KORNBERG SCHOOL OF DENTISTRY

Learn more about the certificate in Dental Public Health.

About the Certificate

Dental public health is the science and art of preventing and controlling dental diseases and promoting oral health through organized community efforts. These community efforts include assessments of oral health status and need for care, the use of scientific knowledge to influence oral health policy, and diligence to ensure adequate services are available and provided to achieve community health goals.

Kornberg School of Dentistry's Dental Public Health Residency Program is accredited by the American Dental Association's Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) as of February 4, 2016. This certificate program adheres to the guidelines of the American Board of Dental Public Health (ABDPH). It is designed to allow dentists with the Master of Public Health (MPH) degree to complete the educational requirements for Board certification as a specialist in Dental Public Health.

The goal of the residency program in dental public health at Kornberg School of Dentistry is to provide the necessary educational preparation for dentists so they can:

• practice dental public health,
• take and pass the ABDPH examination and achieve Diplomate status, and
• design, conduct and lead dental public health research projects.

Time Limit for Certificate Completion: 1 year full-time; 3 years part-time

Campus Location: Health Sciences Center

Full-Time/Part-Time Status: This certificate program can be completed on a full- or part-time basis. NOTE: International students must enroll full time in the certificate program to be eligible to apply for a student visa based on admission to the certificate program. Please contact the Department of Oral Health Sciences' admissions advisor for more information.

Job Prospects: Graduates of the program promote oral health in various capacities working with countless community programs tackling an expansive range of dental public health issues.

Non-Matriculated Student Policy: Non-matriculated students may enroll in some courses with permission from the course instructor and approval from the Kornberg School of Dentistry's Office of Graduate Education.

Financing Opportunities: Limited financial support is available for dental residents.

Admission Requirements and Deadlines

Application Deadline:

Fall: September 1 to start the following year

APPLY ONLINE to this professional certificate program.

Applications are received on a rolling basis, but it is strongly recommended that all documents be submitted no later than September 1. Incomplete applications are not evaluated.

Two individuals are selected each year for full-time matriculation in the Dental Public Health Residency Program. Preference is given to academically accomplished candidates and those with demonstrable maturity in research, clinical care or service. Individuals with high GPAs and strong letters of recommendation are encouraged to apply. The admissions process ensures a fair, unbiased and nondiscriminatory admissions policy.

Letters of Reference:
Number Required: 3

From Whom: Letters of recommendation should be obtained from public health faculty and professionals.

Degree Required for Admission Consideration: Applicants must hold both:

• a DDS or DMD degree from a dental school accredited according to the standards of the American Dental Association's Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA), and
• an MPH degree from a U.S. or Canadian school of public health. Candidates with other master's degrees may submit an inquiry to the program director.

International applicants must verify that their training is equivalent to a CODA-accredited institution by using one of these foreign academic credentialing services: World Education Services or Education Credential Evaluators.

Statement of Goals: This personal statement includes your specific interest in Temple's DPH Residency program, your research and future career goals, and your previous academic and research achievements. The statement should not exceed 2,000 words.

Standardized Test Scores:
ADAT: Not required.

TOEFL iBT: 100 minimum required.

Transcripts and Credential Evaluation: Official transcripts from all colleges, universities and dental schools attended must be submitted. GPA and class rank should be identified.

Resume: Current resume or CV required.

Writing Sample: An academic paper written during the master's program must be submitted.

Acceptance: Resident selection is accomplished by the Dental Public Health (DPH) Program Committee. The Committee consists of the Program Director as Chair, two additional DPH faculty members, and one non-DPH faculty member from the College of Public Health. The committee members review every applicant’s folder and decide whether to grant an interview to the applicant based on the GPA in both dental school and the MPH program, previous public health education, letters of recommendation, and any other supplemental information.

Upon review of all completed applications, the DPH Program Committee extends invitations for interviews to those applicants under serious consideration for acceptance. Interviewees are required to visit Temple University for a personal interview, although being granted an interview does not guarantee admission into the program.

Certificate Requirements

Number of Credits Required: 32

Required Courses:

Course List

Code	Title	Credit Hours
Core Courses
DPHS 5089	Planning and Evaluation of Field Experience in Dental Public Health	5
DPHS 8001	Foundations of Dental Public Health	3
DPHS 8002	Administration in Dental Public Health	2
DPHS 8003	Epidemiology and Prevention of Oral Diseases	3
DPHS 8005	Provision and Financing of Dental Public Health	2
DPHS 8007	Analysis of Oral Dental Health Data (2 terms) 1	2
DPHS 8009	Applied Statistical Analysis of Oral Health Data	1
DPHS 9991	Research in Dental Public Health 1	11
Elective 2		3
Total Credit Hours		32

¹

Course can be repeated for additional credit.

²

The elective is expected to be taken outside of Dental Public Health Sciences at the 5000 level or higher. Suggested areas of study for the course are advanced biostatistics, communication management and research methods, effective organizational communication, epidemiology, health management and policy, leadership development, and management of productive working teams.

Contacts

Department Contacts: