School of Dentistry

School of Dentistry
650 E. 25th Street
(816) 235-2100
Fax: (816) 235-2157
(816) 235-2080 (Admissions)
(800) 776-8652 (Toll-free admissions)
(816) 235-2050 (Division of Dental Hygiene)
dentistry@umkc.edu
http://dentistry.umkc.edu/

Dean:
Steven E. Haas

Associate Dean for Academic Affairs:
Mary Elizabeth Kaz

Director of Business Affairs:
Jeffrey L. Primos

Interim Associate Dean for Clinical Programs:
Lance W. Godley

Assistant Dean for Student Programs:
Richard H. Bigham

Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Programs:
Mary P. Walker

Mailing Address
University of Missouri-Kansas City
School of Dentistry
650 E. 25th St.
Kansas City, MO 64108-2784

Academic Standards

Academic/Student Support

Vision, Mission and Goal Statements

Information and History

General Information

All statements in this section are announcements of present policies, requirements (admission and academic progress), curricula, fees and services. They are subject to change at any time without prior notice. They are not to be regarded as offers to contract.

History

The UMKC School of Dentistry traces its roots to 1881, when the Kansas City Dental College was founded as a department of the Kansas City Medical College. In 1919 the Kansas City Dental College merged with Western Dental College to form the Kansas City Western Dental College. It became the School of Dentistry of the University of Kansas City in 1941. In 1963 the school became the School of Dentistry at UMKC.

Continuous and distinguished service for more than 135 years has established the School of Dentistry as an important institution in the region and throughout the nation.

Over the years, the school's educational standards and opportunities have increased as the school has consistently demonstrated its ability to educate well-qualified dentists and dental hygienists to contribute to the improvement of oral health. As an affirmation of this, the D.D.S., the graduate certificate programs: advanced education in general dentistry, periodontics, oral and maxillofacial surgery, endodontics, and orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics, and the B.S. in dental hygiene are fully accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association.

The school is situated on the Health Sciences Campus, where Truman Medical Center, Children's Mercy Hospital and the UMKC Schools of Medicine, Nursing and Health Studies, and Pharmacy are also located.

Degrees Offered

The School of Dentistry offers a four-year professional program leading to the doctor of dental surgery (D.D.S.) degree, and the bachelor of science degree in dental hygiene (B.S.). The School offers graduate programs leading to a master of science degree in oral and craniofacial sciences or in dental hygiene education (M.S.), and advanced education certificates in recognized dental clinical specialties.  In addition, the school participates in UMKC's Interdisciplinary Ph.D. program through the discipline of oral and craniofacial sciences. Please refer to the School of Graduate Studies section of the catalog for information on admission criteria and degree requirements for the Ph.D program.

Grading System

The grading and grade-point system used by all academic programs in the School of Dentistry is defined by the University. It is outlined in the General Graduate Academic Regulations and Information section of this catalog.

Incomplete Grades

Students may earn an incomplete grade (I) due to illness or other valid reasons beyond the student's control and has been unable to complete the work in a course. A student who receives an incomplete, and who subsequently does not elect to withdraw from the course, must complete the required work by a date specified by the instructor. Failure to complete required work by this date is cause for the incomplete to be changed to an F (failure without credit). This is exclusive of those courses that are considered directed individual studies, internships, special topics, practicums, and research and thesis courses.

An incomplete grade is appropriate when enough work in the course has been completed that the student can finish the remaining work without re-enrolling in the course in question or attending additional classes. Otherwise students should initiate withdrawal (but only with permission).

Students may not re-enroll in a course for which an incomplete remains on their records.

Facilities

Clinic

The dental and dental hygiene clinics have more than 280 operatories with separate areas for pediatric dentistry, oral surgery and radiology.  The clinic also contains an Innovation Clinic equipped with different operatory equipment provided by various dental manufacturers so students may practice on  various dental delivery systems.   Newer technology, such as electric handpieces, integrated ultrasonic units, Cerec acquisition and milling units, digital radiology (both plates and sensors), NOMAD units and axiUm (electronic patient record program) are available in the general clinic for use by students.  The school uses an evidence-based approach to the disposables and supplies used in the clinic and recently incorporated an innovative impression system and fabricating milled complete dentures appliances.

The school also offers to Advanced Education Programs in Periodontics, Orthodontics, Endodontics and General Dentistry as well as joint programs in Oral Surgery and Pediatric Dentistry.

Classrooms

Three large lecture halls and five smaller classrooms/seminar rooms. All lecture halls are equipped with networked computers and modern projection systems.

Laboratories

Two state of the art dental preclinical simulation facilities with fully equipped working stations and manikins; an anatomical model laboratory.

Health Science Library

The Health Sciences Library located within the School of Medicine and adjacent to the School of Dentistry supports the curricular, scholarly and research activities of the students, faculty and staff. Extending beyond the library walls through electronic resources are nearly three hundred online databases, over two hundred online journal titles specific to Dentistry and thousands of journals in related Health Sciences, Chemistry, and Engineering that pertain to dental research and practice. Housed within the library physical collection includes over four hundred journal titles and over seventeen thousand monographs.  All UMKC students have full access to each of the UMKC libraries as well as the opportunity to establish user accounts to the Linda Hall Library, the world’s foremost independent research library devoted to science, engineering and technology, located adjacent to the Volker campus.  

Study Commons

Located on the third floor of the School of Dentistry is a space allocated for students to gather and study. There are seating areas to accommodate varying study habits.. Twenty-eight computers are arranged in a computer lab available for hands-on training.

Community Affiliations

Teaching relationships exist with many area community health centers, area hospitals, including Children's Mercy Hospital, Saint Luke's Hospital, Truman Medical Center and other community organization such as University Academy. Dental student spend time providing care in the Kansas City metro area and at Community Health Centers around the state...

Miscellaneous

The school also supports a full-service Biomedical Communication Department that contributes significantly to its educational and administrative missions. The Health Sciences Bookstore supplies all textbook, and some supply needs of the student body; it is housed on the Health Sciences Campus.

Outreach Programs

In keeping with its goal of developing a sense of professional and societal responsibilities, and an awareness of community needs and problems in its students, the school offers numerous outreach opportunities. Dental and dental hygiene students provide oral health care in over 30 community-based health centers. The dental school also maintains affiliations with  groups invested in oral health promotion, including University Academy, Kansas City Free Health Clinic, Give Kids a Smile, Missouri and Kansas Missions of Mercy, and Students Take Action.

Research Programs

Research plays a prominent role in the School of Dentistry. The Interdisciplinary Ph.D. program, M.S. degree programs (Oral & Craniofacial Sciences and Dental Hygiene Education) as well as the advanced dental programs all have strong research components. The intent of these programs is to expose the student to basic and translational research, and clinical application. Research and the scientific method are formal parts of the educational program of all dental school students, contributing to their education, as well as serving to advance science and dentistry. There is significant external grant funding supporting the research efforts.  Many of the researchers who have obtained these grants serve as mentors for dental students participating in the Summer Scholars Program. In this selective program, a limited number of students participate in a nine-week research experience in the mentor's area of research interest and present their project results at a national meeting.