University of Florida College of Dentistry: A Comprehensive Overview

The University of Florida College of Dentistry (UFCD), established in 1972, stands as a prominent institution in dental education, research, patient care, and service. As the first dental school in Florida and the only public one in the state, UFCD is committed to oral health care for all Floridians and beyond. It is one of the top dental schools in the United States, featuring a nationally ranked research enterprise, eight ADA-accredited specialty programs and an oral medicine rotation. The college educates the state’s future dentists and dental specialists through 16 degree and certificate programs.

Location and Facilities

The UF College of Dentistry is housed in the Dental Sciences Building located on the UF Academic Health Center campus. The college is located in Gainesville on the main UF campus within an academic health center that includes a major teaching hospital and five other health colleges. Our centers in Gainesville offer a complete range of general and specialty care for adults and children in one location. UFCD also extends its reach through the UF Statewide Network for Community Oral Health, with UF-owned dental centers in Gainesville, Hialeah, Naples, St. Petersburg, and Wildlight/Yulee. UF Health Dentistry - Wildlight began serving patients in January 2020. Our center in Naples offers complete dental care for children, including routine and specialty services.

Academic Programs

The College of Dentistry seeks students of the highest caliber for its many programs. A strong record of scholastic achievement, high moral character and strong motivation is expected of the applicant. Because of the vast amount of science that must be mastered by the dentist, a dental student must have aptitude and adequate academic preparation in the sciences. Preprofessional students can major in any department or college of the university; however, an in-depth background in biological sciences is necessary to master the dental curriculum. General education requirements for admission to the College of Dentistry are fully described in the dentistry catalog.

UFCD offers a wide array of programs, including all nine American Dental Association (ADA) specialties and Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD) programs in Miami/Hialeah and St. Petersburg. These programs ensure that graduates are well-equipped to handle diverse dental challenges.

Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) Program

The Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) program is the flagship program, attracting a large number of applicants each year. During the last application cycle, the College of Dentistry received 1,696 applications for 93 available D.M.D. positions. The D.M.D. Class of 2023 earned a 100% pass rate on the American Dental Association licensure exam, the Integrated National Board Dental Exam, or INBDE. The D.M.D. Class of 2023 was the first to challenge the INBDE and the 100% pass rate is due, in large part, to several years of preparation within the college for the exam change. Previously the NBDE was taken in two parts and in anticipation of the implementation of the INBDE, the college revised the curriculum with feedback from senior exit interviews and alumni surveys. As part of the UF Academic Health Center, here are a few of the unique experiences available to our DMD students.

BS/DMD Program

The combination BS/DMD program allows the student to complete both the BS and DMD degrees in seven years instead of eight. Students submit applications at the conclusion of their freshman year at UF. Accepted students enroll in a carefully sequenced series of courses that meet both baccalaureate degree requirements and the College of Dentistry’s admissions requirements. The student completes three years of undergraduate work before transferring to the first year of dental school. The BS degree is awarded at the end of the first year of dental school.

DMD/PhD Program

The College of Dentistry offers an integrated dental and graduate research training program culminating in the awarding of both a DMD and a PhD in Biomedical Sciences. The combination DMD/PhD program is offered in collaboration with the College of Medicine Interdisciplinary Program in Biomedical Sciences and prepares students for a career in the dental academic setting using skills acquired in clinical practice and clinical education as well as basic or translational research.

Clinical Education and Patient Care

A cornerstone of UFCD's educational approach is hands-on clinical experience. In this center, dental students treat patients under faculty supervision. Patients appointments usually take longer since this is a dental student educational environment. Patients are selected through a screening process to ensure their needs meet the educational experiences for dental students. Residents, who have a dental degree and are specializing in an area of dentistry, practice with faculty supervision. Our expert faculty provide general and specialty oral health care in one location in a private practice setting for patients 14 years of age and older.

UF Statewide Network for Community Oral Health

In 1996, the college created the UF Statewide Network for Community Oral Health with locations throughout Florida. In addition to the UF-owned dental centers in Gainesville, Hialeah, Naples, St. Petersburg and Wildlight/Yulee, dental students and residents perform community rotations and provide care in affiliated dental centers as part of their education. These centers and organizations serve as community-based rotation sites for our academic programs and provide dental students and residents expanded clinical experiences with diverse patient populations. Creating partnerships between the college’s statewide dental centers and organizations with like-minded service initiatives plays a key role in serving those who need oral health attention most.

Unique Clinical Experiences

Putting Families First is a course designed to teach core values, such as community-based family health, health promotion and disease prevention, and teamwork in the context of home visits. Hospital Dentistry Rotation introduces students to the management of complex oral surgery patients. Patients evaluated and treated in the oral surgery clinic, UF Health Shands Hospital operating room, or UF Health Shands Hospital Emergency Department include those with a diagnosis of one of following: odontogenic infection, facial trauma, skeletal facial deformity, benign or malignant pathology, TMJ disorders and impacted teeth.

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Commitment to Special Needs Patients

In 2022, the college’s NCEF Pediatric Dental Center in Naples, with funding from the Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation and Henry Schein, created a new Special Needs Oral Health Promotion Center designed to create a sensory-adapted environment for children with who are neurodiverse. These patients have a separate entrance that brings them to a special waiting room with music, lights and furniture selected to calm patients and de-escalate anxiety related to dental visits.

Research Excellence

According to data from the Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research, which tracks all National Institutes of Health, or NIH, funding, the college has been in the top 10 every year since 2000, maintaining a broad research portfolio covering the entire translational spectrum, including research focused on educational structure and processes relating to D.M.D. dental schools for NIH funding to academic institutions and 3rd among private institutions.

Community Engagement and Outreach

The UF College of Dentistry has a presence throughout Florida via the UF Statewide Network for Community Oral Health, a combination of UF-owned dental and education centers, and affiliate partners such as county health departments, community health centers and private, not-for-profit organizations. During FY2022, our college completed more than 135,000 patient visits in college-owned clinics and, through the UF Statewide Network for Community Oral Health, delivered care for patients in all 67 counties across the state, many of whom would otherwise not be able to afford dental care.

Values and Culture

Student Affairs & Involvement nurtures a humanistic environment honoring the values of integrity, honesty, respect, fairness, cooperation and professionalism. Our college also has a major commitment to fostering a humanistic environment honoring the values of integrity, respect, fairness, cooperation and professionalism. One of our goals is ensuring that all of our learners are equipped with the cultural competencies that result in better outcomes for patient care through effective communication and mutual understanding.

Events

We hope to see you in Gainesville October 17-18 for this year's Dental Fall Weekend reunion, tailgate and Homecoming festivities vs. Mississippi State. at the Curtis M. Phillips Center for the Performing arts on the UF campus. No.

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