Doctor of Dental Medicine: Program Overview

The Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) degree is a four-year pre-doctoral program.

Each academic year consists of three semesters (Fall, Spring, and Summer) except for the fourth year (D4), which consists of only Fall and Spring semesters.

First Year (D1)

The first year of the DMD program, located on the main Yakima campus, is primarily biomedical and preclinical dental science coursework designed to prepare students to matriculate to one of the SDM’s community sites in the second year.

Second Year (D2)

Year 2 of the curriculum continues the basic and preclinical science training at one of our three clinical sites but includes approximately 40% time devoted to direct patient care activities.

Third Year (D3)

In year three, the students spend most of the academic schedule in direct patient care activities with some clinical courses and time for research. During all three years at the community-based clinics, students will engage in interprofessional education (IPE) activities with other health professionals and health professional students, including co-management of patients. There will be weekly Grand Round sessions where students will present cases to all health professionals at the clinical site.

Fourth Year (D4)

As with year three, most of the student’s academic schedule is spent in direct patient care activities with some clinical courses and research time. During the final year of the curriculum, D4 students will have the opportunity to take elective/selective courses of their choosing, which will allow them to enhance their learning in specific areas of dentistry. In addition, at any one time, half of the D4 class will be conducting external rotations at one of the school’s partner sites. These sites will include Indian Health Services clinics, other FQHC and community-based clinics, and rural private practices.

Advanced Standing or Dental Specialty Programs

We are not starting or offering any advanced standing or dental specialty programs. Individuals with dental degrees from a non-CODA accredited school can apply for our four-year DMD program.