DDS Program

The UCLA School of Dentistry has consistently ranked one of the best dental schools in the nation for over 50 years. And our DDS curriculum has been designed to meet the needs of the modern dental practitioner. The curriculum offers innovative educational programs as well as an even wider range of professional development opportunities for students.

We strive to provide the next generation of oral health practitioners with not just the knowledge and skills to become leaders in their field, but the expertise to address and embrace the changing role of technologies in health care. To create a generation of forward-thinking professionals, a new unit was formed, Innovative Digital Dentistry Systems, with a mission to lead a digital transformation in dental education and oral health care through creativity, innovation, and research.

Our 4-year Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) program is distinguished by its academic excellence, world-renowned faculty, and diverse student body. Our graduates possess the preventive, diagnostic, and technical knowledge to provide comprehensive dental services in a variety of health care systems. Special attention is given to delivering care in a socially sensitive and responsible manner. Our graduates frequently become leaders in their communities and profession.

The length of the 4-year DDS program is 45 months, divided into twelve quarters of ten weeks plus three required nine-week summer sessions. There are 88 students enrolled in the first and second year classes with an additional 20 students enrolled in our two year Professional Program for International Dentists, included in the third and fourth year classes.

The foundational biomedical sciences and preclinical laboratory courses are taught primarily in the first two years of the curriculum with direct patient care beginning early in the second year. The clinical curriculum is competency-based, focusing on patient-centered, comprehensive care with additional clinical experience provided in the form of rotations to specialty and community clinics. In addition to our required curriculum, DDS students have abundant opportunities for individualized professional development through selective courses, and extracurricular experience in research, teaching, leadership, and community service.

With a goal of improving access to care, and introducing student dentists to the idea of a career in providing care to underserved populations, we created our Community-Based Clinical Education program. This required 8-week rotation exposes fourth year students to a variety of real world dental practice models among a diverse community of patients. By offering access to care at 12 affiliated community clinics, we have been able to double or triple the number of patients served while adding exponentially to our students’ clinical experiences.