D.D.S./Ph.D. Dual Degree

Combine a D.D.S. degree with a Ph.D. in Dental Sciences

The Indiana University School of Dentistry’s D.D.S./Ph.D. dual degree program gives you the opportunity to earn a Doctor of Dental Surgery and a Ph.D. in Dental Sciences in seven years. During the first three years of the program, you’ll complete the required coursework for the Ph.D. and take your qualifying exams. Years four through seven are devoted to the D.D.S. curriculum, and the final year is dedicated to the completion of your Ph.D. research and dissertation.

When you complete the D.D.S. and Ph.D. degrees, you’ll be prepared for teaching and/or research positions in dental schools, medical schools, university basic science departments, research institutes, government agencies, and industry.

Contact us

Program director: Dr. Angela Bruzzaniti

Office of Graduate Education
1121 West Michigan Street
Indianapolis, IN 46202

Phone: 317-274-8408
Email: dsgrad@iu.edu

Degree requirements

To earn the Ph.D. in Dental Sciences, you must meet the University Graduate School’s general requirements for advanced degrees as well as the School of Dentistry’s specific requirements for this degree program.

View the University Graduate School's general requirements for advanced degrees

View the School of Dentistry's requirements for the D.D.S./Ph.D. dual degree

Curriculum

Depending on the chosen Ph.D Major focus area, students will receive D.D.S. course credit for the items highlighted in color as indicated below.

Ph.D Major focus areas	Oral Biology
	Preventative Dentistry
	Dental Materials

Dental Y1 (SU/FA/SP)
Sem	Code	Course Title	Credit	Sum
SU	D500	Professional School Transitions	1.0
SU	D505	Principles of Ethics and Behavioral Science	1.5
SU	D511	Head and Neck Anatomy	2.0
				4.5
FA	D501	Introduction to Patient Care I	1.0
FA	D503	Relationship-centered Care: Behavioral Science, Ethics, and Professionalism I	2.0
FA	D504	Dental Public Health	1.0
FA	D506	Evidence-based Dentistry and Information Literacy	1.0
FA	D510	General Microbiology, Infectious Diseases, & Antimicrobial Therapy	3.0
FA	D512	Molecular Cell Biology	3.0
FA	D514	Normal Oral Histology	2.0
FA	D520	Risk Assessment, Prevention, & Early Management Dental Disease	2.0
FA	D530	Tooth Morphology Lecture	1.0
FA	D531	Tooth Morphology Lab	1.5
FA	D534	Dental Materials	2.0
FA	D537	Introduction to Operative Dentistry	0.5
FA	D543	Gnathology	2.0
				22.0
SP	D502	Introduction to Patient Care II	1.0
SP	D513	Head and Neck Anatomy Dissection Lab	1.0
SP	D515	Systems Approach to Biomedical Sciences I	5.0
SP	D521	Nonsurgical Periodontics	2.0
SP	D532	Single Tooth Direct Restorations Lecture	1.0
SP	D533	Single Tooth Direct Restorations Lab	2.0
SP	D535	Single Tooth Indirect Restorations Lecture	1.5
SP	D536	Single Tooth Indirect Restorations Lab	2.5
SP	D542	Removable Prosthodontics I	3.0
SP	D550	Dental Radiography	2.0
SP	D551	Oral Diagnosis and Treatment Planning	1.0
SP	D560	Local Anesthesia	1.0
				23.0
			Total	49.5

PhD Y1 (SU/FA/SP)
Sem	Code	Course Title	Credit	Sum
FA + SP	R957*	Research Rotation #1 (~200 hours over 2 semesters = 1 credit. 3 rotations required = total 3 credits awarded SU Y3)
SU, FA, SP		Students are expected to enroll in the Preparing Future Faculty and Professionals (PFFP) program in Y1, with completion of the 12 activity hours prior to the end of Y3. (www.graduate.iupui.edu/support/pffp/index.shtml)	0.0
				0.0
			Total	0.0
* The R957 research hours in Y1 and Y2 also fulfils the requirement of 40 hour Intramural Electives (IM111) for the DDS program (D810 equivalency).

Dental Y2 (SU/FA/SP)
Sem	Code	Course Title	Credit	Sum
SU	D600	Clinical Procedures (Summer clinic)	2.5
				2.5
FA	D601	Applied Clinical Dentistry I	1.0
FA	D603	Relationship-centered Care: Behavioral Science, Ethics, and Professionalism II	2.0
FA	D615	Systems Approach to Biomedical Sciences II	5.0
FA	D618	Craniofacial Growth and Development	1.0
FA	D630	Clinical Applications of Cariology and Operative Dentistry I	1.0
FA	D641	Removable Prosthodontics II	3.0
FA	D645	Fixed Prosthodontics I	5.0
FA	D651	Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology I	2.0
FA	D680	Orthodontics	2.0
				22.0
SP	D602	Applied Clinical Dentistry II	1.0
SP	D631	Clinical Applications of Cariology and Operative Dentistry II	1.0
SP	D642	Removable Prosthodontics III	3.0
SP	D646	Fixed Prosthodontics II	5.0
SP	D650	Radiographic Interpretation	1.0
SP	D652	Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology: Clinical Pathologic Conference	2.0
SP	D660	Fundamentals of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery	1.0
SP	D661	Fundamentals of Clinical Medicine	2.0
SP	D670	Endodontics Lecture	1.0
SP	D671	Endodontics Lab	1.0
SP	D690	Pediatric Dentistry	2.5
				20.5
			Total	45.0

PhD Y2 (SU/FA/SP)
Sem	Code	Course Title	Credit	Sum

FA or SP	R956	Current Topics in Oral Biology (taken FA or SP based on course availability)	4.0
SU+F A	R957	Complete Research Rotation #2 (~200 hours over 2 semesters = 1 credit. 3 rotations required = total 3 credits awarded SU Y3)	R
SP	R957	Begin Research Rotation #3 (~200 hours over 2 semesters = 1 credit. 3 rotations required = total 3 credits awarded SU Y3)	R
SU, FA, SP		Students are expected to make progress towards completion of	0.0
				4.0
			Total	4.0
* R957 research hours fulfils the requirement of 40 hour Intramural Electives (IM111) for the DDS program (D810 equivalency).

Dental (n/a)
Sem	Code	Course Title	Credit	Sum
		No dental curriculum
			Total	0.0

PhD Y3 (SU/FA/SP)
Sem	Code	Course Title	Credit	Sum
SU	R957	Research Rotation #3 continued from Y2 (~200 hours over 2 semesters = 1 credit. 3 rotations required = total 3 credits awarded SU Y3)	3.0
FA or SP	G910/ R959/ other	* Students choose from G910 (Preventative or Dental Materials), R959 (Oral Biology) (1 credit, awarded in FA) or a Seminar Course outside IUSD	1.0
FA/SP	General	Take courses from the PhD General curriculum (Section 5) (~4 c/semester)	8.0
FA/SP	Major	Take courses from the PhD Major curriculum (Section 6) (~ 3 c/semester)	6.0
FA/SP	Minor	Take courses from the PhD Minor curriculum (Section 7) (~ 6 c/semester)	12.0
FA	R958	Research: Oral Biology (1 c/semester)	1.0
SP	R958	Research: Oral Biology (1 c/semester)	1.0
SU, FA, SP		Students are expected to complete the Preparing Future Faculty and Professionals (PFFP) program by Y3.	0.0
				32.0
			Total	32.0

* Students must complete a total of three Seminar Courses (for example, one per year for Y3, Y4, Y5). Two must be taken outside IUSD and one inside IUSD seminar courses. All seminar courses should be completed prior to the end of DDS/PhD Y5.

Dental (n/a)
Sem	Code	Course Title	Credit	Sum
		No dental curriculum
			Total	0.0

PhD Y4 ((SU/FA/SP)
Sem	Code	Course Title	Credit	Sum
SU	R958	Research: Oral Biology (6 hr./semester)	6.0
FA or SP	G910 or R959	Dental/Oral Biology Seminar or outside IUSD Choose from G910 (Preventative or Dental Materials), R959 (Oral Biology) (1 credit, awarded in FA) or Seminar Course outside IUSD	1.0
FA	R958	Research: Oral Biology (10 c/semester)	10.0
SP	R958	Research: Oral Biology (10 c/semester)
				27.0
			Total	27.0

Preparation for re-entry to DDS Y3
Sem	Code	Course Title	Credit	Sum
SP/SU	D925	Predoctoral Independent Study (1-9 c)	1.0-9.0
			Total	1.0-9.0

PhD Y5 (SU/FA/SP)
Sem	Code	Course Title	Credit	Sum
SU	R958	Research: Oral Biology (6 c/semester)	6.0
FA or SP	G910 or R959	*Dental/Oral Biology Seminar or outside IUSD Choose from G910 (Preventative or Dental Materials), R959 (Oral Biology) (1 credit, awarded in FA) or Seminar Course outside IUSD	1.0
FA	R958	Research: Oral Biology (10 c/semester)	10.0
SP	R958	Research: Oral Biology (10 c/semester)	10.0
				27.0
			Total	27.0

Note: Students should expect to complete 90 credits towards the PhD by end of DDS/PhD program Y5 so that they can transition to G901 in Year 6 of the combined program.

Sem	Code	Course Title	Credit	Sum
SU	D700	Clinical Procedures	4.5
				4.5
FA	D703	Applied Patient Management I (GLA)	1.0
FA	D705	Practice Administration I	1.0
FA	D707	Comprehensive Care and Patient Management I	1.0
FA	D711	Pharmacotherapeutics	1.0
FA	D721	Surgical Periodontics I	1.0
FA	D720	Clinical Periodontics	2.0
FA	D731	Advanced Restorative Dentistry I	1.0
FA	D735	Cariology and Operative Dentistry Clinic	5.0
SP	D739	Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Rotation	0.5
FA	D742	Introduction to Dental Implants	2.0
FA	D744	Clinical Prosthodontics	1.0
FA	D751	Clinical Radiology I	0.5
FA	D753	Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology: Clinical Pathologic Conference I	0.5
FA	D760	Pain and Anxiety Management	1.0
FA	D761	Advanced Oral Surgery Concepts	1.0
FA	D765	Oral Surgery Clinic Rotation I	0.5
FA	D771	Clinical Endodontics I	0.5
FA	D790	Pediatric Dentistry Clinical Rotation I	0.5
				21.0
SP	D704	Applied Patient Management II (GLA)	1.0
SP	D706	Practice Administration II	1.0
SP	D708	Comprehensive Care and Patient Management II	1.0
SP	D710	Applied Biomedical-Clinical Sciences Case Conference	1.0
SP	D722	Surgical Periodontics II	1.0
SP	D720	Clinical Periodontics (Year-long; credit awarded in Fall)
SP	D732	Advanced Restorative Dentistry II	1.0
SP	D733	Dental Materials	1.0
SP	D735	Cariology and Operative Dentistry Clinic (Year-long; credit awarded in Fall)
SP	D739	Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Rotation (Year-long; credit awarded in Fall)
SP	D741	Advanced Occlusion	1.0
SP	D744	Clinical Prosthodontics (Year-long; credit awarded in the Fall)
SP	D752	Clinical Radiology II	1.0
SP	D754	Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology: Clinical Pathologic Conference II	0.5
SP	D755	Orofacial Pain	1.0
SP	D712	Pharmacotherapeutics	1.0
SP	D766	Oral Surgery Clinic Rotation II	0.5
SP	D772	Clinical Endodontics II	0.5
SP	D791	Pediatric Dentistry Clinical Rotation II	0.5
				13.0
			Total	38.5

PhD Y6 (SU/FA/SP)
Sem	Code	Course Title	Credit	Sum

SU	G901	Dissertation Research. This course must be taken for at least 1 semester and may be taken for multiple semesters if necessary to complete the dissertation. Students can only enroll in G901 for a maximum of 6 semesters.	1.0
FA	G901	Dissertation Research (enroll if required)	1.0
SP	G901	Dissertation Research (enroll if required)	1.0
				≤ 3.0
			Total	≤ 3.0

Dental Y4 (SU/FA/SP)
Sem	Code	Course Title	Credit	Sum
SU	D800	Clinical Procedures	4.5
SU	D806	Dental Practice Extramural	0.5
SU	D838	Community-based Clinics Rotation	2.5
SU	D863	Hospital Dentistry Rotation	0.5
				8.0
FA	D801	Dental Rounds III	1.0
FA	D805	Jurisprudence (online)	1.0
FA	D807	Comprehensive Care and Patient Management III	3.5
FA	D810	Intramural Electives	1.0
FA	D820	Clinical Periodontics II	2.0
FA	D835	Cariology and Operative Dentistry Clinic II
FA	D838	Community-based Clinics Rotation (credit awarded in SU)	0.5
FA	D840	Clinical Prosthodontics
FA	D863	Hospital Dentistry Rotation (credit awarded in SU)	0.5
FA	D865	Oral Surgery Clinic Rotation III	0.5
FA	D871	Clinical Endodontics III	0.5
				13.5
SP	D802	Dental Rounds IV	1.0
SP	D808	Comprehensive Care and Patient Management IV	3.5
SP	D810	Intramural Electives (Year-long; credit awarded in Fall)
SP	D820	Clinical Periodontics II (Year-long; credit awarded in Fall)
SP	D835	Cariology and Operative Dentistry Clinic IV (Year-long; credit awarded in Fall)
SP	D838	Community-based Clinics Rotation (credit awarded in SU)
SP	D840	Clinical Prosthodontics (credit awarded in FA)
SP	D863	Hospital Dentistry Rotation (credit awarded in SU)
SP	D866	Oral Surgery Clinic Rotation IV	0.5
SP	D872	Clinical Endodontics IV	0.5
				5.5
			Total	27.0

PhD Y7 (SU/FA/SP)
Sem	Code	Course Title	Credit	Sum
SU	G901	Dissertation Research (enroll if required)	1.0

FA	G901	Dissertation Research (enroll if required)	1.0
SP	G901	Dissertation Research (enroll if required)	1.0
				≤ 3.0
			Total	≤ 3.0

Admission requirements

To be eligible to apply for the Ph.D. program, you must:

Hold a doctorate in dentistry (D.D.S. or D.M.D) or a Bachelor of Science degree
Have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale (dental school GPA for applicants with D.D.S. or D.M.D. degrees; undergraduate GPA for applicants with B.S. degrees)
Have a minimum GRE score of 160 on the verbal section or 148 on the quantitative reasoning section
Have a minimum GRE score of 3.0 on the analytical writing section
Demonstrate proficiency in the English language. If English is not your native language, you must earn a minimum score of 79 on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).

Enrollment in the program is limited by the number of appropriate faculty available to serve as research mentors.

How to apply

You must meet the admission requirements of both programs and apply to each separately.

Learn how to apply to the D.D.S. program

Learn how to apply to the Ph.D. program

D.D.S./Ph.D. Dual Degree

Combine a D.D.S. degree with a Ph.D. in Dental Sciences

Contact us

Degree requirements

Curriculum

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Year 4

Year 5

Year 6

Year 7

Admission requirements

How to apply

Find out more

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