School of Dental Medicine

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). Current enrollment includes 60 postdoctoral students, 320 predoctoral students (approximately 80 students in each of the four classes), and 75 dental hygiene students. Many members of the faculty hold positions within the UPMC Health System and Veterans Affairs Medical Centers, which provide additional clinical resources for teaching. Graduate students have numerous opportunities to participate in clinical experiences as fully integrated members of multidisciplinary health care teams.

Salk Hall was dedicated as the home of the School of Dental Medicine in 1967. Renovations have nearly doubled the building's square footage, adding office space, clinical facilities, and lecture halls. The Dental Medicine Learning Resource Center, equipped with audiovisual and computer equipment, provides students with state-of-the-art computer technology including dental informatics training.

The mission and goals of the School of Dental Medicine are consistent with the mission and goals of the University of Pittsburgh:

1. To offer superior educational opportunities in the First-Professional, Residency Training, and Dental Hygiene Programs that will respond to the needs of the Commonwealth and to the broader needs of society.
2. To provide high quality dental services to the people of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and society at large both within the School of Dental Medicine as well as within the affiliated hospitals of the medical center.
3. To engage in research and scholarly activities that will advance knowledge and extend the frontiers of oral health.
4. To offer continuing education programs reflecting recent developments and advances in dentistry adapted to personal, professional, and career objectives of the practitioner at the regional, national, and international levels.
5. To engage in public service activities by making available the expertise of the educational programs and clinical services of the School of Dental Medicine to the alumni, local community, public agencies, and the community at large.
6. To provide the leadership and cooperation in the development of innovative academic programs to meet the changing and dynamic educational needs of the region, the Commonwealth, and beyond.

Contact Information

School of Dental Medicine

429 Salk Hall

University of Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh, PA 15261

Phone: (412) 648-8437

Web site: http://www.dental.pitt.edu

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 degrees offered by the school, see the School of Dental Medicine listing under Graduate Programs.

Admissions Requirements

In order to be considered for admission, applicants to the School of Dental Medicine must have met the following requirements (NOTE: the following requirements, deadlines, and procedures are comprehensive for students applying to the Doctor of Dental Medicine program. Students applying for a Master of Dental Science or an advanced certificate program should refer to the information listed under Advanced Education Program Admission Information and refer to the specific MDS or certificate program, since additional admissions requirements and different deadlines may apply):

Selection of Students

The Admissions Committee begins application review in November. Students are selected on the basis of academic achievement, recommendations, and performance on the DAT. All candidates are thoroughly evaluated and seriously considered. Letters of acceptance are mailed on or after December 1 until the class is filled. Once an applicant is accepted, a nonrefundable $500 tuition deposit is required to hold a place in the class. A second deposit of $500 is required by May 1 of the entering year.

Transfer Students

The Admissions Committee considers transfer students who are in good academic and disciplinary standing from other accredited dental programs if space permits. Those candidates must meet all entrance requirements and may be required to take written and/or practical examinations. Completed course work will be considered for transfer status on a case-by-case basis.

Financial Assistance

The following section details financial assistance available to students in the School of Dental Medicine. For additional information, refer to the Financial Aid section.

Scholarships

Scholarships are awarded through the Office of Student Services (429 Salk Hall). A complete listing of these sources can be obtained from the Office of Student Services, Recruitment/Financial Aid Area. Applicants are reviewed on the basis of academic status as well as financial need. The amount of each award ranges from $500 to $1,500 per academic year. These scholarships are available to First-Professional students only. A variety of external scholarship sources are also available.

Loans

Information regarding loan programs is subject to regular revision and should be verified annually with the Office of Student Services, Recruitment/Financial Aid area.

International students should note that financial aid may only be awarded to those students who are identified as U.S. citizens or Permanent Alien residents with I-151 or I-551 cards. Proof of identification may be required. All other students should contact the Office of International Student Services, 725 William Pitt Union, Pittsburgh, PA 15260 or call (412) 624-7129. International students should also see for additional information (Graduate Admissions of International Students).

The loan amount available to each student is determined by financial need. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form is available from the Office of Student Services Recruitment/Financial Aid area. This form is used to collect income and asset information, which is calculated into an expected contribution amount. This amount, when subtracted from the educational costs, results in the financial need.

In addition to the FAFSA, the Student 1040/A/EZ Form from the immediate past calendar year and the Dmed Financial Aid Data Form must be submitted before any financial aid eligibility can be determined. These forms represent the minimum documentation required for any financial assistance. All information is to be returned to the Office of Student Services Recruitment/Financial Aid area by April 15 of the year in which the applicant plans to matriculate.

Students are eligible to participate in the following loan programs reviewed below:

Academic Standards: Professional/Ethical Conduct Statement For Students

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 http://www.dental.pitt.edu/.

Grading

Each course instructor will state clearly his/her 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.pitt.edu/HOME/PP/policies/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+.

DMD Program Requirements

The Doctor of Dental Medicine program at the University of Pittsburgh's School of Dental Medicine requires four years to complete. 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.

DMD Curriculum

Following is a listing of all DMD courses and a typical curriculum for each of the four years of the program:

School of Dental Medicine Faculty

CYNTHIA K. ADAMS, Assistant Professor, Restorative, DMD, University of Pittsburgh

SUDHA AGARWAL, Associate Professor, Oral Medicine, MSc, Agra University; PhD, Northeastern University

JOHN D. ALVIN, Associate Professor, Pharmacology, PhD, University of Pittsburgh

MOHSEN AZARBEL, Associate Professor, Prosthodontics, DMD, University of Tehran; MDS, University of Pittsburgh

JOHN J. BAKER, Associate Professor, Microbiology, PhD, University of California

GAYLE L. BALL, Assistant Professor, Dental Hygiene, MA, University of Antioch

ELVIS L. BARNES, Professor, Oral Medicine, MD, University of Arkansas

RICHARD BENNETT, Professor, Anesthesia, DDS, Ohio State University; PhD, University of Pittsburgh

EDWARD BENZ, Assistant Professor, Pediatric Dentistry, DMD, University of Pittsburgh

NANCY W. BERK, Assistant Professor, Behavioral Sciences, PhD, Vanderbilt University

LATHE L. BOWEN, Associate Professor, Oral Surgery, DMD, University of Alabama

EDWARD S. BRAUN, Assistant Professor, Prosthodontics, DDS, University of Pittsburgh; MSD, University of Minnesota

THOMAS W. BRAUN, Professor, Oral Surgery, DMD, University of Pittsburgh; PhD, University of Pittsburgh

WALTER A. BRETZ, Assistant Professor, Restorative, DDS, University of Rio de Janeiro; DrPh, University of Michigan

THOMAS N. BRINDOCK, Assistant Professor, Restorative, DMD, University of Pittsburgh

MICHAEL J. BUCKELY, Associate Professor, Oral Surgery, DMD, University of Connecticut

MEDICK M. CAPIRANO, Associate Professor, Prosthodontics, DMD, University of Pittsburgh

TEH-HSING CHIU, Professor, Microbiology, PhD, University of Pittsburgh

JOHN M. CLOSE, Assistant Professor, Dental Public Health, BS, University of Pittsburgh; PMSD, University of Pittsburgh

BOBBY M. COLLINS JR., Assistant Professor, Oral Medicine, DDS, University of North Carolina

TERRY CRABB, Visiting Instructor, Dental Hygiene, BS, University of Pittsburgh

MICHAEL A. CUDDY, Visiting Assistant Professor, Anesthesia, DMD, University of Pittsburgh

ROGER CWYNAR, Associate Professor, Prosthodontics, DMD, University of Pittsburgh

PETER N. DEMAS, Associate Professor, Oral Surgery, DMD, University of Pittsburgh; MD, University of Pittsburgh

PETER DURYEA, Associate Professor, Prosthodontics, DMD, University of Pittsburgh

MARGARET ELLIOTT, Associate Professor, Pediatric Dentistry, DDS, Temple University; MPH, John Hopkins University

KENNETH R. ETZEL, Associate Professor, Microbiology, PhD, Creighton University

POURAN FAMILI, Associate Professor, Periodontics, DMD, University of Pittsburgh; MDS, University of Pittsburgh

JUDITH E. GALLAGHER, Assistant Professor, Dental Hygiene, MEd, University of Pittsburgh

SEEMA GANATRA, Visiting Assistant Professor, Oral Medicine, DDS, University of Alberta, Canada; MSD, Indiana University

JAMES GUGGENHEIMER, Professor, Restorative, DDS, Columbia University

THOMAS C. HART, Visiting Associate Professor, Oral Medicine, DDS, Emory University; PhD, Virginia Commonwealth University

DONALD R. HOFFMAN, Associate Professor, AEGD, DMD, University of Pittsburgh; PhD, University of Pittsburgh

HEIDI M. HUBER, Assistant Professor, Oral Surgery, DMD, University of Pittsburgh

YAHIA H. ISMAIL, Professor, Prosthodontics, DMD, University of Pittsburgh; PhD, University of Pittsburgh

LEE JOHNS, Assistant Professor, Periodontics, DMD, University of Pittsburgh

WALTER T. KALISTA JR., Assistant Professor, Prosthodontics, DMD, University of Pittsburgh

RUPALI KAPUR, Assistant Professor, Orthodontics, BDS, Delhi University; MS, University of Oklahoma

DON A. KINNEY, Assistant Professor, Prosthodontics, DDS, Georgetown University

GEORGE W. KNIGHT, Assistant Professor, Oral Surgery, DMD, University of Pittsburgh

MATTHEW KORBICH, Assistant Professor, Prosthodontics, DMD, University of Pittsburgh

JOHN A. MAGERA, Associate Professor, Anesthesia, DDS, Indiana University

JEAN MALINIC, Assistant Professor, Prosthodontics, DMD, University of Pittsburgh

MARY LOUISE MARAZITA, Professor, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, PhD, University of North Carolina

NINA MARKOVIC, Assistant Professor, Behavioral Sciences, PhD, University of Pittsburgh; MS, Columbia University; BSDH, Thomas Jefferson University

M. MCCORMICK-PIPKO, Associate Professor, Periodontics, PhD, University of Pittsburgh

SUZANN P. MCGEARY, Visiting Assistant Professor, Dental Hygiene, DDS, University of West Virginia

RENEE MILLER, Visiting Instructor, Periodontics, BS, West Liberty State College

BERNARD J. MONCLA, Research Associate Professor, Microbiology, PhD, Washington State University

MARK P. MOONEY, Associate Professor, Oral Medicine, PhD, University of Pittsburgh

PAUL A. MOORE, Professor, Dental Public Health, DMD, University of Pittsburgh; PhD, University of Pittsburgh

GREGORY J. MORAN, Assistant Professor, Restorative, DMD, University of Pittsburgh

LUIS F. MOTA, Visiting Assistant Professor, Periodontics, DDS, Central University of Venezuela; MDS, Colegio e. Friedman, Caracas Venezuela

MADHU K. NAIR, Assistant Professor, Restorative, BDS, Government Medical College, Trivandrum India; MS, University of North Carolina

KATHERINE NEISWANGER, Research Assistant Professor, Oral Surgery, PhD, University of California, Los Angeles

KAREN F. NOVAK, Assistant Professor, Periodontics, DDS, University of North Carolina; PhD, University of Texas

MICHAEL J. NOVAK, Associate Professor, Periodontics, BDS, Guys Hospital; PhD, University of Rochester

MARNIE OAKLEY, Assistant Professor, Restorative Dentistry, DMD, University of Pittsburgh

SNEHLATA ONEROI, Visiting Assistant Professor, Orthodontics, BDS, University of Delhi; MDS, Kasturba Medical College

MARK W. OCHS, Associate Professor, Oral Surgery, DMD, University of Pittsburgh; MD, University of North Carolina

JOSEPH F. PETRONE, Assistant Professor, Orthodontics, DDS, University of North Carolina; MSD, Case Western Reserve University

NICHOLAS P. PEISCO, Associate Professor, Oral Medicine, PhD, University of Florida

DENNIS N. RANALLI, Professor, Pediatric Dentistry, DDS, Temple University; MDS, University of Pittsburgh

ANGELINA RICCELLI, Associate Professor, Dental Hygiene, MS, University of Pittsburgh

ERIC T. RIPPERT, Assistant Professor, Oral Surgery, DMD, College of the Holy Cross

ARTHUR M. RODRIGUEZ, Assistant Professor, Prosthodontics, DMD, University of Pittsburgh

LAWRENCE G. SCHNEIDER, Associate Professor, Restorative, DDS, Ohio State University

JAMES J. SCIOTE, Assistant Professor, Orthodontics, DDS, University of North Carolina; PhD, Michigan University

ALI SEYEDAIN, Visiting Assistant Professor, Periodontics, DMD, University of Pittsburgh, BS, University of Alabama

AZAFAR SIDDIQUI, Assistant Professor, Prosthodontics, BDS, University of Punjab, Pakistan; MS, University of London, England

LEE J. SLATER, Visiting Professor, Oral Medicine, DDS, University of California; MS, Indiana University

WARREN M. STOFFER, Professor, Prosthodontics, DMD, University of Pittsburgh

DEBORAH STUDEN-PAVLOVICH, Associate Professor, Pediatric Dentistry, DMD, University of Pittsburgh

JON B. SUZUKI, Professor, Periodontics, PhD, Illinois Institute of Technology; DDS, Loyola University

TERESA THOMPSON, Visiting Instructor, Dental Hygiene, BS, Marshall College

KATHLEEN VERGONA, Associate Professor, Anatomy/Histology, PhD, University of Pittsburgh

JAMES A. WALLACE, Assistant Professor, Restorative, DDS, Case Western Reserve University; MDS, Case Western Reserve University

ROBERT J. WEYANT, Associate Professor, Dental Public Health, DMD, University of Pittsburgh; DrPh, University of Michigan

ALBERT W. WHITEHEAD, Assistant Professor, Student Services, DMD, University of Pittsburgh; MBA, University of Pittsburgh

LAWSON A. WILKINSON, Assistant Professor, Anesthesia, DMD, University of Pittsburgh; BSTA, Saint Francis College

NIDAL YACOUB, Visiting Assistant Professor, Prosthodontics, DDS, University of ALEPPO Syria; MDS, University of Pittsburgh

VICTORIA L. ZAJACK, Research Associate, Dental Public Health, MPH, Ohio State University

HUSSEIN L. ZAKI, Professor, Oral Surgery, DDS, Ohio State University; MSc, Drexel University

YINGZE ZHANG, Visiting Research Assistant Professor, Microbiology, PhD, University of Pittsburgh