Curriculum
Curriculum
Master's degree candidates complete a minimum of 32 credit hours of coursework, consisting of 20 didactic credits and 12 research credits. Students typically complete 5 to 7 elective didactic credits. When selecting electives, students should be guided by their research interests and thesis topic. Additionally, students may choose to undertake an independent study for up to 3 credits in place of an elective course.
Candidates are also required to design and carry out an original research project under the mentorship of a faculty advisor and an advisory committee. The thesis or paper, which serves as the culmination of this research, must contribute new knowledge to the field. It should clearly demonstrate the significance of the findings, integrating appropriate methodology, techniques, statistics, and a comprehensive review of relevant literature. The thesis must be presented and defended before the advisory committee. A total of 12 credits will be awarded for research, thesis development, and final oral defense.
Required Core Courses
| Course | Title | Offered | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| DEN 419 | Dental Research Seminar (total of 2 credits required) | Fall and Spring semesters, annually | 1 (2 overall) |
| DEN 420 | Biology of the Periodontium | Spring semester, odd years | 1 |
| DEN 426 | Fundamentals of Dental Caries | Fall semester, annually | 1 |
| IND 506 | Ethics and Professional Integrity in Research | Fall semester, annually | 0 |
| DEN 430 | Introduction to Biostatistics | Fall semester, annually | 3 |
| DEN 433 | Biostatistics Software (SAS) | Fall semester, annually | 1 |
| DEN 431 | Design of Clinical Research | Spring semester, annually | 3 |
| DEN 436 | Research Methods | Spring semester, annually | 3 |
| DEN 446/447 | Practical Skills for Conducting Clinical and Translational Study in Oral Health I and II | Fall and Spring semesters, annually | 2 |
| DEN 495 | Master's Research | Fall and Spring semesters, annually | 12 |
Elective Courses
| Course | Title | Offered | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| DEN 400 | Special Care: Medical/Dental Inter-Relationships | Fall semester, annually | 1 |
| DEN 401 | Special Care: Geriatric and Patients with ILDD | Spring semester, annually | 1 |
| DEN 410 | Head and Neck Anatomy | Spring semester, even years | 1 |
| DEN 411 | Oral Diseases and Pathologies | Spring semester, even years | 1 |
| DEN 412 | Oral Implantology | Fall semester, even years | 1 |
| DEN 413 | Advanced Oral Implantology | Spring semester, odd years | 1 |
| DEN 416 | Advanced Oral Medicine and Clinical Pathology | Spring semester, even years | 1 |
| DEN 418 | Oral Microbiology | Fall semester, odd years | 2 |
| DEN 421 | Craniofacial Growth and Development | Spring semester, odd years | 1 |
| DEN 422 | Pharmacology and Therapeutics | Fall semester, odd years | 1 |
| DEN 423 | Oral Epidemiology I | Fall semester, annually | 1 |
| DEN 424 | Oral Epidemiology II | Spring semester, annually | 1 |
| DEN 434 | Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis | Summer semester, annually | 3 |
| DEN 435 | Meta-Analysis Software - held every other week | Summer semester, annually | 1 |
| DEN 440 | Control of Pain & Anxiety with Anesthesia Techniques | Summer semester, annually | 1 |
| DEN 441 | Physical Diagnosis | Summer semester, annually | 1 |
| DEN 442 | Basic Concepts in Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery | Summer semester, annually | 1 |
| DEN 443 | Basic Oral Implantology | Summer semester, annually | 1 |