalism

A graduating student must possess an array of competencies to ensure they are ready to practice safely, ethically and independently upon graduation.  There are 25 major competencies in seven categories which include scientific and critical thinking, patient evaluation, diagnosis, treatment planning, patient treatment and management (for patients in all stages of life), disease prevention and health promotion and practice dynamics. Read about each category and competency on the academic catalog major learning outcomes page.