For four and one-half days a week, groups of 16 to 18 students rotate through these specialty areas for five-week periods, developing diagnostic and surgical skills and applying the theoretical knowledge acquired in their course work. At the end of the third year, students have developed skills in every area of dentistry and are prepared to work more independently during the fourth year of training. Emphasis is placed on reinforcing high ethical standards and developing good surgical practices.
Fourth-year dental students are involved in the delivery of comprehensive dental care in an environment that simulates conditions in private dental practice. For a ten-week community dentistry experience, students are exposed to various health programs that include hospitals, nursing homes, and the Special Patient Care Clinics.
Participation in special national and international programs is possible. Students may choose to participate in the Colorado Migrant Worker Program, Indian Health Service Program, or a Foreign Dental School Exchange Program. For those interested in international practice, it is possible to participate in exchange programs with dental schools in Denmark, England, or the Netherlands.
The Department of Family Dentistry plays a major role in the senior dental student's final integration of academic experience. The primary goal is to combine previously learned clinical skills into a well-organized and systematic approach to the comprehensive dental treatment of patients. The experience encompasses approximately three-fourths of the fourth year.
Students spend five days a week in a clinical setting where they gain experience in total patient management and care. Their course work builds on their previous education. All areas of clinical and didactic instruction, patient awareness, and sensitivity to patients' needs are stressed.
Practice management courses help students to choose where to locate their practices as well as manage the business aspects of a dental office.
Options open to today's dentist include independent private practice, group practice, and participation in a comprehensive health care facility. About one out of every ten dentists holds a salaried position in education, research, public health, or military dentistry.
Part II of the National Dental Board Examination usually is taken in December of the senior year. It covers operative dentistry, pharmacology, prosthodontics, oral and maxillofacial surgery/pain control, orthodontics/pediatric dentistry, oral pathology and dental radiology, and endodontics/periodontics.The University is a site for the Central Regional Dental Testing Service, which conducts the clinical examination taken at graduation for licensure.