MS in Oral Health Sciences

The Master of Science in Oral Health Sciences (OHS) is designed specifically for students who wish to improve their academic preparedness for dental school admission. This 32-unit, full-time master’s degree program is open to applicants who have already earned their bachelor’s degree and have completed all predental prerequisite course requirements.

The Oral Health Sciences program begins in late July or early August. Students take courses at both Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine (SDM) and Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine’s Graduate Medical Sciences (GMS). Optional coursework is available in a variety of disciplines, including public health, infectious diseases, histology, and anatomy.

The Oral Health Sciences program takes four terms to complete with two terms full-time (fall and spring) and two terms part-time (summer I and summer II). The MS program has flexibility allowing students to complete the program in 12 months by submitting a capstone paper, whereas those students using the full two years have the opportunity to complete a research-based thesis on a topic of their choice in the field of dentistry. Faculty from both the Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine and the School of Dental Medicine serve as teachers and mentors enriching students’ educational experience while in the OHS program. Students also receive AADSAS application support and participate in a parallel enrichment program to build professional and academic skills.

Learning Outcomes

Students graduating with a Master of Science in Oral Health Sciences will:

• Develop the intellectual skills to be successful in a rigorous dental school curriculum.
• Improve their overall academic credentials (through coursework, research, and extracurricular experiences) to become a competitive dental school applicant and gain admission to a US dental school.
• Demonstrate research and critical-thinking skills through the completion of a novel capstone or thesis.

Degree Requirements

Candidates for the MS in Oral Health Sciences are required to complete a minimum of 32 graduate unit hours, including a final thesis project or capstone paper. The required courses are indicated with an asterisk (*).

Coursework

The following core courses are taken at Boston University’s Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine:

• GMS OH 701 General Pathology (2 units)
• GMS OH 730 Physiology (6 units)*
• GMS OH 731 Physiology (2 units)*
• GMS OH 740 Microbiology and Immunology (4 units)
• GMS OH 750 Prevention and Oral Health Promotion in Dentistry (3 units)*
• GMS OH 751 Biochemistry (6 units)*

The following courses are taken with students in Graduate Medical Sciences at the Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine.

• GMS MS 640 Biomedical Information (2 units)*
• GMS OH 685 Infectious Diseases: Pathogens and Clinical Manifestations (3 units)
• GMS OH 735 Applied Physiology (2 units)
• GMS OH 770 Evidence Based Dentistry (2 units)
• GMS OH 771 Fundamentals of Head and Neck Anatomy (3 units)
• GMS OH 710 Applied Histology (2 units)

Additional elective courses may also be selected from those offered through Graduate Medical Sciences.

Admission Requirements

The application deadline is May 17, and admissions decisions are made on a rolling basis starting January 1. Required application materials include:

• Completed online application
• An unofficial college transcript (an official transcript indicating receipt of a baccalaureate degree from a US or Canadian institution will be required before matriculation)
• DAT scores
• A personal statement
• Three letters of recommendation
• CV or résumé
• A $95 nonrefundable application fee

More Information

For details about the program, please visit the Graduate Medical Sciences website and the MS in Oral Health Sciences website.