Program Overview

Doctor of Dental Surgery (D.D.S.) Program

The Doctor of Dental Surgery (D.D.S.) program at the Indiana University School of Dentistry is designed to prepare students for a successful career in dentistry. As a student in this program, you will learn from world-renowned faculty and hone your patient-care skills in the state-of-the-art Fritts Clinical Care Center.

Program Overview

The D.D.S. program is four academic years (eight fall/spring semesters and four summer semesters) in length. You must complete 121 required courses consisting of 173.5 credit hours.

Learning Outcomes

As a graduate of the D.D.S. program, you will be competent in:

• Patient assessment, diagnosis, and referral
• Treatment planning
• Communicating and collaborating with individuals and groups to prevent oral disease and to promote oral and general health in the community
• Control of pain and anxiety, clinical pharmacology, and management of related problems, including prescribing practices and substance use disorders
• Prevention and management of dental and medical emergencies
• Detection, diagnosis, risk assessment, prevention, and management of dental caries
• Diagnosis and restoration of defective teeth to form, function, and esthetics
• Replacement of teeth, including fixed, removable, and dental implant prosthodontic therapies
• Diagnosis and management of periodontal disorders
• Prevention, diagnosis and management of pulpal and periradicular diseases
• Diagnosis and management of oral mucosal and osseous disorders
• Collecting and assessing diagnostic information to plan for and perform uncomplicated oral surgical procedures
• Recognizing and diagnosing malocclusion and space management needs
• Discerning and managing ethical issues and problems in dental practice
• Understanding and applying of the appropriate codes, rules, laws, and regulations that govern dental practice
• Behavioral patient management and interpersonal skills
• Understanding the fundamental elements of managing a dental practice
• Performing and supervising infection control procedures to prevent transmission of infectious diseases to patients, the dentist, the staff, and dental laboratory technicians
• Providing evidence-based patient care in which you access, critically evaluate, and communicate scientific and lay literature, incorporating efficacious procedures with consideration of patient needs and preferences
• Recognizing the role of lifelong learning and self-assessment to maintain competency

Admission Requirements

To be eligible to apply to the D.D.S. program, you must meet certain admission criteria, which include:

• Completion of 90 credit hours of coursework, 30 of which must be completed at a four-year college or university. Preference is given to those with undergraduate degrees
• Completion of all prerequisite coursework, including required courses in the biological sciences, chemistry, physics, the social sciences, and the humanities You also must meet certain minimum technical standards.

Costs and Financial Aid

Tuition for the D.D.S. program is billed at a flat rate based on residency. In addition, there are a number of mandatory fees charged by IU Indianapolis and the School of Dentistry. D.D.S. students are eligible for several forms of federal financial aid, including Direct Unsubsidized Loans, Direct PLUS Loans, Health Professions Student Loans, Loans for Disadvantaged Students, and National Health Service Corps scholarships and loan repayment. Another option is service-based scholarships, which cover tuition, fees, and a monthly stipend for students who agree to provide dentistry services to members of the U.S. military or in underserved areas of the U.S. or U.S. territories after graduation. In addition, the School of Dentistry offers a number of donor-funded scholarships.

Class Profile

The DDS Class of 2029 averages are as follows:

• Academic Average: 430-440 DAT Averages
• Total Science: 430-440 DAT Averages
• Reading Comp: 430 DAT Averages
• Average Age: 21.61
• Average Science GPA: 3.63
• Average Overall GPA: 3.70