Located at its San Francisco Campus, the University of the Pacific's Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry is the only dental school in the country that offers a 36-week dental hygiene program and an accelerated three-year doctor of dental surgery (DDS) program. Their 36-week bachelor of science in dental hygiene program offers the fundamentals of dentistry like biology, chemistry, anatomy and physiology while also giving students the chance to take electives in the arts. The accelerated DDS program teaches both business and medical skills while offering hands-on experience while still a student.
The University of California at San Francisco School of Dentistry's undergraduate school consists of four departments that offer pediatric dentistry, orthodontics, maxillofacial surgery and general practice. Hands-on dental experience is available to students on all levels through its 14 training clinics and free clinic for the homeless. Each school year, the school admits 80 new students to its four-year DDS degree program and 24 foreign students to its two-year international dentist program. The curriculum requires third and fourth year students to focus solely on clinical and practical methods.
Communications, behavioral studies and ethics are subjects woven into the diverse curriculum of UCSF's graduate and post-graduate programs. The master of science in oral and craniofacial sciences requires a minimum of one year and a maximum of three, offering certificates in pediatric dentistry, oral medicine, orthodontics and dental public health. The Ph.D in oral and craniofacial sciences is for students specifically pursuing careers in research or academic instruction.
In conjunction with the University of the Pacific's Arthur A. Dugoni Dental School, San Francisco State University's dental post-baccalaureate program annually offers 16 underprivileged students the chance to gain the skills and knowledge required to attend dental school at the graduate and post-graduate levels. The goal of the program is to match the dental provider and dental patient populations to increase the number of dentists practicing in oppressed areas. The program is intended for students with bachelor's degrees who have completed the prerequisite coursework for application to U.S. dental schools.