Master of Science in Dentistry (MSD) in Dental Public Health

The MSD program is a minimum of 12 months in duration and requires a master’s thesis. The program provides the student with broad knowledge and practical experience in epidemiology and biostatistics, healthcare delivery, social and cultural determinants of health behavior, preventive dentistry, and health education. Students take courses at Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine and relevant courses at the Boston University School of Public Health. Students have the opportunity to conduct research and are encouraged to publish papers in professional journals. The department encourages students also to enroll in the 12-month CAGS program in Dental Public Health in order to meet the specialty board eligibility requirements of the American Board of Dental Public Health. The combined MSD/CAGS program is a 24-month program suitable for dentists who do not hold a CEPH-accredited MPH or equivalent and seek a career and board certification in dental public health. International dental graduates are eligible to apply.

Curriculum

The following courses are required to complete the MSD degree in Dental Public Health. Additional course selection is available, contingent upon specific needs of each student.

  • SDM OB 830 Research Writing
  • SDM PH 763 Bioethics and Law
  • SDM PH 803 Biostatistics
  • SDM PH 804 Applied Statistical Analysis in Dental Public Health
  • SDM PH 806 Environmental Health
  • SDM PH 808 Health Care Management and Finance
  • SDM PH 810 Fundamentals of Dental Public Health
  • SDM PH 812 Oral Epidemiology
  • SDM PH 821 Dental Public Health Literature Review
  • SDM PH 872 Dental Public Health Policies, Programs and Advocacy
  • SDM PH 888 Seminars in Dental Public Health
  • SDM PH 892 Dental Public Health Grand Rounds
  • SDM PH 900 Directed Study in Dental Public Health
  • SDM PH 991 Research in Dental Public Health
  • SPH EP 813 Intermediate Epidemiology*
  • SPH PH 720 Individual Community and Population Health*

*See the School of Public Health Bulletin for a detailed description. Course selection may vary according to the School of Public Health schedule.

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

Clinical Specialty/MSD in Dental Public Health

Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine provides opportunities to pursue a combined program that fulfills the requirements for a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study in a clinical specialty and the requirements of the MSD in DPH. The program exposes future clinical specialists to healthcare issues at a societal level through in-depth clinical training and study of a wide range of current issues in healthcare delivery and public health. The duration of the program may vary depending on the clinical specialty requirements, whereas the MSD/CAGS in DPH is a minimum 12-month program. Applicants wishing to pursue the MSD in DPH and another clinical specialty must apply separately to both programs through the ADEA PASS website.