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Dentistry, D.D.S.

  • Overview
  • Admissions Requirements
  • Policies
  • Doctoral
  • Learning Outcomes

Degree Offered

  • Doctor of Dental Surgery

Nature of the Program

The WVU School of Dentistry prepares students to provide high-quality, comprehensive oral health care. Students train using state-of the-art technology which includes, but is not limited to, electronic health record, digital radiography, CAD/CAM and lasers.  The school offers enriching interprofessional learning opportunities with the other Health Sciences Center health professions programs to promote their value as essential members of the health care team. Community service is also integral to our mission. Students participate in a plethora of local, state and global community outreach programs. Prior to graduation, students experience a community-based clinical rotation in rural West Virginia for at least six weeks. 

A dental degree offers a variety of career options including private practice, teaching, research, and public health dentistry. In addition, after earning the Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) degree, specialty practice areas may be pursued by advanced training.  

Due to a large number of applications and limited class size, qualified West Virginia residents receive priority consideration, and outstanding nonresident applicants are also considered. Residency status is determined by the WVU Office of Admission in accordance with the Higher Education Policy Commission Rules and Policies, Series 25. The dental admissions committee utilizes a holistic selection process that takes into account cognitive and non-cognitive attributes in accordance with defined admission criteria. Competition for admission has elevated the academic profile of admitted candidates to a rather high plateau. Nonresident applicants generally have earned a GPA of  > 3.75 and DAT scores of 19 or above. The School of Dentistry recognizes the importance of diversity in fulfilling its mission and encourages individuals from diverse backgrounds to apply.

Admissions for 2026-2027

Admission to the Doctor of Dental Surgery (D.D.S.) program is contingent upon satisfactory completion of all admission requirements, appropriate completion of all application instructions, submission of all transcripts from each college attended, submission of Dental Admission Test (DAT) scores, a personal interview, satisfactory completion of all courses taken before registration in dental school (includes courses taken during the summer session immediately preceding initial enrollment), and all other requirements as set forth by the dental school admissions committee.

The WVU School of Dentistry has minimal technical standards for the assessment of all students admitted to the D.D.S. program. Enrollees must have abilities and skills in the following areas: observation; communication; motor; intellectual, conceptual, integrative, quantitative; behavioral, and social. Technological compensation can be made in certain situations, but candidates should be able to perform in a reasonably independent manner.  (Refer to the School of Dentistry website for details about Technical Standards). 

Course Requirements:

A minimum of three years of college coursework completed at U.S. or Canadian colleges or universities is required. Applicants must have earned at least 90 semester credit hours at the time of application. Up to 64 semester credit hours completed at community colleges are accepted toward the minimum course hour requirement.   

Online courses are accepted toward the prerequisite courses. A letter grade must be documented for all required courses completed through in-person, online or hybrid learning platforms.  Science courses with grades of Pass/Fail or Satisfactory will not be accepted. Non-science prerequisite courses impacted by Pass/Fail grading system will not be evaluated negatively.

The prerequisites for admission include:

English composition and rhetoric, or equivalent

6

Biology or Zoology (with laboratory)

8

General/Inorganic Chemistry (with laboratory)

8

Organic Chemistry (with laboratory)

8

Physics (with laboratory)

8

Biochemistry

3

Anatomy (Comparative or Human)

3

Total Hours

44

Completion of courses in microbiology, embryology/developmental biology, physiology, cellular and molecular biology, genetics, and psychology are strongly recommended. In addition, courses in the humanities and the social sciences are suggested to acquire a well-rounded intellectual background for the study and practice of dentistry.  AP credit will be accepted for the English course requirement. All science prerequisites must have a letter grade. Admitted students must complete all required courses by June 1st prior to matriculation. 

Considerations:

  • Grade Point Average (GPA)
  • Science Grade Point Average (SGPA)
  • Performance in required courses
  • Performance in upper-division science courses
  • Performance improvement/consistency
  • Course load

Application Information:

  1. The School of Dentistry participates in the Associated American Dental Schools Application Service (AADSAS). All applications must be submitted online via AADSAS. The application deadline is November 1st of the year immediately prior to the applicant's anticipated enrollment.  Each year the AADSAS application becomes available in mid-May. The school uses a rolling admission process and begins admitting highly qualified individuals on mid-December. 
  2. Applicants are required to have specific letters of recommendation submitted to AADSAS. Information regarding recommendations is available on the School of Dentistry website.
  3. Satisfactory completion of the Dental Admission Test (DAT) is required. The test is given at testing centers throughout the U.S. and in Canada.  DAT registration is available on the American Dental Association (ADA) website. DAT scores must be submitted by November 1st of the year preceding the date of matriculation. Scores are valid up to three years after the test date.
  4. Applicants must complete shadowing experiences in clinical dental settings, including private offices, community health clinics, and service missions. While there is no specific minimum shadowing hour requirement, successful candidates usually observe at least 100 hours in various dental environments.  
  5. The Dental Admission Committee evaluates all AADSAS applications and invites selected applicants to submit a secondary (WVU Graduate) application. West Virginia resident applicants are usually offered an interview, although the admissions committee may elect not to interview unrealistic applicants. Selected non-resident applicants are invited to interview depending on their qualifications.
  6. Individuals who receive provisional acceptance must obtain a criminal background clearance, provide documentation of the specified immunizations, and meet all other requirements as listed in the provisional acceptance offer prior to matriculation and the date specified. 

Detailed information is available on the Doctor of Dental Surgery admissions webpage.

If you have specific questions regarding the West Virginia University School of Dentistry's application procedures and requirements, please email the Office of Dental Admissions or call 304-293-6646.  

International Dental Graduate Guidelines

International dental graduates who wish to apply to the WVU School of Dentistry Doctor of Dental Surgery  (D.D.S.) program as a student in the first-year class should contact the School of Dentistry Office of Dental Admissions for additional information regarding specific guidelines and requirements. 

Major Code: 8007

Promotion

At the end of each grading period (i.e., each academic semester or summer session), all students will have their individual progress reviewed by the Academic and Professional Standards Committee. The progress of each student in the curriculum is governed by minimum acceptable performance standards upon which the committee bases its decisions.

The standards consist of three categories: scholastic performance, clinic performance and utilization, and professional development. Scholastic performance requires that each student must earn a specified grade point average to be promoted to the succeeding year. Clinic performance and utilization requires that each student must utilize a specified percentage of available clinic time to demonstrate steady progress toward attainment of clinical competency in all disciplines. Professional development is an important component of the study of dentistry. The criteria for determining this development are based on the student’s personal behavior and patient management skills.

These performance standards are explained in detail in the document entitled WVU School of Dentistry Academic and Professional Standards. All first-year students are presented this document upon entering school and are required to acknowledge, by their signature, that they have read and accept the conditions set by the material contained therein. At the completion of each academic term, following the meeting of the Committee on Academic and Professional Standards, the status of each student is reported to the dean. The committee may decide that a student be promoted unconditionally, be promoted on probation, be allowed to make up deficiencies, be given the opportunity to repeat the year, or be suspended or dismissed from further studies in the School of Dentistry. Final disposition in each case is the prerogative of the Dean of the School of Dentistry.

Degree Requirements

Candidates for graduation are recommended by the faculty of the School of Dentistry to the Board of Governors for approval and for the conferring of the degree of Doctor of Dental Surgery (D.D.S.), provided they fully meet the following conditions:

  • Shall have been a full-time student in regular attendance in the School of Dentistry for the academic period prescribed for each student.
  • Shall have completed the prescribed curriculum for each of the academic sessions.
  • Shall have shown good moral character and shall have demonstrated a sense of professional responsibility in the performance of all assignments as a student.
  • Shall have met in full all financial obligations to the University.

In view of public and professional responsibilities, the faculty of each of the professional schools of WVU has the authority to recommend to the president of the University the removal of any student from its roles whenever, by formal decision reduced to writing, the faculty finds that the student is unfit to meet the qualifications and responsibilities of the profession.

Curriculum Requirements

Course List
Code Title Hours
Oral Health Sciences Courses
DENT 700Anesthesiology1
DENT 701Arts & Sciences of Preventive Dentistry2
DENT 703Introduction to Patient Care3
DENT 704Operative Dentistry4
DENT 706Interprofessional Education2
DENT 707Introduction to Clinical Dentistry2
DENT 710Dental Anatomy and Occlusion4
DENT 711Periodontics2
DENT 712Dental Materials3
DENT 713Dental Radiology1
DENT 714Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology1
DENT 715Dental Public Health 12
DENT 717Physical Diagnosis and Urgent Care1
DENT 721Endodontics2
DENT 724Advanced Treatment Planning2
DENT 722Tooth-Colored Restorations4
DENT 723Advanced Restorations and Esthetics in Dentistry2
DENT 725Practice Management1
DENT 726Removable Partial Dentures5
DENT 729Indirect Restorations3
DENT 730Dental Public Health 22
DENT 731Occlusion2
DENT 732Advanced Endodontics 1: Biological Applications in Endodontics1
DENT 733Advanced Endodontics 2: Biological Applications in Endodontics1
DENT 734Complete Dentures6
DENT 735Pediatric Dentistry1
DENT 737Treatment Planning3
DENT 739Oral Surgery1
DENT 740Periodontics2
DENT 744Orthodontic Diagnosis and Treatment Planning 1
DENT 745Principles of Orthodontics1
DENT 746Orthodontic Techniques1
DENT 747Management of Medical and Dental Emergencies1
DENT 752Professional Communication in Dentistry2
DENT 754Introduction to Dental Implantology2
DENT 756Fixed Prosthodontics: Part 14
DENT 757Fixed Prosthodontics: Part 24
DENT 758Senior Seminar2
DENT 759Oral Surgery2
DENT 761Special Needs in Dentistry1
DENT 762Anxiety and Pain Control1
DENT 763Periodontics2
DENT 765Orthodontics1
DENT 766Applied Pediatric Dentistry2
DENT 767Community Dentistry1
DENT 770Clinical Oral Radiology4
DENT 771Practice Management2
DENT 774Principles of Medicine2
DENT 775Practice Management1
DENT 776Removable Prosthodontics5
DENT 777Periodontics5
DENT 778Law & Ethics in Dentistry2
DENT 780Endodontics4
DENT 781Patient Management 14
DENT 782Clinical Patient Management 22
DENT 783Operative Dentistry6
DENT 784Oral Surgery6
DENT 785Orthodontics2
DENT 786Pediatric Dentistry4
DENT 787Clinical Oral Diagnosis1
DENT 788Clinic Completion Practicum *3
DENT 789Fixed Prosthodontics5
Biomedical Sciences Courses
BMM 705General Biochemistry5
MICB 702Microbiology5
PALM 718Dental Histology6
PALM 724Human Gross Anatomy7
DENT 728General Pathology5
DENT 738Oral Pathology 13
PALM 753Oral Pathology 22
PCOL 760Pharmacology & Therapeutics3
PCOL 763Applied Dental Pharmacology2
PSIO 743Fundamentals of Physiology5
Total Hours195
*

Hours may vary based on a student's clinical progress.

Suggested Plan of Study

First Year
FallHoursSpringHoursSummerHours
DENT 7012BMM 7055DENT 7033
DENT 7104DENT 7001DENT 7451
DENT 7123DENT 7044DENT 7312
PALM 7247Interprofessional Education2 
PSIO 7435
DENT 706
  
 DENT 7152 
 PALM 7186 
 21 20 6
Second Year
FallHoursSpringHoursSummerHours
DENT 7224DENT 7072DENT 7251
DENT 7285DENT 7141DENT 7461
DENT 7293DENT 7212DENT 7632
DENT 7346DENT 7265DENT 7242
DENT 7351DENT 7373 
DENT 7564DENT 7391 
MICB 7025DENT 7441 
PCOL 7603DENT 7574 
DENT 7131DENT 7662 
 DENT 7742 
 DENT 7383 
 DENT 7112 
 DENT 7171 
 32 29 6
Third Year
FallHoursSpringHoursSummerHours
DENT 7402DENT 7302DENT 7712
DENT 7542DENT 7471DENT 7814
DENT 7611DENT 7522DENT 7621
DENT 7782DENT 7592DENT 7882
PALM 7532DENT 7651 
PCOL 7632DENT 7232 
DENT 7321DENT 7331 
 12 11 9
Fourth Year
FallHoursSpringHours 
DENT 7704DENT 7582 
DENT 7881DENT 7671 
 DENT 7751 
 DENT 7765 
 DENT 7775 
 DENT 7804 
 DENT 7822 
 DENT 7836 
 DENT 7846 
 DENT 7852 
 DENT 7864 
 DENT 7871 
 DENT 7895 
 5 44
Total credit hours: 195

Major Learning Outcomes

Doctor of Dental Surgery

West Virginia University School of Dentistry's competencies encompass the knowledge, skills, behaviors, and values that are required for independent, unsupervised practice to provide comprehensive care for patients in all staged of life lived experiences. The Twenty-four competencies are divided into five categories: Scientific and Critical Thinking (SCT), Assessment, Diagnosis, and Treatment Planning (ADTP), Health Promotion and Case Management (HPCM), Community Health (CH), and Ethics and Professional Practice (EPP) which further delineate the scope of practice for an entry level dentist.  Competency attainment through formative, summative, performance assessments, and experiences throughout the curriculum is described in detail in the Competency Document.  Prior to graduation, the WVU School of Dentistry student must have demonstrated competency necessary to:

I. Scientific and Critical Thinking (SCT)

1a. Scientific Inquiry: Utilize scientific inquiry and current research as the basis for comprehensive care of patients.

1b. Critical Thinking: Employ critical thinking skills to evaluate professional literature to ensure evidence-based patient care.

II. Assessment Diagnosis, and Treatment Planning (ADTP)

2. Examination of the Patient: Perform an examination that collects the necessary information to assess and evaluate the patient's systemic and oral condition(s).

3. Diagnosis: Determine a differential, provisional, or definitive diagnosis for patients by interpreting and correlating findings.

4. Treatment Planning: Develop, present, and discuss individual treatment plans and obtain informed consent consistent with the patient's condition, interest, goals, and capabilities.

III. Health Promotion and Case Managment (HPCM)

5.  Disease Prevention: Provide evidence-based interprofessional care for patients that emphasizes prevention of oral diseases and supports overall systemic health.

6.Tobacco Cessation: Provide evidence-based tobacco cessation strategies.

7. Diversity Awareness: Recognize varied life experiences that impact interpersonal communications, conduct, and patient care.

8. Management of Pain and Anxiety: Employ techinques to manage orofacial pain and anxiety with consideration of the impact of prescribing practices and substance use disorders.

9. Caries Managment: Assess and manage a patient's caries risk through interventions and behavior managment.

10. Endodontic Therapy: Assess, treat, and/or refer diseases of pulpal and periradicular origin.

11. Periodontal Therapy: Assess, treat, and/or refer periodontal disease utilizing a non-surgical approach.

12. Surgical Therapy: Assess, treat, and/or refer conditions requiring surgical procedures on the hard and soft tissues.

13. Emergency situations: Prevent, recognize, and manage dental and common medical emergencies that occur in the dental practice.

14. Occlusal/TMJ Disorders: Assess the temporomandibular joint, muscles of mastication, and occlusal interferences/dysfunction; treat or refer functional disorders of occlusal or non-occlusal origins.

15. Orthodontic Therapy: Assess, treat, or refer developmental or acquired abnormalities in esthetics or occlusion.

16. Oral Mucosal Conditions: Assess, treat, or refer oral mucosal diseases or disorders.

17. Restorative/Prosthodontic Therapy: 

a. Restore missing or defective tooth structure to proper form, function, and esthetics, and promote soft and hard tissue health.  This includes properly conveying laboratory instructions when necessary.

b. Replace missing teeth and surrounding oral tissues to proper form, function, and esthetics, and promote soft and hard tissue health.  This includes properly conveying laboratory instructions when necessary.

18. Implant Therapy: Assess, treat or refer patients who would benefit from dental implant prosthodontic therapy.

19. Assessment of Patient Treatment: Evaluate treatment outcomes and determine the prognosis and recall stragegies.

IV. Community Health (CH)

20. Community Engagement: Plan, implement, and evaluate evidence-based dental educational programs that address the needs of the community.

 V. Ethics and Professional Practice (EPP)

21. Ethics:0

21. Ethics: Discern and manage the ethico-legal issues of dental practice.

22. Professionalism: Deminstrate professional values and behaviors in all aspects of patient care, community engagement, and personal conduct.

23. Professional Practice: Posses the skills transition from dental school to professional practice.

24. Scope of Practice: Recognize the complexity of patient treatment and identify when referral is indicated.

  • Doctor of Dental Surgery
  • Endodontics
  • Orthodontics
  • Periodontics
  • Prosthodontics

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