The fourth year of the curriculum, “Readiness for Practice” highlights the emphasis on patient care throughout the year. Students are no longer engaged in required didactic courses but instead are available for patient care each day. Care is again provided in the multiple clinical areas available within the school as well as two weeks in an underserved area through the SCOPE II program. Students have opportunities to work as members of a health care team through interprofessional rotations in various outpatient facilities. Fourth-year students also have the opportunity to participate in selective courses of interest to them. The year ends with a capstone presentation, the senior case, which allows students to demonstrate competence in providing comprehensive care to a patient as they present their case to a faculty panel.
Fourth-Year Schedule
| Fall Term Courses | Credits |
|---|---|
| Professionalism and Ethics 10 | 1.0 |
| Successful Practice Management 4 | 3.0 |
| Simulated Patient Treatment | 1.5 |
| Full-Time Dental Medicine Study | 0.0 |
| Spring Term Courses | Credits |
|---|---|
| Professionalism and Ethics 11 | 1.0 |
| Successful Practice Management 5 | 3.0 |
| Senior Case Presentation | 2.0 |
| SCOPE 2 | 3.0 |
| Clinical Oral Diagnosis and Treatment Planning 2 | 2.0 |
| Clinical Dentistry for Patients with Special Health Care Needs 2 | 2.0 |
| Clinical Radiology | 3.0 |
| Clinical Emergency 2 | 2.0 |
| Clinical Endodontics 2 | 2.0 |
| Clinical Oral Surgery 2 | 2.0 |
| Clinical Pediatric Dentistry 2 | 3.0 |
| Clinical Periodontics 2 | 2.0 |
| Clinical Prosthodontics 2 | 4.0 |
| Clinical Implant Dentistry | 3.0 |
| Clinical Restorative Dentistry 2 | 2.0 |