The School of Dental Medicine has been an integral part of the University of Pittsburgh's growth for nearly a century. Established in 1896 as an independent institution named the Pittsburgh Dental College, the school was incorporated into the University in 1905.
A member of the American Dental Education Association (ADEA), the School of Dental Medicine is fully approved and accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association (ADA).
The School of Dental Medicine offers the Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) degree. The requirements for the DMD program are detailed below. For information on graduate programs offered by the school, see the School of Dental Medicine listing under Graduate Programs.
Students will be evaluated on all aspects of professional behavior and ethical conduct. The evaluation will encompass criteria such as the student's interactions with faculty, supervisors, staff, patients, and peers, as well as how the student completes all clinical and didactic assignments within scheduled deadlines and in keeping with both the quality and standards established by the School of Dental Medicine faculty and the University of Pittsburgh faculty. Additionally, student compliance with all established policies and procedures will be evaluated when considering student promotion and board eligibility. Established policies and procedures are published in the Guidelines for Dental Students. The Guidelines for Dental Students document is available online at www.dental.pitt.edu.
Course instructors will state clearly their policy regarding grades and evaluation at the beginning of the course. A written document will be distributed to all students at the first class meeting. All required courses are graded according to the University's letter grade system for first-professional courses (see http://www.cfo.pitt.edu/policies/policy/09/09-01-01.html). Student advising begins with the faculty course director. It is the student's responsibility to seek advice from the faculty in any course in which the student has a grade lower than a C+.
The Doctor of Dental Medicine program at the University of Pittsburgh's School of Dental Medicine requires four years to complete. The program requires a minimum of 240 credits plus successful completion of dental professional requirements. For a complete list of the required courses, please refer to the listing of course offerings below. Upon successful completion of the course requirements, the student is eligible to take the Northeast Regional Board Examinations and apply for state licensure. Please note that course offerings are subject to change.
Following is a listing of all DMD courses and a typical curriculum for each of the four years of the program:
| First Year—Fall Term |
DENT |
5114 |
Cariology and Management of Caries |
1.0 |
DENT |
5115 |
Health Promotion and Disease Prevention |
1.0 |
| DENT |
5117 |
Professionalism in Dental Medicine |
1.5 |
CDENT |
5116 |
Evidence Based Dentistry 1 |
2.0 |
ORBIOL |
5113 |
Molecular & Cell Biology Part 1 |
4.0 |
ORBIOL |
5114 |
Molecular & Cell Biology Part 2 |
2.0 |
ORBIOL |
5115 |
Microbial Physiology and Classification |
2.0 |
ORBIOL |
5120 |
Body Tissues |
3.0 |
ORBIOL |
5130 |
Oral Tissues and Embryology |
3.0 |
RESTD |
5111 |
Dental Anatomy-Morphology |
2.0 |
RESTD |
5115 |
Dental Anatomy & Morphology Lab |
1.0 |
First Year—Spring Term |
| CDENT |
5142 |
Evidence-Based Dentistry 2 |
1.0 |
DENT |
5145 |
Health Promotion and Disease Prevention 2 |
2.0 |
| DENT |
5146 |
Cariology 2 |
1.0 |
ORBIOL |
5140 |
Systemic Gross Anatomy |
4.0 |
ORBIOL |
5141 |
Systemic Human Physiology |
5.0 |
ORBIOL |
5142 |
Skull Anatomy & Cephalometry |
2.0 |
ORBIOL |
5143 |
Head and Neck Soft Tissue Anatomy |
4.0 |
PERIO |
5141 |
Periodontology 1 |
1.0 |
| PERIO |
5149 |
Clinical Periodontics 1 Lab |
1.0 |
| PROSTH |
5142 |
Dental Materials 1 |
1.0 |
| PROSTH |
5146 |
Dental Materials 1 Lab |
1.0 |
RESTD |
5143 |
Principles of Operative Dentistry 1 |
2.0 |
RESTD |
5147 |
Principles of Operative Dentistry 1 Lab |
2.0 |
|
First Year—Summer Term |
DENT |
5173 |
Health Promotion & Disease Prevention 3 |
2.0 |
DIASCI |
5170 |
General & Systemic Pathology |
5.0 |
ORBIOL |
5171 |
Infectious Diseases / Immunology 1 |
4.0 |
ORBIOL |
5174 |
Craniofacial Genetics |
4.0 |
PROSTH |
5171 |
Principles of Dental Occlusion |
3.0 |
RESTD |
5172 |
Principles of Operative Dentistry 2 |
1.0 |
RESTD |
5176 |
Principles of Operative Dentistry 2 Lab |
2.0 |
|
Second Year—Fall Term |
DENT |
5211 |
Oral Diagnosis & Treatment Planning |
2.0 |
DIASCI |
5211 |
Radiology 1 (Didactic & Web Based) |
1.0 |
| DIASCI |
5212 |
Oral & Maxillofacial Pathology |
4.0 |
ORBIOL |
5214 |
Pharmacology & Therapeutics |
5.0 |
PEDENT |
5211 |
Pediatric Dentistry 1 |
1.0 |
| PERIO |
|
Periodontology 2 |
1.0 |
PROSTH |
5211 |
Fixed Partial Dentures 1 |
1.0 |
PROSTH |
5215 |
Fixed Partial Dentures 1 Lab |
2.5 |
PROSTH |
5213 |
Complete Dentures 1 |
1.0 |
PROSTH |
5217 |
Complete Dentures 1 Lab |
1.5 |
| RESTD |
5210 |
Endodontics 1 |
1.0 |
| RESTD |
5216 |
Endodontics 1 Lab |
1.5 |
|
Second Year—Spring Term |
DENT |
5242 |
Diagnosis & Treatment Planning 2 |
3.0 |
DIASCI |
5241 |
Radiographic Interpretation 1 |
2.0 |
DSANE |
5241 |
Local Anesthesia 1 |
2.0 |
| DSANE |
5245 |
Local Anesthesia Technique Lab |
0.5 |
ODO |
5242 |
Orthodontics Diagnosis & Treatment Planning |
1.0 |
ORSUR |
5241 |
Oral Surgery 1 |
1.0 |
PEDENT |
5242 |
Pediatric Dentistry 2 |
1.0 |
PEDENT |
5253 |
Pediatric Dentistry 3 |
1.0 |
PROSTH |
5241 |
Removable Partial Dentures 1 |
1.0 |
PROSTH |
5242 |
Dental Materials 2 |
1.0 |
PROSTH |
5245 |
Removable Partial Dentures 1 Lab |
1.5 |
PROSTH |
5251 |
Fixed Partial Dentures 2 |
1.0 |
PROSTH |
5256 |
Fixed Partial Dentures 2 Lab |
2.5 |
RESTD |
5244 |
Geriatrics Endodontics 1 |
1.0 |
RESTD |
5247 |
Endodontics 2 Lab |
1.5 |
RESTD |
5252 |
Endodontics 2 |
1.0 |
|
Second Year—Summer Term |
CDENT |
5281 |
SCOPE 1 |
3.0 |
DENT |
5283 |
Diagnosis & Treatment Planning 3 |
2.0 |
DSANE |
5247 |
Advanced Local Anesthesia Tech Lab |
0.5 |
| DSANE |
5272 |
Anesthesia 2: Medical Emergencies |
1.0 |
ODO |
5275 |
Orthodontics 4 Lab |
1.0 |
ORSUR |
5282 |
Oral Surgery 2 |
1.0 |
PEDENT |
5279 |
Clinical Pediatric Dentistry |
1.0 |
PEDENT |
5284 |
Pediatric Dentistry 4 |
1.0 |
PROSTH |
5273 |
Fixed Partial Dentures 3 |
1.5 |
PROSTH |
5276 |
Fixed Partial Dentures 3 Lab |
1.5 |
PROSTH |
5282 |
Complete Dentures 2 |
1.0 |
RESTD |
5281 |
Principles of Operative Dentistry 3 |
1.0 |
|
Third Year—Fall Term |
DENT |
5310 |
Special Needs Dentistry |
1.0 |
DENT |
5321 |
Oral Diagnosis & Treatment Planning 1 |
3.0 |
DIASCI |
5319 |
Clinical Radiology 1 |
1.0 |
DIASCI |
5320 |
Management of Dental Emergencies |
1.0 |
DIASCI |
5329 |
Emergency Clinic Rotation 1 |
1.0 |
DSANE |
5311 |
Patient Management: Enteral Sedation |
1.0 |
DSANE |
5313 |
Anesthesia 3 – Pain & Anxiety Control |
1.0 |
ODO |
5319 |
Clinical Orthodontics |
2.0 |
ORSUR |
5313 |
Oral Surgery 3 |
1.0 |
| ORSUR |
5314 |
Physical Diagnosis and Evaluation |
1.0 |
ORSUR |
5329 |
OMFS Rotation |
2.0 |
PEDENT |
5315 |
Pediatric Dentistry 5 |
1.0 |
PERIO |
5319 |
Clinical Periodontics 2 |
2.0 |
PROSTH |
5311 |
Implantology 1 |
1.0 |
RESTD |
5313 |
Endodontics 3 |
1.0 |
RESTD |
5319 |
Clinical Restorative Dentistry |
3.0 |
|
Third Year—Spring Term |
| CDENT |
5342 |
Introduction to Behavioral Dentistry |
1.0 |
DENT |
5340 |
Current Topics in Oral Health Research |
1.0 |
DENT |
5352 |
Oral Diagnosis & Treatment Planning 2 |
3.0 |
DIASCI |
5341 |
Seminars in Oral Path & Oral Medicine |
1.0 |
DIASCI |
5342 |
Practice Administration |
2.0 |
DIASCI |
5359 |
Clinical Radiology 2 |
1.0 |
DIASCI |
5369 |
Emergency Clinic Rotation 2 |
1.0 |
DSANE |
5342 |
Clinical Medicine |
1.0 |
DSANE |
5344 |
Medical Emergencies – WISER Center |
0.5 |
DSANE |
5345 |
Nitrous Oxide Sedation Lab |
0.5 |
ORSUR |
5344 |
Oral Surgery 4 |
1.0 |
ORSUR |
5349 |
Clinical Oral Surgery |
3.0 |
ORSUR |
5369 |
OMFS Rotation |
2.0 |
| PERIO |
5343 |
Periodontology 3 |
1.0 |
PERIO |
5349 |
Clinical Periodontics 3 |
3.0 |
PROSTH |
5346 |
Implantology 2 |
1.0 |
RESTD |
RESTD |
Clinical Endodontics 1 |
2.5 |
RESTD |
RESTD |
Clinical Restorative Dentistry |
3.0 |
|
Third Year—Summer Term |
DENT |
5373 |
Clinical Responsibilities 3 |
1.0 |
DENT |
5383 |
Oral Diagnosis & Treatment Planning 3 |
3.0 |
DIASCI |
5371 |
Practice Management |
1.0 |
DIASCI |
5373 |
Oral Radiology |
2.0 |
DIASCI |
5388 |
Clinical Radiology 3 |
1.0 |
DIASCI |
5389 |
Emergency Clinic Rotation 3 |
3.0 |
ORSUR |
5389 |
OMFS Rotation 3 |
2.0 |
PEDENT |
5379 |
Clinical Pediatric Dentistry |
3.0 |
PERIO |
5379 |
Clinical Periodontology 4 |
3.0 |
PROSTH |
5343 |
Principles of Dental Occlusion 2 |
1.0 |
PROSTH |
5373 |
Simulated Patient Treatment |
3.0 |
RESTD |
5375 |
Esthetic Restorative Dentistry |
1.0 |
RESTD |
5379 |
Clinical Restorative Dentistry 3 |
3.0 |
RESTD |
5399 |
Endodontics Rotation 3 |
3.0 |
|
Fourth Year—Fall Term |
DENT |
5414 |
Clinical Responsibilities |
1.0 |
DENT |
5424 |
Oral Diagnosis & Treatment Planning 4 |
3.0 |
DIASCI |
5419 |
Emergency Clinic Rotation 4 |
1.0 |
PERIO |
5419 |
Clinical Periodontics 5 |
2.0 |
PROSTH |
5419 |
Clinical Removable Prosthodontics |
3.0 |
PROSTH |
5429 |
Clinical Fixed Prosthodontics |
3.0 |
RESTD |
5419 |
Clinical Restorative Dentistry |
3.0 |
|
Fourth Year—Spring Term |
DENT |
5440 |
Senior Case Presentation |
2.0 |
DENT |
5445 |
Clinical Responsibilities |
1.0 |
DENT |
5455 |
Oral Diagnosis & Treatment Planning 5 |
3.0 |
DENT |
5459 |
Special Needs Clinical Dentistry |
1.0 |
DIASCI |
5469 |
Emergency Clinic Rotation 5 |
1.0 |
ORSUR |
5449 |
Clinical Oral Surgery |
3.0 |
PEDENT |
5449 |
Clinical Pediatric Dentistry |
3.0 |
PERIO |
5449 |
Clinical Periodontics 6 |
3.0 |
PROSTH |
5449 |
Clinical Removable Prosthodontics |
3.0 |
PROSTH |
5459 |
Clinical Fixed Prosthodontics |
3.0 |
RESTD |
5448 |
Clinical Endodontics 2 |
3.0 |
RESTD |
5449 |
Clinical Restorative Dentistry |
3.0 |
