Combined Doctor of Dental Surgery and Doctor of Philosophy (DDS/PhD)

School of Dentistry faculty and programs are affiliated with the Graduate School at the University of Maryland.

 

Applicants seeking admission to the PhD program(s) should consult the dental school website for more information and to apply on-line.

 

To meet the strong demand in the oral health arena in Dental Education, the DDS/PhD program prepares outstanding clinical and basic biomedical scientists who are thoroughly versed in the science underlying clinical practice and capable of identifying and addressing significant problems in oral health. Students complete the dental program’s predoctoral requirements with the addition of graduate level basic science research training, progressing through doctoral degree candidacy and doctoral dissertation. Upon completion of all dental predoctoral and graduate requirements, students receive the DDS and PhD degrees simultaneously.

Length of Program

Seven years

Curriculum

In years one and two, DDS/PhD students complete the dental program’s preclinical requirements with the addition of graduate level basic science courses, weekly research seminars, biostatistics and optional laboratory rotations. In years three to five, students complete elective graduate coursework tailored to a selected research area, progressing through doctoral degree candidacy and doctoral dissertation. The student’s dental preclinical skills are reassessed in the spring semester of year five, followed by appropriate training before the return to the dental program in years six and seven.

Academic Advisers

Upon admission, a student is assigned to a program oversight committee co-directed by a clinical mentor and a basic science mentor. The student meets regularly with their mentor for guidance and evaluation throughout the program.

Admissions Requirements

• Applicants must be first admitted to the DDS program at the University of Maryland, School of Dentistry.
• After admission to the dental program, the student should send a letter of interest in the combined DDS/PhD program to Dr. Man-Kyo Chung, Assistant Dean of Research and Graduate Studies @ [e-mail] 
• Students may enter the combined program during the second year, or before beginning the third year of the dental program.

Financial Assistance

Students are encouraged to apply for individual DDS/PhD fellowships from the National Institutes of Health. In addition, short-term NIH dental student training grants are available for research conducted the summer before entering School of Dentistry.