Attendance

The School of Dentistry has a standard policy for attendance in all didactic and pre-clinical courses for the Programs in Dentistry, Dental Hygiene and Dental Laboratory Technology and a specific policy for attendance in the laboratory courses for the Program in Dental Laboratory Technology. These policies are included in the LSUSD Student Handbook of Policies and Procedures and their respective course outlines. 

There are no excused absences with this policy. The only exception is an APPROVED ABSENCE as determined by the Office of Academic Affairs.  

Didactic and Pre-clinical Courses

Students are required to attend all scheduled appointments/sessions in each course. Students not present when attendance is taken will be considered absent. Absence in excess of 20% of the total clock hours in any course will result in a final grade reduction of one letter grade for that course. Each department will determine general policy for monitoring attendance in assigned course(s). 

Clinical Courses (Program in Dentistry)

Dental students are required to attend all scheduled clinic sessions as a requirement of each specific clinical course. 

Clinical Courses (Program in Dental Hygiene)

Dental hygiene students are required to attend all scheduled clinic sessions as a requirement of each specific clinical course. 

Laboratory Courses (Program in Dental Laboratory Technology)

Dental Laboratory Technology students are required to attend 90% of all scheduled laboratory sessions. Students who exceed the 10% missed-session limit shall have their final laboratory grade reduced according to the respective course outline. 

Approved Absences

The School of Dentistry does not have excused absences for individual days missed. Such absences are addressed in the Attendance Policy and referred to in each course syllabus and in the Student Handbook. The Dean or Academic Dean may grant a formal request for an Approved Absence for medical, personal, or professional (to represent the school at a professional meeting) reasons for absence requests encompassing a period of five (5) consecutive school days or more. The student should contact the Office of Academic Affairs for the criteria for consideration of such an Approved Absence.

If the time away does not meet the criteria for an approved absence, then the course directors are free to count the time missed against your allowed absenteeism as stated in each course outline and in the Student Handbook. Should such a request be granted, a note will be sent from the Office of Academic Affairs to all involved course directors informing them of the approved absence. The student is responsible for all work missed. It is highly recommended that the student keeps in touch with each of the involved course directors during the absence to make certain that course obligations are met.

When requesting an Approved Absence, the request:

• Must be in writing (email is acceptable) and addressed to the Academic Dean.
• Must include the reason for the requested absence, the ‘start date’ and ‘expected’ date of return. If the request is for:
  • Medical Reasons, a note from the treating physician recommending/ordering the time to be missed is required.
  • Personal Reasons, an explanation is required and the decision to grant is under the Academic Dean’s purview.
  • Professional Reasons, the request must include the name of the professional meeting being attended, the student’s role in the meeting (officer or official representative of the school or organization) and support for the request must be submitted by the: 
    • Faculty Advisor for the organization;
    • Office of Student Affairs; or
    • Office of the Dean, whichever is appropriate: and
• Must be for at least five (5) consecutive school days if the request is for either an Approved Absence for medical reasons or for personal reasons.

If the time away does not meet the criteria for an approved absence, then the course directors are free to count the time missed against your allowed absenteeism as stated in each course outline.

Should such a request be granted, a note will be sent from the Office of Academic Affairs to all involved course directors informing them of the approved absence. Please understand that the student is responsible for all work missed. It is highly recommended that the student keeps in touch with each of the involved course directors during the absence to make certain that course obligations are met.