Fourth Year

D4 students spend a lot of time in the clinic. The fourth year also consists of externships and remote area medical clinical service trips. Students will also have the opportunity to pursue Dental Specialty Minors during the fourth year, as well as taking elective classes as well The year concludes with students applying to residency, taking their regional state licensing exams, and finally, graduation!

The minors program is an option that allows fourth-year students to focus their course selections and gain additional clinical experience in specific areas of individual interest. The term "minor" is used to maintain a clear distinction from every graduate’s "major," which is general dentistry. Current minors include endodontics, fixed prosthodontics, oral diagnostic science, pediatric dentistry, and periodontics. Students admitted to one of these minors take a set program of clinical and didactic courses and work more closely with the faculty of a particular department. Interested students apply to participating departments at the end of the third year.

In the fourth year, the time devoted to clinical patient care is expanded. Fourth-year students spend five full days in the clinic each week, with classes and labs scheduled before clinic at 7:30 or 8:00 a.m. or after clinic at 4:00 p.m. Students remain in the operatories assigned for their use at the end of the second year. Fourth-year students provide all phases of dental care to between twenty-two and twenty-six patients. At this level, students take on the major responsibility for determining and meeting their patients’ treatment needs, and learn to examine, diagnose, and develop treatment plans; they also schedule care for their patients in an efficient and productive manner. The objective of this fourth-year clinical experience is to simulate private practice and facilitate the transition to the responsibilities of a licensed practitioner.

Continued rotations through local hospital dental clinics provide additional clinical experience. In the fourth year, the hospital experience is broadened and students have the opportunity to participate in rounds and clinical conferences.

Take a look at the tables below to view the curriculum for both fall and spring of the fourth year at UB Dental. Click the links below to view full course descriptions for each semester as well!