History and Academic Programs:
- UCLA School of Dentistry established in 1964 to meet the need for a public dental school in the Los Angeles area
- First graduating class in 1968 with 28 DDS degrees awarded
- Student body demographics have changed over time, with equal representation of male and female students
- Organized into four academic divisions
- Offers a four-year DDS program with a curriculum that includes biomedical sciences and clinical rotations
- Offers a two-year advanced DDS program for foreign-trained dentists
- Offers 15 postgraduate training programs for U.S. and Canadian dental school graduates
- Offers MS and PhD programs in Oral Biology
Continuing Dental Education:
- Offers continuing dental education courses for alumni, local dentists, and dental professionals
- Courses range from implants and anesthesiology to oral surgery and pediatric dentistry
- Majority of courses held at the School of Dentistry, with some held in other locations
Patient Care and Dental Clinics:
- Operates two dental clinics: UCLA Dental Clinics in Westwood and Wilson-Jennings-Bloomfield UCLA Venice Dental Center
- Dental students, residents, and faculty provide care to patients
- Clinics serve both patient oral health needs and dental student/resident education and training
- Venice Dental Center focuses on treating underserved communities
- Three levels of care available: general clinic staffed by pre-doctoral students, residency clinics for advanced services, and faculty group dental practice
Specialized Services:
- Advanced Prosthodontics provides comprehensive dental care for complex cases
- Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery focuses on extractions and surgical procedures
- Hospital Dentistry offers advanced treatment for patients with severe medical, physical, or mental impairments
- Esthetic Dentistry focuses on appearance of teeth and gums, with limited periodontics and orthodontic treatment
- Orofacial Pain specializes in treating conditions such as tight muscle jaw and sleep apnea
Research:
- School of Dentistry has a strong research program
- Faculty received nearly $20 million in contracts and grants in the 2013-14 fiscal year
- Six research Centers of Excellence focusing on areas such as bioengineering and cancer biology
- Three research centers with central themes contribute to advancements in dental and oral health care.
The UCLA School of Dentistry is the dental school of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) located in the Center for Health Sciences building in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, United States. The school has several educational and training programs, conducts oral and dental health research, and offers affordable dental care at three locations: Westwood, Venice, and Inglewood. The school also participates in several outreach endeavors, including numerous health fairs during the year, STEM pipeline programs and provides dental care for underserved populations in the region. The School of Dentistry is considered among the nation's best research-intensive dental schools.
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| Motto | Fiat lux (Latin) |
|---|---|
Motto in English | "Let there be light" |
| Type | Public dental school |
| Established | 1964 |
Parent institution | University of California, Los Angeles |
| Dean | Paul Krebsbach |
| Students | 376 (predoctoral) |
| Location | , , United States 34°04′00″N 118°26′33″W / 34.06676°N 118.44248°W |
| Campus | Urban |
| Website | dentistry |
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In 2014 alone, new faculty grants and contracts awarded totaled nearly $20 million from the National Institutes of Health and other funding agencies. The school enrolls, on average, 88 doctoral candidates per year. Additionally, 20 foreign trained dentists are added to each class at the beginning of the third year. Accepted students have highly competitive grade point averages and dental admission test scores. Out of all 62 US dental schools for 2016, UCLA's average matriculant DAT score of 23 ranks second in the nation - behind Harvard and tied with Columbia. UCLA School of Dentistry's average GPA of 3.77 ranks second.
