ADE Academic Advancement Policy
Policy Reference Number:
V.9/18/25
Academic Advancement Policy
Advanced Dental Education (ADE) Programs
University of Maryland School of Dentistry
All matters of professional ethics and conduct that involve ADE students will be referred to the Judicial Board of the Dental School for adjudication. The ethical and conduct standards for students enrolled in ADE programs are identical to the standards of conduct for students enrolled in the pre-doctoral and dental hygiene programs. Judicial Board matters are not governed by the policy contained in this document. An Advanced Dental Education student who believe they been harassed on the basis of sexshall be referred to the UMB Policy on Sexual Harassment of Students, VI-1.16).
Students enrolled simultaneously in MS or PhD Programs are subject to this POLICY as well as the policies of the GRADUATE SCHOOL.
I. Academic Standards
A. Students in ADE Programs are expected to maintain high levels of academic success. Academic dismissal from an ADE Program can result from failure to achieve a Program’s requirements or failure to meet minimal levels of academic achievement as they are defined in the School of Dentistry Catalog. Clinical competence in all areas of patient management and treatment constitutes a vital sector of academic achievement. A student must maintain a B (3.0) or better overall average to remain in good standing. If the student’s performance falls below this level of performance, they will be placed on academic probation during the following semester. If the student’s overall average remains below a 3.0 at the end of the semester of probation, they will be dismissed from the Program. All failing and incomplete grades must be rectified before a certificate is conferred.
B. Faculty will provide feedback to students in all matters related to didactic and clinical performance. This feedback can be oral or written, but must be in writing, at appropriate intervals, as determined by each Program's accreditation standards. Program directors will ensure that each ADE student receives a copy of the Program’s Accreditation Standards as part of the program orientation for new students.
II. Unsatisfactory Performance
A. Unsatisfactory performance in knowledge, skills, clinical competence and/or patient management may be documented in several ways, and corrective actions or sanctions can range from oral or written counseling to dismissal from the Program. The process for such actions is as follows:
1. Initial notification of a deficiency/problem can be addressedorally by the program director or the faculty identifying the problem. After so doing, a dated notation will be placed in the student’s file by the program director.
2. Should the problem continue, or new problems develop, the student will be sent a letter or counseling form by the program director, identifying the deficiency/deficiencies and required actions to be taken by the student to correct the deficiency/deficiencies. A time period for correcting the deficiency/deficiencies will be specified. A copy of the counseling form will be kept in the program or course director's file, and a copy will be sent to the Assistant Dean for Postgraduate and Professional Studies in Dentistry and the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. The student should acknowledge receipt of the letter or counseling form by signing the original and returning it to the program director. The letter or counseling form will be placed in the student’s file. The student should keep the copy for future reference.
3. Should student performance still not improve, the program director, or program’s designate acting in their stead, will notify the student in writing that they will be placed on academic probation. Actions required of the student and a timeline (not exceeding those of academic probation noted above) to correct the deficiency/deficiencies will be detailed in the letter. The student must sign the letter, keep a copy for their files and return the original letter to the program director, who will place the letter in the student’s file. Copies will be sent to the department chair and the Assistant Dean for Postgraduate and Professional Studies in Dentistry and the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.
4. If the student fails to rectify the deficiency/deficiencies in the time specified, the program director, in consultation with the program faculty, will recommend dismissal from the program to the department chair, the Assistant Dean for Postgraduate and Professional Studies in Dentistry, the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, and the Advanced Dental Graduate Education (ADGE) Committee. The ADGE Committee will review the recommendation for dismissal.
III. Review
A. The student will be given the opportunity to be heard by the ADGE Committee on the recommendation for dismissal by offering their own statements, and, if appropriate, testimony of witnesses and presentation of evidence. The ADGE Committee may choose to call for further testimony and documents. Hearsay evidence (secondhand or indirect testimony) is admissible only if corroborated. Any irrelevant or unduly repetitive evidence will be excluded. If the student fails to appear for their hearing without good cause, they will be deemed to have waived their right to meet with the ADGE Committee.
B. Following its review and any subsequent meetings, the ADGE Committee will conduct its deliberation and decide on the basis of a majority vote. If the ADGE Committee determines that the student should be dismissed, the recommendation will be forwarded to the Dental School’s Faculty Assembly for action. In the case of dismissal decisions, the Assistant Dean for Postgraduate and Professional Studies in Dentistry and/or the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs will notify the student in writing that they have been dismissed from the Program.
C. The Assistant Dean for Postgraduate and Professional Studies in Dentistry and the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs shall maintain the documentary evidence from the hearing for at least 4 years from the date of the hearing. The student may obtain a copy of the record upon paying the cost of reproduction.
IV. Appeals Process
A. In the event that the student elects to appeal the dismissal decision, the student may not take part in any academic or clinical activities of the program until and unless action on the appeal reverses the decision for dismissal.
B. If the student disputes the dismissal, they may contact the Program Director within five business days of notification of dismissal for informal discussion. Should the student remain dissatisfied, the student may file a formal appeal.
C. A student wishing to file a formal appeal of a dismissal decision must initiate the appeal process regarding dismissal from the Program within10 business days of receiving the written notification. The appeal must be submitted in writing to the Assistant Dean for Postgraduate and Professional Studies in Dentistry and the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. The written appeal must include: the decision the student is appealing; the specific ground for the appeal (only newly discovered evidence or lack of due process); and the academic status that the student is requesting. The student may present and prioritize more than one alternative to dismissal from the Program.
D. The Assistant Dean for Postgraduate and Professional Studies in Dentistry and the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs will review the appeal and designate a three-person Appeals Panel. Any faculty who has been substantially involved in this or any other decision or actions against the student prior to dismissal are excluded from the Panel. Where possible and practical, the Panel will consist of three members of the full-time faculty. The Assistant Dean for Postgraduate and Professional Studies in Dentistry and the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs will appoint one of these three as Chairperson of the Appeals Panel.
E. The Chairperson will then schedule a meeting with the members of the Panel within 5 business days when possible or practical. The Panel will determine whether the student’s written appeal meets the criteria outlined in C. and report their decision in writing to the Assistant Dean for Postgraduate and Professional Studies in Dentistry and the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. Should the Panel determine that an appeal lacks the required evidence, the appeal will be denied. In these circumstances, there is no further appeal.
F. If the Panel determines that newly discovered information, not originally considered by the ADGE Committee does exist, then the matter should be referred to the ADGE Committee for reconsideration.
G. If the Panel determines that there was a failure of due process, an appeal on the record will be heard. The decision of this Panel will be final. The student and the Assistant Dean for Postgraduate and Professional Studies in Dentistry and the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs will be notified of the decision in writing.
Reviewed and Updated: November 24, 2025
Approved by Dental School Faculty Council: April 8, 2003
Approved by University Counsel: June 19, 2003
Approved by Dean: June 30, 2003
Essential Requirements for Admission and Matriculation - Technical Standards
UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND
SCHOOL OF DENTISTRY
Essential Requirements for Admission and Matriculation
The mission of the School of Dentistry is “…to graduate exceptional oral health care professionals, contribute to the scientific basis of treatments for diseases of the orofacial complex, and deliver comprehensive dental care.” To achieve this mission, the School of Dentistry has established specific goals.
Admission to the School of Dentistry is open to all qualified individuals in accordance with the 1973 Vocational Rehabilitation Act (29 U.S.C.§701 et seq.) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (42 U.S.C. §12101 et. seq.) Qualified individuals must satisfy the School of Dentistry’s minimum technical standards with or without reasonable accommodation.
Dental education requires that the accumulation of scientific knowledge be accompanied by the simultaneous acquisition of skills and professional attitudes and behaviors essential to the profession. Students require observational, organizational communication, sensory, motor, intellectual, behavioral, technical, and social skills to successfully negotiate the curriculum. The School of Dentistry is mindful of the unique nature of dental curricula. It is the responsibility of the School of Dentistry’s admissions committee to select applicants who are qualified to successfully complete the required training. As part of the education process, students in all of the School’s clinical programs are required to provide treatment for patients and to practice treatment techniques with student partners. Students are required to serve as patients for their classmates in performing such diagnostic and reversible procedures as local anesthesia administration, the making of impressions, sealant placement and oral prophylaxis. The Dental School has the responsibility of ensuring timely and safe treatment of all patients during these and other processes inherent in comprehensive care.
Candidates and students must have aptitude, abilities and skills in five areas: (1) observation (2) communication (3) motor function (4) quantitative and intellectual conception (5) behavioral and social stability. Technological compensation can be made for some disability in these areas, but a student should be able to perform in a reasonably independent manner. The use of a trained intermediary would mean that a student’s judgment is mediated by someone else’s knowledge, powers of selection, observation, organization or clinical ability. Therefore, third parties cannot be used to assist students in accomplishing curricular requirements in the five skill areas specified above.
Observational
Observation necessitates functional use of the sense of vision, touch, and other sensory modalities. A student must be able to:
- Acquire information and skills through demonstrations and experiences in the basic, behavioral and dental sciences;
- Observe patients accurately, at a distance and close at hand, with or without standard instrumentation, to acquire information for written documents;
- Observe and note verbal as well as non-verbal communications;
- Visualize information presented in images from paper, film, slides, computer displays and video; and
- Interpret radiographs and other graphic and 3-D images.
Communication
A student must be able to:
- Speak intelligibly, and sensitively with patients;
- Elicit and transmit information, describe changes in mood, activity and posture and perceive non-verbal communication, e.g. in order to allow the development of a health history;
- Communicate effectively and efficiently in oral and written English with all members of an interdisciplinary health care team, the patient, and the patient’s family or legal representative during both emergency and non-emergency situations;
- Read and apply appropriate information and instructions contained in requisitions, notes and the electronic patient record; and
- Understand and apply clinical instructions given by others.
Sensory and Motor Coordination and Function
A student must:
- Have the gross, fine muscular coordination and equilibrium necessary to execute precise and finite movements inherent in providing general care and emergency treatment for patients;
- Have exceptional use of both touch and vision;
- Be able to perform palpation and other diagnostic and therapeutic maneuvers;
- Be able to perform laboratory procedures and work with standard laboratory materials;
- Be able to reach and manipulate dental equipment to all positions in order to control the operating environment; and
- Be able to activate the emergency medical system.
Intellectual, Conceptual, Integrative and Quantitative Abilities
A student must:
- Be able to measure, calculate, reason, analyze, integrate and synthesize;
- Be able to perform problem solving skills, e.g. including those listed above, efficiently and expediently in emergency and non-emergency situations; and
- Comprehend three-dimensional relationships and understand the spatial relationships of structures.
Behavioral and Social Competencies
A student must:
- Possess the emotional health required for full use of their intellectual abilities, the exercise of good judgment and the prompt completion of all responsibilities attendant to the diagnosis and care of patients;
- Follow faithfully the policy on attendance;
- Respect the time and privacy of other students, colleagues, staff and faculty;
- Exhibit the development of mature, sensitive and effective relationships with patients, colleagues, clinical and administrative staff, and all others with whom the student interacts in the professional or academic setting, regardless of their race, ethnicity, gender, religion, age or other attributes or affiliations that may differ from those of the student;
- Be able to tolerate physically and emotionally taxing workloads and to function effectively when stressed;
- Be able to adapt to changing environments, to display flexibility and to learn to function in the face of uncertainties inherent in the clinical problems of patients;
- Be able to accept appropriate suggestions and criticism and, if necessary, respond by modification of behavior; and
- Display empathy, integrity, concern for others, and interpersonal skills, interest and motivation in becoming a dental professional.
Other Requirements
A student must comply with university immunization requirements as outlined at: https://www.umaryland.edu/policies-and-procedures/library/student-affairs/policies/v-100a.php
The admission of a student who is chronically infected with Hepatitis B Virus will be considered on a case-by-case basis after consultation with a panel of experts in Infections Diseases. This panel will consider the Hepatitis B e antigen status, the health of the student and decide what, if any, restrictions and monitoring are necessary for the student during their training in dentistry or dental hygiene.
Applicants with Disabilities
The University of Maryland School of Dentistry provides reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities.
An applicant is not disqualified from consideration due to a disability. Applicants are not required to disclose a disability to the Committee on Admissions. Applicants with questions about the School’s Essential Requirements for Admission and Matriculation in relation to their disability are encouraged to discuss the issue of accommodation with the University’s Office of Educational Support and Disability Services. http://www.umaryland.edu/disabilityservices/
Applicants may request reasonable accommodation in Admissions by contacting the University’s Office of Education Support and Disability Services.
Some of the aptitudes, abilities and skills described in the Essential Requirements can be attained with technological compensation or other reasonable accommodation. However, individuals using technological supports or other accommodations must be able to perform in an independent manner. The use of trained intermediaries to carry out functions described in the Essential Requirements will not be permitted by the School of Dentistry. Intermediaries, no matter how well trained, are applying their own powers of selection, observation or organization, which could affect the student’s judgment and performance. Therefore, the School will not permit third parties to assist a student in the clinical training area to accomplish curriculum requirements and skills identified in the Essential Requirements. Other accommodations will be given due consideration, and reasonable accommodations will be made where consistent with curriculum objectives.
An applicant who has not been offered admission to the School of Dentistry may, but is not required to, disclose a disability and request accommodation during the admissions process. An applicant who chooses voluntarily to disclose a disability should write the Director of Educational Support and Disability Services for the University to begin University procedures for disability accommodation. http://www.umaryland.edu/disabilityservices/
After admission, admittees who have not yet accepted a place in a class at the School of Dentistry, admittees who have accepted a place and matriculating students can disclose a disability and request accommodations with the Director of Educational Support and Disability Services.
Enrolled Students with Disabilities
The University of Maryland School of Dentistry provides reasonable accommodations for enrolled students. Enrolled students with questions about the Dental School’s Essential Requirements for Admission and Matriculation in relation to their disability are encouraged to discuss the issue of accommodation with the University’s Office of Educational Support and Disability Services. http://www.umaryland.edu/disabilityservices/
Enrolled Students may request reasonable accommodation by contacting the University’s Office of Education Support and Disability Services and must renew accommodations with that same office each semester.
Summative Statement and Certification
I certify that I have read the UMSOD Essential Requirements for Admission and Matriculation (Technical Standards). My signature represents acknowledgement that
I possess the aptitudes, abilities, and skills as described in the following five areas:
(1) observation (2) communication (3) motor function (4) quantitative and intellectual conception (5) behavioral and social stability. These aptitudes, abilities, and skills are required for matriculation and continued enrollment in the DDS program. Should the School determine that I do not or cannot with reasonable accommodations consistent with the curriculum objectives, meet these requirements, I understand that I may be deemed unqualified to continue in the program.
Student Signature: ___________________________________ Date: _________
Printed Name: _____________________________________________________
Developed and submitted to University Counsel: 7/29/14
Revised by University Counsel: 08/19/14
Approved by Faculty Assembly: 09/15/14
Revised and Approved by Faculty Assembly: 7/18/22