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The School of Dental Medicine maintains a small predoctoral class size and provides a personalized education in a nurturing environment that helps guide our students’ professional growth and promote independence and maturity. Faculty members are routinely available to help reinforce material presented in lectures, encourage students with special interests and offer assistance with developing clinical skills.
The School of Dental Medicine fosters a culture of science within the predoctoral curriculum. Students develop the understanding that scientific inquiry and the ability to critically evaluate and integrate new findings in the care of patients is a necessity to fully develop as professionals. Through participation in research projects, students are encouraged to explore the current technologies and work with faculty in developing new paradigms for the therapy of disease.
Students at the School of Dental Medicine receive rigorous instruction in the traditional basic sciences (anatomy, biochemistry, histology, microbiology, physiology, genetics, general pathology, embryology, pharmacology, neuroscience and nutrition), most of which are in courses taken together with students from the School of Medicine. The school offers a unique translational science curriculum that bridges the fundamental knowledge obtained in the basic sciences to the orofacial complex and clinical dentistry. Students also receive extensive training in the behavioral sciences and practice management that helps them to better understand the social and community context within which dentists function. They learn to establish rapport with their patients and to establish a partnership that assures the best possible clinical outcome. Most of the clinical component of the educational program is provided in the Dental Care Center of the School of Dental Medicine, a state-of-the-art facility situated in a pleasant suburban community. The largest dental treatment facility on Long Island, the Dental Care Center provides care for thousands of patients, offering a rich diversity of patient needs to enhance the learning and clinical experience of our students. Clinical experiences begin in the latter part of the first year, with increasing clinical education in the second, third and fourth years. The student is responsible for obtaining thorough medical, dental and psychosocial histories; determining diagnoses; developing patient-centered treatment plans; and rendering comprehensive care for patients. The School of Dental Medicine consistently ranks among the top dental schools in the nation for the amount of supervised clinic experience per student. The number of patient visits per student is also one of the highest in the country.
Whereas the majority of instruction in the early clinical years is discipline-based, the fourth year clinical experience is provided in the General Practice Program. This innovative program enables students to treat their patients in a setting that simulates general dental practice. Clinical instruction is provided by general dentists and specialists where appropriate. Practice management and behavioral sciences skills are reinforced by faculty on a daily basis as students refine their clinical abilities. Students may participate in the senior selective program in which up to 120 hours can be devoted to advanced training in various clinical disciplines or research projects.
Students also pursue service learning opportunities via local, national or international outreach programs coordinated by faculty. Formal outreach programs include the Indian Health Service (Pine Ridge, South Dakota), Chile, Jamaica and Madagascar. Similarly, some dental students pursue interprofessional degree or certificate programs at the University, such as the Master of Public Health (MPH) or Master of Business Administration (MBA). Upon completion of the four-year predoctoral curriculum, students can be confident in their abilities as well rounded, new dentists prepared to embark upon their futures in the profession.
For additional information regarding the predoctoral program or admissions, please call (631) 632-8871, or write:
Office of Education
115 Rockland Hall
School of Dental Medicine
Stony Brook University
Stony Brook, NY 11794-8709
www.stonybrookmedicalcenter.org/dental/
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