Doctor of Science in Dentistry (DScD) in Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery

This Doctor of Science in Dentistry (DScD) program enrolls a limited number of highly motivated students who wish to acquire advanced research expertise. The program is designed to train graduates who are capable of taking leadership roles in education, research, and health policy.

Candidates entering this program must have completed a four- or six-year Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study (CAGS) in Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery from a US-accredited program or its international equivalent. The program does not involve participation in oral and maxillofacial surgery clinical care.

The Doctor of Science in Dentistry (DScD) in Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery requires a minimum of 36 months of full-time enrollment.

Research Requirements

Students accepted into the Doctor of Science in Dentistry program are required to fully participate in the research activities of the advisor’s laboratory, learning experimental approaches by carrying out specific research protocols related to a dissertation project. In addition to learning appropriate techniques, students are taught how to devise research strategies to answer specific questions, relate the strategy to previous studies and analyze the resulting data, and communicate research findings. The student should be able to formulate a hypothesis and develop a protocol to test it. Furthermore, students should be capable of writing a well-developed manuscript and grant application.

Students pursuing a Doctor of Science in Dentistry must commit a minimum of three years to the program.

During the first year, the thesis advisor selects related didactic courses to support the student’s area of research. Courses may be selected from curricula offered by the Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine postdoctoral program, the Medical and Dental Sciences graduate programs, or other schools at Boston University. The department chair gives final approval of courses selected.

Few or no didactic courses are required during the second and third years, which focus on conducting and completing the research. In most cases the dissertation or manuscript can be written in the last few months of the program. Other coursework may be assigned at the discretion of the research advisor and the department chair.

SDM OS 990 Research: Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (1.00 unit)

Completion is not tracked by unit accumulation but by successful completion of individual courses and duration requirements.

Application

Application to this program must be made separately from the four-year CAGS Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Program.

For application to the DScD program, please use the post-doctoral application support service (PASS) for admissions. Applications may be obtained by contacting PASS directly at 202-289-8123 or 800-353-2237; or PASS, 1400 K Street, NW, Suite 1100B, Washington, D.C. 20005-2403; or by visiting their website.