6 Best Dentistry Schools in California

In this article, you will get to know some of the dentistry schools in California to enroll your wards, their requirements, tuition, cost of accommodation, locations, and the scholarships available in each school.

A career path in dental studies is fulfilling, it opens a world of opportunities, dentists travel the world with international health organizations, work in hospital emergency rooms and private sectors, and in most cases educate future dentists.

What is Dentistry

This is a specialty in the field of medical studies. People who study dentistry are known and addressed as DENTISTS. They designate and treat diseases affecting the teeth and also help to prevent problems with the teeth.

what are the Specialties associated with dentistry?

The specialties associated with dentistry include

• Dental Public Health
• Orthodontics
• Periodontics
• Pediatric Dentistry
• Prosthodontics
• Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology
• Oral Pathology
• Endodontics
• Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

What is Dental Public Health?

This is an area of dentistry that deals with the evaluation of dental health needs and how to prevent oral diseases and promote oral health in the community.

What is Orthodontics?

This is the part of dentistry that deals with the positioning of teeth, they diagnose, prevent, manage, correct, and position mal-positioned teeth, jaws, and misaligned teeth patterns.

What is Periodontics?

This is a part of dentistry that deals with the treatment of gum, they diagnose, manage and treat diseases affecting the gum.

What is Pediatric Dentistry?

This is a part of dentistry that deals with the treatment and care of dental health in children and teenagers.

What is Prosthodontics?

This is a part of dentistry that deals with the replacement of missing teeth, prosthodontics treats complex dental and facial matters including the replacement of damaged or missing teeth with artificial teeth.

What is Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology?

This is the part of dentistry that deals with using X-Ray to examine, diagnose and treat diseases or problems affecting the head, face, neck, and jaw.

What is Oral Pathology?

This is a specialty in dentistry that deals with the study, diagnosis, and treatment of gums, teeth, glands, joints, skin, lips, muscles, and bones around the mouth.

What is Endodontics?

This is the part of dentistry that deals with diseases and injuries affecting the pulp of the tooth in other to save the teeth.

What is Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery?

This is the part of dentistry that deals with the treatment and correction of disease, injury, and defects of the face, jaws, and mouth using operation.

Dentistry Schools in California

Below is the list of the dentistry schools in California for both international and local students who wish to study and earn a degree in dentistry in California, the available scholarships, tuition, and requirements.

• UCSF School of Dentistry
• Loma Linda University School of Dentistry
• UCLA School of Dentistry
• University of Pacific Arthur
• Western University of Health Sciences College of Dental Medicine
• University of Southern California Heman Ostrow School of Dentistry

UCSF School of Dentistry

This school of dentistry was founded in 1881 as the dental school of the University of California, San Francisco, California, in United States. It is one of the best oral and craniofacial research establishments in the world accredited by the American Dental Association.

UCSF is the oldest dental school in California, Western United States, It is known for its outstanding records in the world, the school offers a Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS), Master’s degrees in oral and craniofacial sciences, and combined DDS-PhD-dental specialty training programs.

Choosing UCSF for your dental studies could be the best decision of your life as they are generally known for academic excellence in California and beyond.

What are the graduate programs offered at  UCSF School of Dentistry, San Fransisco, California?

• Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS).
• International Dentist Program (IDP).
• Doctor of Dental Surgery/ Master of Business Administration (DDS/IDP).
• Doctor of Dental Surgery/ Doctor of Philosophy (DDS/Ph.D.).
• Doctor of Philosophy in the oral and craniofacial program overview.
• Interprofessional Health Bac-Certification Program.

What are the post-graduate programs at UCSF School of Dentistry, San Francisco, California?

• Endodontics
• Orthodontics
• Dental Public Health
• General Practice Residency
• Oral Medicine
• Oral and maxillofacial Surgery
• Prosthodontics
• Periodontology
• Pediatric Dentistry
• UCSF/NYU Langone Health Advanced Education in General Dentistry.

UCSF School of Dentistry Tuition Fee:

• DDS: $11, 700 for California Residents and a total fee of $54,841.00 annually.
• DDS: $12,245 for Non-residents and a total of $67,086 annually.

Postgraduate Degrees Tuition

• $11,700 for California Residents and a total of $19, 906 annually.
• $15, 102 for Non-residents and a total of $35,008 annually.

Click here to view tuition fees for all programs.

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Loma Linda University School of Dentistry

Loma Linda is a private university owned and operated by the Seventh-day Adventist church and it is located in Loma Linda, California. It was established in 1905 as a university of health sciences which comprises eight schools and the school of dentistry is one of the schools in Loma Linda.

Other schools in Loma Linda include the school of Nursing, the School of Religion, the school 0f Pharmacy, the school of Behavioural Health, the School of Allied Health Professions, the School of Public Health, and the School of Medicine.

Programs/Degrees offered at Loma Linda University School of Dentistry

• Dental Hygiene (BS)
• Dentistry (DDS)
• International Dentist Program (DDS)
• Advanced Dental Education Programs

The advanced dental education programs they offer degrees and certifications for include endodontics, implant dentistry, orthodontics, pediatric dentistry, periodontics, oral and maxillofacial surgery, and prosthodontics.

Loma Linda University International Dentist Program gives trained dentists from other countries an opportunity to earn a Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) degree at Loma Linda.

Loma Linda Tuition fee: $25,000 – $105, 000. The tuition increases as you advance into higher levels.

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UCLA School of Dentistry

This is the dental school of the university of California, Los Angeles. The school is located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, United States and it was established in 1964.

This is one of the best dental research schools in California with three dental care centers in California, at Westwood, Venice, and Inglewood.

UCLA admits male and female students and the age limit is from 20-40 years of age, with a 22 average DAT score, and a 3.72 overall GPA. There are many degrees/specializations at UCLA school of dentistry.

What are the degrees/specialization at UCLA school of dentistry?

The degrees/specializations at UCLA school of dentistry include

A four-year dental degree at UCLA school of dentistry

This is a four-year doctor of dental surgery program for candidates who might have completed their DAT test and the formal application process. It is a 45-month program divided into 12 quarters and each quarter is 10 weeks long.

• A two-year dental degree (for foreign-trained dentists) at UCLA school of dentistry

UCLA offers a fully integrated, two-year advanced program for foreign students, and it is known as Professional Program for International Dentists (PPID). It is for students who want to obtain a DDS degree from a U.S-accredited dental school and it runs for a minimum of 25 consecutive months. Graduates are eligible to take the dental licensing examinations.

• Postgraduate training  (residency) programs at UCLA school of dentistry

This postgraduate training is for graduates of a U.S or Canadian dental school who wishes to pursue an advanced training certificate and it takes six years of study to complete.

The program is made up of 15 postgraduate training which include Advanced Education in General Dentistry (Venice/Westwood), Dental Anesthesiology, Advanced Prosthodontics, Endodontics, General Practice, Maxillofacial Prosthetics, Oral & Maxillofacial Radiology, Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery Internship, Orofacial Pain & Dysfunction, Orthodontics, Pediatric Dentistry (Westwood & Venice) and Periodontics.

• Advanced Clinical Training Programs (ACT) at UCLA school of dentistry

This program is meant for graduates of foreign and U.S dental schools and it comprises 9 different programs which include Orofacial Pain & Dysfunction, Orthodontics, Esthetic & Restorative, Endodontics, Orthodontics Advanced, Pediatric Dentistry, Restorative Dentistry, Surgical Implant, and Advanced Surgical Implant. It takes three years of intense learning to complete.

• Preceptorship Programs at UCLA school of dentistry

This program is for internationally trained dentists who want specialized postgraduate degree training. There are 15 programs offered in this program which include Advanced Implantology, Advanced Prosthodontics, AEGD Westwood, Esthetic & Restorative, Endodontics, Periodontics, Oral Biology, Hospital Dentistry, Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, Orofacial pain & Dysfunction, Orthodontics, Restorative Dentistry, Surgical Implant Dentistry, Pediatric Dentistry, and Orthodontics Advanced.

• Geriatric Dentistry Fellowship at UCLA school of dentistry

This is a two-year program that prepares and equips dentists with the necessary skills needed to treat geriatric patients.

To be eligible for this program applicants must have a dental school degree, and the dental school the applicant obtained the degree must be accredited by the local government jurisdiction, a minimum of two years work experience after graduation, or one year experience and one year of postdoctoral training.

• Graduate Programs at UCLA school of dentistry

UCLA school of dentistry offers two different graduate programs: a master of Science in Oral Biology and a Ph.D. in Oral Biology offered through the school’s division of oral biology and medicine.

Applicants must hold a degree in the biological and chemical sciences and a minimum of 3.0-grade point in the upper division in the bio and chemical sciences.

• Master’s degree in Oral Biology at UCLA school of dentistry

This program is open to foreign or U.S holders of DDS degrees who want to improve and advance their research experience. This is a two-year program.

• Ph.D. Degree in Oral Biology at UCLA school of dentistry

This program is available to dentists who are interested in becoming leaders in academic dentistry.

• Continuing dental education at UCLA school of dentistry

This program is an addition to the DDS, advanced training, and MS and Ph.D. degrees, and it’s mainly available to the school alumni, local dentists, and other dental-related professionals.

• Patient care and dental clinics at UCLA school of dentistry

There is a provision of clinics to help dental dentists and residents including supervising faculty members prepared to address the oral health needs of any patient.

• General clinic at UCLA school of dentistry

UCLA school of dentistry operates a general clinic where the pre-doctoral students treat patients at a lower and affordable price with a faculty member overseeing the treatment plan.

• Residency clinics

These clinics offer an advanced and specialized service administered by resident dentists who have successfully received a dental degree in the doctor of dental surgery,  doctor of medicine in dentistry, or any equivalent degree and are now in the postgraduate training program. The cost of residency clinics is higher than that of general clinics but b0th clinics are more affordable than a private sector clinic.

• Faculty Group Dental Practice at UCLA school of dentistry

This is where the school of dentistry full-time faculty members perform dental care on private patients, and the services offered are general dentistry and dental hygiene.  They also offer endodontics, prosthodontics, pediatric dentistry, periodontics, orthodontics, and oral and maxillofacial surgery as special services.

• Research at UCLA school of dentistry

There are three research centers at UCLA school of dentistry:

1. Weintraub center for reconstructive biotechnology works to improve the life of patients who have experienced the loss of facial or oral structures due to trauma, cancer, or birth defects.
2. Center for oral/head and neck oncology research that covers salivary diagnostics, nanomedicine solutions, and oral cancer therapists.
3. A clinical research center that coordinates and conducts the clinical investigational study.

• Public service activities at UCLA school of dentistry

UCLA school of dentistry carries out public service activities, they also participate in health fairs across the Southern California region in other to encourage students from underrepresented communities to develop an interest in the dental profession and health sciences.

• Health fairs at UCLA school of dentistry

UCLA started participating in health fairs in 1998 providing free dental care and oral hygiene instruction across entire Southern California.

University of Pacific Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry

This is the dental school of the University of the Pacific established in 1896, it is located in San Francisco, California, United States.

The academic degree programs they offer include Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS), International Dental Studies (IDS), Dental Hygiene, and pre-Dentistry.

The school also offers the following residency programs: Advanced Educational in General Dentistry, Advanced Education Program in Endodontology, Orthodontics, and International General Dentist Educator Program.

The dental admission test is an average score of 22 and an average overall GPA of 3.6.

Dental Services at University of the Pacific Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry

• Emergency Dental Care
• Children’s Dentistry
• Dental Hygiene
• Orthodontics
• Union City Dental Care Center

Specialties at the University of the Pacific Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry

• Care (HIV) Dental Services
• Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery
• Orofacial Disorders
• Endodontics Services
• Special Care/Hospital Dentistry
• Faculty Dental Service Group

Tuition fee: $121,750

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Western University of Health Sciences College of Dental Medicine

This school is highly committed to creating a nice academic environment for both local and international dentists by celebrating diversity and multicultural outlooks.

The school was established 45 years as a private medical school and health sciences university with its main campus located in Pomona California, United States.

Western University of health sciences offer only two dental programs: Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) and Doctor of Dental Medicine-International (DMD-IDP).

Annual Tuition fee:

• Doctor of Dental Medicine tuition is $79,705, it takes three years to complete, and the tuition fees remain the same for the three academic sessions for a period of 12 months.
• Doctor of Dental Medicine tuition is $32, 635 for the first year which will last for a period of 5 months, $130,541 for the second year for a period of 12 months and third year tuition is $97,906 for a period of 10 months.

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University of Southern California Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry

Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry is the dental school of the University of Southern California located in Los Angeles, California, United States, It was established in 1897.

Ostrow was accredited in 2016 by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) and this agency is highly recognized by the U.S Department of Education as an independent agency that reviews dental schools every seven years.

Ostrow offers the following degrees: Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS), Advanced Standing Program for International Dentists (DDS), Biomaterials and Digital Dentistry (MS), Biomedical Implants and Tissue Engineering (MS), Craniofacial Biology PhD program, and Post Graduate Education Certification Programs.

There is a provision for online studies at Ostrow and their online programs include

• Orofacial Pain and Oral Medicine (master of a science degree program).
• Orofacial Pain (certification program).
• Oral Pathology and Radiology (certification program).
• Geriatric Dentistry (master of science degree program/certification program).
• Pain Medicine (master of science degree program/certification program).
• Community Oral Health (master’s degree program/certification program).
• Professional Advancement Courses.

Ostrow Tuition fee: $108,324-$109,488.

Click here to learn more about the online programs.

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CONCLUSION

The schools above are the most recognized dentistry schools in California, United States. They offer quality education that helps young and advanced dentists secure a suitable position as a professional dentist anywhere in the world. Leave your comment in the comment section and feel free to recommend other schools not mentioned in the article, the schools must be recognized dentistry schools in California, United States.