Accredited by the American Dental Association (ADA) Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA), our progressive four-year curriculum is designed to prepare students to practice the science and art of dentistry while introducing the various aspects of specialty care.
The early curriculum focuses on preparing the student for the supervised delivery of dental care through our holistic approach of integrating the behavioral, biomedical, and clinical sciences. We believe that early clinical activities are essential for student development. As such, our students participate in clinical activities beginning with their first term. In addition, our biomedical science education is among the top in the nation. It is organized by organ system to better help students make the vital connection between biomedical science knowledge and clinical practice. Major time is devoted to the biomedical sciences with emphasis on integrating this knowledge into clinical care as well as the preclinical dentistry laboratory where students master the hands-on component of dental care.
As students progress, our curriculum focuses on preparation for the independent practice of dentistry through robust clinical experiences. Dental care is based on a comprehensive care model. This means that each student is responsible for treating the total needs of the patient, typically involving several disciplines. Emphasis is placed on appropriate treatment planning, noninvasive interventions where possible, and compassionate, person-centered care. We take pride in the quality of clinical work our dental students produce. By having all major dental specialties within the school and through our diverse and abundant patient population, our students are afforded a tremendous quality and variety of clinical experiences.
Our curriculum is continuously reviewed and courses and content change yearly to keep abreast of the ever-evolving field of dentistry. Major themes are woven throughout our four-year curriculum including principles of communication, ethics, evidence-based practice, special patient care, core dental delivery skills, and others. A synopsis of the curricular themes for each term can be found in our current course catalog found in our DMD Program Resources.
In addition to the D.M.D. degree, we offer several joint degree opportunities including our D.M.D./Ph.D. and D.M.D./M.B.A. programs.
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Interested in Research?
Are you interested in the academic side of dentistry? In about seven years, our innovative, integrated clinician-scientist training D.M.D./Ph.D. program will provide the academic coursework and opportunity for skills building needed for a career in academia and dentistry.
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Interested in the Business Side of Dentistry?
UAB's dual degree in dentistry and business administration provides additional business coursework and experiential opportunities for students who plan to pursue careers with both clinical and administrative responsibilities, perhaps opening their own practices.
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Are You a Foreign-Trained Dentist?
The International Dental Program (IDP) offers non-US trained dentists the opportunity to earn a D.M.D. degree from the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Dentistry. Following an intensive 6-month preparatory term, qualified students merge with traditional students to complete the final two years of the D.M.D. curriculum.
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Interested in practicing in a rural community? There are plenty of pros.
Small town life has many unique advantages. The local dentist is viewed as a pillar of the community, benefitting from stronger connections. They face less practice saturation and less competition, while incurring relatively low overhead costs. And they can develop a broad range of clinical skills by engaging in a wide variety of procedures. Small town dentists make a huge difference by being a big fish in a small pond.
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