Besides the state-of-the-art facilities, the Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry at University of the Pacific has one thing that sets it apart from other colleges. Located in San Francisco, it is the only dental school to offer a year-round accelerated dental program. That means that students can graduate with a Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) degree in three years instead of four. Therefore, students study for 36 months. Typically classes begin in July and include 10 weeks of study. Students receive either a one- or four-week vacation after an exam week.
Before you apply, make sure you meet undergraduate requirements. For instance, you must have at least one course in technical writing or composition, according to the Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry. Plus, you must fulfill one semester of biochemistry and chemistry or two semesters of organic chemistry.
University of the Pacific-Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry
2155 Webster Street
San Francisco, CA 94115
415-929-6425
dental.pacific.edu
A DDS degree from The Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC is synonymous with excellence, according to the university. The goal of its program is to prepare highly trained and committed dentists. Therefore, patient treatment is at the heart of the dental education students receive at USC.
The school also offers a program called Advanced Standing Program for International Dentists (ASPID) for dentists from outside the United States. The program lasts two years. The goal is to provide foreign dentists with clinical training and fundamental education. Approximately eight months of the curriculum is geared toward academics and technical procedures.
The Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC
925 W. 34th Street
Los Angeles, CA 90089
213-740-3124
dentistry.usc.edu
Located in the Pomona area, the Western University of Health Sciences offers students a patient-focused dental education. Thus, the program emphasizes early clinical training and service-learning opportunities. According to the College of Dental Medicine at Western, the classes are small with a low student-to-faculty ratio.
In the first two years of the program, students participate in classroom instruction, on-campus clinics and training in the community. Faculty members use traditional lectures, online modules, and seminars to teach students. In the last two years of the program, students spend time in clinical seminars and clinical research. In addition, students participate in clinical rotations where they are trained to provide basic dental treatments as well as specialized care such as oral surgery.
Western University of Health Sciences College of Dental Medicine
309 E. Second Street
Pomona, CA 91766
909-706-3492
prospective.westernu.edu/dentistry/welcome