DMD Applicants
What kind of education will you need for a career in dental medicine through the mid-21st century? One that combines broad-based knowledge, in-depth clinical experience, and the learning skills required to upgrade your expertise and keep up with continuing innovations in treatment and materials.
The four-year Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) program at Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine will prepare you to deliver state-of-the-art care through the decades to come. Your training will start with strong academic preparation in the basic, medical, and behavioral sciences—the well-integrated knowledge base you’ll need to evaluate and treat patients. At the same time, service learning and chair-side assisting will give you early exposure to patient-centered activities.
The DMD program’s hands-on opportunities begin with intensive preclinical simulations and immersion in laboratory techniques. Then, for real-world clinical experience, you’ll be assigned to a mentorship team. This small group of students will function as a group dental practice, led by a faculty mentor who will coach you in every aspect of managing your mini-practice. Our approach to clinical care is comprehensive and holistic, emphasizing oral health care in the context of the patient’s overall dental and general health. Combined with our mentorship model, this approach results in high-quality, faculty-guided student care.
A major difference in dental education at BU is the strong research component. You can participate in exciting research opportunities starting in your first year, not only in oral health issues but also in studies ranging from stem cell biology to pancreatic cancer.
At GSDM, education is competency-based: students are assessed individually, progressing at their own rates after demonstrating competency with each procedure.
Above all, our DMD program emphasizes engaged, active learning. You’ll be continually challenged to explore and inquire. And you’ll acquire lifelong skills in critical thinking, self-evaluation, and reflection on ethical values.
Boston University conducts a holistic application review and will be flexible in consideration of COVID-19 related limitations.
Interviews
GSDM will conduct DMD 2021-2022 admissions cycle interviews remotely via Zoom.
Transcript review
The Admissions Committee will be flexible in evaluating transcripts. Pass, Satisfactory and Credit assessments are accepted for courses taken during 2020. Letter grades are strongly preferred, when available. GSDM will consider on-line prerequisite courses if in-person courses are unavailable.
Dental shadowing and other in-person experiences
GSDM will take COVID-19 pandemic-related limitations into consideration when evaluating dental shadowing, community service and other in-person experiences. The committee does not identify specific hour requirements for dental shadowing.
CASPer®
CASPer® is an online assessment of non-academic attributes and interpersonal skills that are important for success in the study and practice of dental medicine; this assessment supports holistic admissions review. We encourage applicants to take the CASPer online situational judgment test and complete the Snapshot video. Applicants who are invited to interview are required to complete CASPer. Visit www.takecasper.com for information.
Professional licensure disclosure statement
Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine’s DMD program is accredited by the American Dental Association Commission on Dental Accreditation (ADA CODA) and meets the educational requirements for dental licensure in each state. Additional information is available here.