Text IV. Boston University School of Medicine

The University traces its roots to a school founded in Vermont in 1839, which moved to Boston in 1867 to become the first American university to be modelled on the European system. Within the University, 17 Schools and Colleges offer a total of more than 250 degree programs. The School of Dental Medicine has origins dating back to 1958, when Boston University School of Medicine established a Department of Stomatology (medical study of the physiology and pathology of the mouth) to provide postdoctoral education in dentistry. At that time, the institution was the only one in the country devoted solely to special education in dentistry.

Boston University School of Dental Medicine believes that the aim of dental

education is to prepare future general practice dentists

† to provide oral health care services to a diverse population competently and ethically,

† to assimilate continually improved approaches to patient care that arise in the ever-changing aspects of dental practice through lifelong learning, and

† to assume a responsible role in the profession.

To meet oral health care needs, general practice dentistry requires today's graduates to have strong skills in restoring and replacing teeth and in periodontal therapy.

Seven-year program

Secondary-school seniors with outstanding academic records may earn both the baccalaureate degree and the DMD degree from Boston University in seven years. The first three years and one summer are spent in the College of Arts and Sciences, where the student takes the required pre-professional science courses and electives in the humanities and natural sciences. The final four years are spent at Boston University School of Dental Medicine.

Programs of Study

Boston University offers many educational opportunities within or in addition to its regular baccalaureate programs.

Dual Degrees. Dual bachelor's degree may be obtained through a seven-year liberal arts/dental education program offers the BA and DMD.

Graduate Study leading to a DDS degree may be undertaken in all Schools and Colleges of the University.

The First Year. During the first year, students take courses in the basic biomedical and behavioral sciences that are foundational to dental practice. Also, students begin to take preclinical dental science courses in the first year, introducing dental terminology, the dental specialties, preventive dentistry, oral radiology, and dental assisting techniques. The program also includes dental assisting in the school's clinic. The first-year experience is completed with training in dental offices, where students work as dental interns.

The Second Year. The second year comprises the basic, behavioral, preclinical, and clinical sciences. As the focus shifts toward the clinical sciences, clinical simulation develops skills in the clinical sciences of operative dentistry, fixed prosthodontics, removable prosthodontics, pediatric dentistry, endodontics, and occlusion, leading toward patient care.

The Third Year. The third and fourth years are a combination of coursework and clinical care. The students assume increasingly greater responsibility for patients, treat more complex oral health problems, and have increasing exposure to dentistry.

The Fourth Year. The fourth year is designed to allow students to pursue their particular interests and concentrate on achieving excellence in clinical patient care, and to give students the opportunity to participate in research and community-service activities. The clinical curriculum comprises approximately 2,000 hours in the third and fourth years.

After receiving the equivalent of the DDS, dentists may apply for postgraduate training at hospitals or dental schools. Some programs lead to a master's degree in advanced dentistry. Others offer specialty training. Upon completion of specialty training programs, licensed dentists may apply for board certification in that specialty.

* To learn more about the subjects studied at Boston University School of Dental Medicine, See Appendix2 (p.75 )

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Date: 2016-06-12; view: 8