Standards

Academic evaluation in the School of Dentistry is based upon a combination of the intellectual, technical, professional and behavioral performance of a student. It is not sufficient for a student to meet grading requirements since that is only one component of the standards for promotion and graduation. Each student is required to meet not only academic standards that reflect intellectual achievement, but also those that reflect technical standards and professional conduct.

Technical Standards for the Profession

In addition to proven academic ability and other relevant personal characteristics, the School of Dentistry expects all applicants to and students of the Programs in Dentistry, Dental Hygiene, Dental Laboratory Technology and Advanced Education to possess and be able to demonstrate the skills, attributes and qualities set forth below, without unreasonable dependence on technology or intermediaries.

Physical health: The student must possess the physical health and stamina needed to carry out the program of dental education.

Intellectual skills: The student must have sufficient powers of intellect to acquire, assimilate, integrate and apply information. The student must have the intellectual ability to solve problems. The student must possess the ability to comprehend three-dimensional and spatial relationships.

Motor skills: The student must have sufficient use of motor skills to carry out all procedures involved in learning the fundamental sciences and those required in the clinical environment. This includes the ability to participate in relevant educational exercises and to extract information from written sources.

Communication: The student must have sufficient use of the senses of speech, hearing and vision to communicate effectively with patients, teachers and peers in both oral and written form.

Sensory abilities: The student must have sufficient use of the senses of vision, hearing, touch and smell to observe effectively in the classroom, laboratory and clinical setting. Students must possess the ability to observe both close at hand and at a distance.

Behavioral qualities: The student must possess emotional health sufficient to carry out the tasks above, must have good judgment, and must behave in a professional, reliable, mature and responsible manner. The student must be adaptable, possessing sufficient flexibility to function in new and stressful environments. The student must demonstrate appropriate motivation, integrity, compassion, and a genuine interest in caring for others.

Each student must continue to meet all of the TECHNICAL STANDARDS set forth above. A student may be denied permission to continue in the education program at the School of Dentistry should the student fail at any time to demonstrate all of the required TECHNICAL STANDARDS.

Academic Standards

Academic Performance Advancement Committees

The School of Dentistry has four academic performance advancement committees, one each for the Programs in Dentistry, Dental Hygiene, Dental Laboratory Technology and for the Programs in Advanced Education. 

Each of the committees is appointed annually by the Dean and is responsible to the Dean. The committees meet on a regular basis throughout each academic year and are responsible for evaluating student academic performance and progress, to include review of student course grades and compliance with the TECHNICAL STANDARDS expected of a dental professional. Students who are found to be experiencing difficulty in maintaining the required standards are informed in writing or through personal counseling.  Each student must continue to meet the requirements of SATISFACTORY PROGRESS as defined herein. When requested by the Dean, the committee hears appeals from students relative to actions taken by the committee.  Minutes are taken at all meetings. Copies of the minutes are reviewed and approved by the committee members during each subsequent meeting.

Statement of Satisfactory Progress      

The academic performance advancement committees evaluate the qualitative and quantitative academic progress of each student and allow the student’s continued enrollment in the School of Dentistry if the student is making satisfactory progress. In order to achieve the status of satisfactory academic progress, the student must meet the following minimum standards.

1. The student must satisfactorily complete all requirements in each course.
2. The student must maintain a 2.0 grade point average for each term.
3. The student must satisfactorily meet all TECHNICAL STANDARDS.
4. The student must demonstrate PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT and an attitude of service and responsibility that is expected of all health professionals. Students with professional conduct issues will be handled by the Committee on Professional Conduct.

A student not satisfactorily completing all course requirements may be permitted to remediate, required to retake the course, required to repeat an entire academic year of study or dismissed.  A student not satisfactorily meeting all of the TECHNICAL STANDARDS and/or not satisfactorily demonstrating PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT expected of a health professional may be denied at any time permission to continue in the educational program at the School of Dentistry. The committee may recommend that a student who is not making satisfactory progress be dropped from the rolls of the school and, with approval from the Dean, the student’s enrollment will be terminated.

Promotions

After a student has been admitted to the School of Dentistry, the student’s advancement to the next succeeding class and ultimate graduation depends on the student’s demonstration of SATISFACTORY PROGRESS as defined herein and the recommendation and approval of the Academic Performance Advancement Committee. The Academic Performance Advancement Committee may deny a student permission to continue in the educational program when the student’s conduct/professionalism, mental or physical fitness casts grave doubt upon the student’s professional capabilities.

The Academic Performance Advancement Committee will consider for promotion a student who has achieved a grade point average of 2.0 or better, has not failed courses during the academic term,  and has continued to meet the required TECHNICAL STANDARDS of the profession. The student must satisfactorily complete all requirements in each course. The student who has achieved a grade point average of 2.0 or better and has incurred academic deficiencies that the committee has not considered excessive may be allowed to remove the deficiencies in order to be considered for promotion. The Academic Performance Advancement Committee may drop from the rolls at any time during the academic year a student who has incurred excessive academic deficiencies, has failed to satisfactorily meet the required TECHNICAL STANDARDS.

Any student of a School of Dentistry program who has been dropped from the rolls for academic reasons and has been recommended to pursue defined courses or activities may upon satisfactory completion of said courses or activities, petition the Academic Performance Advancement Committee for readmission to repeat that academic year. When a student is readmitted to repeat an entire academic year, only the course grades achieved in the repeat year will be used to compute satisfactory academic progress for promotion and graduation. The student’s complete transcript (grades for all work attempted) while enrolled in the School of Dentistry will still be used for all other purposes.

Each dental student must complete the four-year curriculum in no more than six years after initial enrollment and no year may be repeated more than once. Each dental hygiene student must complete the two-year Bachelor of Science Degree program curriculum in no more than three years after initial enrollment. Each dental laboratory technology student must complete the two-year Associate of Science Degree program curriculum in no more than three years after initial enrollment.  The time granted a student for an APPROVED ABSENCE will not be included in the maximum time period for completion of the program.

The Academic Performance Advancement Committee will not approve the promotion of a student to the next succeeding class or for graduation until the student has demonstrated SATISFACTORY PROGRESS. When a student has incurred deficiencies in any course, the department involved specifies, with the approval of the Academic Performance Advancement Committee, the method of removing deficiencies. The student must promptly remove all deficiencies in order for the Academic Performance Advancement Committee to evaluate the student’s progress prior to registration. A student whose performance is unsatisfactory, including receiving a failing course grade, or failing to meet the required TECHNICAL STANDARDS may be considered for dismissal or appropriate academic probation at any time the Academic Performance Advancement Committee thinks such action is in the best interest of the school and/or the student involved.