Program Requirements

General Program Requirements:
Number of Credits Required Beyond the Baccalaureate, BDS, DDS or DMD: 40
Number of Credits Required Beyond Successful Completion of Kornberg School of Dentistry's Post-Baccalaureate Program (PBP): 25, with MS coursework beginning within 12 months of completing the Kornberg PBP

Required Courses:

Core Courses
OHSC 8011Molecular Oral and Craniofacial Biology1
OHSC 8012Advanced Dental Pharmacology and Therapeutics1
OHSC 8013Introduction to Evidence-Based Dentistry1
OHSC 8014Clinical Anatomy of the Head and Neck1
OHSC 8015Research Methodology and Study Design1
OHSC 8016Cases in Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology 11
or OHSC 8056 Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology for Non-Clinicians
OHSC 8017Oral Microbiology and Immunology1
OHSC 8018Biostatistics1
OHSC 8019Advanced Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology 21
or OHSC 8059 Oral Radiology for Non-Clinicians
OHSC 8033Bioethics and Critical Thinking in Dentistry1
Electives 324
Research Courses
OHSC 9991Research in Oral Health Sciences4
OHSC 9993Master's Research Qualifying Examination1
OHSC 9996Master's Thesis in Oral Health Sciences1
Total Credit Hours40
1

Students in the Clinical Specialty and Clinical Internship Tracks register for OHSC 8016. Students in the Non-Clinical Internship Track register for OHSC 8056.

2

Students in the Clinical Specialty and Clinical Internship Tracks register for OHSC 8019. Students in the Non-Clinical Internship Track register for OHSC 8059.

3

Students in the Clinical Specialty Track earn the additional 24 credits from coursework completed in their respective specialized area of study while enrolled in a CODA-accredited advanced training certificate program. Students in the Clinical Internship Track and the Non-Clinical Internship Track select their additional 24 credits from the electives identified below. Alternately, with the approval of the program course director, elective courses in closely related graduate programs may be selected as electives by students in the Clinical Internship and Non-Clinical Internship Tracks.

Approved Electives for the Clinical Internship Track Grouped by Subject Area

Dental Public Health Sciences
DPHS 8001Foundations of Dental Public Health3
DPHS 8002Administration in Dental Public Health2
DPHS 8003Epidemiology and Prevention of Oral Diseases3
DPHS 8004The Role of Behavioral Science in Dental Public Health1
DPHS 8005Provision and Financing of Dental Public Health2
Endodontology
ENDG 8112Pulp Biology2
ENDG 8113Periapical Biology2
ENDG 8123Endodontic Methods and Materials I2
ENDG 8124Endodontic Methods and Materials II2
ENDG 8131Endodontic Topics I2
Oral Biology
ORBG 8021Microbiome3
ORBG 8022Microbiome Techniques2
ORBG 8023Craniofacial Bone Biology and Maxillofacial/Dental Orthopedic Care2
ORBG 8024Regeneration of Bone and Dental Hard Tissues1
ORBG 8028Basic and Advanced Statistical Methods3
ORBG 8029Behavioral Change Theories and Practice2
ORBG 8031Biomaterials2
ORBG 8035Introduction to Orthodontics2
ORBG 8036Molecular Technology for Translation to the Dental Clinic2
ORBG 8037Science of Taste Sensation and Relation with Oral Conditions1
ORBG 8038Inflammation and Oral Disease2
Oral Health Sciences
OHSC 8021Application of Artificial Intelligence for Dental Research and Patient Care I1.0
OHSC 8022Application of Artificial Intelligence for Dental Research and Patient Care II1.0
OHSC 8023Application of Artificial Intelligence for Dental Research and Patient Care III1.0
OHSC 8041Evidence-Based Health Care2
OHSC 8111Endodontology Clinical Rotation2
OHSC 8112General Dentistry Clinical Rotation2
OHSC 8113Oral Surgery Clinical Rotation2
OHSC 8114Orthodontics Clinical Rotation2
OHSC 8115Pediatric Dentistry Clinical Rotation2
OHSC 8116Periodontology Clinical Rotation2
OHSC 8150Fundamentals of General Dentistry1
OHSC 8151Advanced General Dentistry2
OHSC 8152General Dentistry Literature Review1
OHSC 8153General Dentistry Implant Literature Review1
OHSC 8250Periodontology and Prosthodontic Treatment Planning.5
OHSC 8350Interdisciplinary Treatment Planning1
Orthodontics
ORTG 8404Orthodontic Biomechanics2
ORTG 8407History of Orthodontics1
ORTG 8408Craniofacial Cephalometrics3
ORTG 8414Growth and Development of the Craniofacial Complex2
ORTG 8416Clinical Biomechanics1
ORTG 8419Orthodontic Principles and Techniques1-4
ORTG 8424Biology of Tooth Movement2
Periodontology
PERG 8301Introduction to Postgraduate Periodontology2
PERG 8306Introduction to Oral Implantology1
PERG 8310Classic Periodontal Literature Review2
PERG 8313Conscious Sedation2
PERG 8320Current Periodontal Literature Review1
PERG 8340Oral Implantology Literature Review2
College of Public Health Coursework
EPBI 5002Biostatistics3
EPBI 5101Fundamentals of Epidemiology3
EPBI 5201Epidemiological Research Methods I3
EPBI 8201Structural Equation Modeling3
EPBI 8204Multilevel Modeling in Interdisciplinary Research3
HIM 5101Fundamentals of Health Informatics3
HRPR 8001Introduction to Health Outcomes Measurement Science3

Approved Electives for the Non-Clinical Internship Track Grouped by Subject Area

Dental Public Health Sciences
DPHS 8001Foundations of Dental Public Health3
DPHS 8002Administration in Dental Public Health2
DPHS 8003Epidemiology and Prevention of Oral Diseases3
DPHS 8004The Role of Behavioral Science in Dental Public Health1
DPHS 8005Provision and Financing of Dental Public Health2
Endodontology
ENDG 8131Endodontic Topics I2
Oral Biology
ORBG 5005Dental Anatomy1
ORBG 8021Microbiome3
ORBG 8022Microbiome Techniques2
ORBG 8023Craniofacial Bone Biology and Maxillofacial/Dental Orthopedic Care2
ORBG 8024Regeneration of Bone and Dental Hard Tissues1
ORBG 8028Basic and Advanced Statistical Methods3
ORBG 8029Behavioral Change Theories and Practice2
ORBG 8031Biomaterials2
ORBG 8035Introduction to Orthodontics2
ORBG 8036Molecular Technology for Translation to the Dental Clinic2
ORBG 8037Science of Taste Sensation and Relation with Oral Conditions1
ORBG 8038Inflammation and Oral Disease2
Oral Health Sciences
OHSC 8022Application of Artificial Intelligence for Dental Research and Patient Care II1.0
OHSC 8023Application of Artificial Intelligence for Dental Research and Patient Care III1.0
OHSC 8041Evidence-Based Health Care2
Orthodontics
ORTG 8407History of Orthodontics1
ORTG 8414Growth and Development of the Craniofacial Complex2
Periodontology
PERG 8340Oral Implantology Literature Review2
College of Public Health Coursework
EPBI 5002Biostatistics3
EPBI 5101Fundamentals of Epidemiology3
EPBI 5201Epidemiological Research Methods I3
EPBI 8201Structural Equation Modeling3
EPBI 8204Multilevel Modeling in Interdisciplinary Research3
HIM 5101Fundamentals of Health Informatics3
HRPR 8001Introduction to Health Outcomes Measurement Science3

Culminating Events:
Qualifying Exam Presentation:
Prior to commencing the master's project, the student’s Master's Advisory Committee (MAC) must formally accept the project plan. All students must establish a MAC for their scholarly activity, which reviews and approves the student’s proposed master's protocol and monitors the student’s progress. The committee should consist of a primary faculty research mentor who serves as committee chair, another faculty member who has expertise in the area of research, and a third faculty member from another department who may have expertise in the area to be studied.

The primary research mentor must be a member of the Temple University graduate faculty and approved by the Chair of the student's home academic department at the Kornberg School of Dentistry or the Assistant Dean for Advanced Clinical Education. The MAC must include members of at least two different departments at the Kornberg School of Dentistry, one of which must be the academic department representing the student’s area of research. MAC members may include experts from outside of Temple University. In addition, the Assistant Dean for Advanced Clinical Education may serve as an ex-officio member of the committee. The majority of members of the MAC must be members of the graduate faculty. The committee has responsibility for submitting grades for OHSC 9991 Research in Oral Health Sciences, OHSC 9993 Master's Research Qualifying Examination, and OHSC 9996 Master's Thesis in Oral Health Sciences.

The comprehensive project plan is reviewed by members of the student’s MAC and is then presented by the student in a qualifying exam presentation to demonstrate appropriate understanding of the project. This proposal contains an introduction, theories, hypotheses, scholarly literature review, research methods, proposed alternatives and any other issues relevant to the project.

Master's Research Project:
All students, regardless of their chosen track, complete a scholarly work acceptable to their MAC. The thesis may be an original research investigation, a self-directed capstone project, or a systematic review:

  1. The original research investigation demonstrates the student's ability to design and carry out original research, and to analyze, interpret and present the resulting data under the supervision of an approved research mentor. The thesis must address a well-focused, scientifically meaningful question and a hypothesis that is of adequate scope and significance to qualify for an MS degree.
  2. The self-directed capstone project results from the student's applying what has been learned throughout the course of graduate study in the examination of a specific idea. Successful projects are those that have added to the technological and practical advancements involved in the oral health sciences field. Capstone projects identify, define and research a pertinent problem or opportunity in a real-world setting and develop the means to address it. The findings and end product should be something that can be readily implemented and used.
  3. A systematic review summarizes the results of available, carefully designed healthcare studies (controlled trials) and provides a high level of evidence on the effectiveness of healthcare interventions. Judgments may be made about the evidence and inform recommendations for healthcare. These reviews are complicated and depend largely on the available clinical trials, the quality of the trials conducted, and the health outcomes that were measured. Review authors pool numerical data about the effects of the treatment through the process of meta-analyses. Authors then assess the evidence for any benefits or harms from those treatments. In this way, systematic reviews are able to summarize the existing clinical research on a topic.

Each project is unique to the student’s program and, therefore, the student must continuously consult with their MAC to ensure that their project is proceeding in a timely manner and is consistent with the qualifying exam presentation. When appropriate, a written manuscript must be submitted and orally defended to the student’s MAC. The master's candidate is then invited by their MAC to give a formal presentation of their project that shall be announced and open to the faculty of the Kornberg School of Dentistry. The date and location are arranged by mutual agreement between the candidate and the MAC. The presentation must meet standards outlined by the MAC regarding foundation, organization, relevance and practicality of results.