The Creighton University School of Dentistry is the dental school of Creighton University. It is located in the city of Omaha, Nebraska. It was one of the first dental schools in the United States, having been established in 1905, and is widely known as the one of the top institutions in the nation.
Since Creighton University School of Dentistry does not offer residency positions in specialty programs, students are given the opportunity to perform advanced dental procedures including oral surgery, dental implants, etc. Creighton students are prepared to enter residency programs or dental practice, or continue with advanced degrees and specialty training. Approximately 25% of Creighton graduates in the School of Dentistry continue on to earn a specialty degree.
Creighton's students and faculty also provide dental care to underprivileged adults and children and volunteer hundreds of hours of service. These activities include Omaha's One World Community Health Center, "Give Kids a Smile" (dental education and dental services outreach for needy children), service in the Dominican Republic and the Special Olympics/Special Smiles Program.
Research
Research in the School of Dentistry has expanded over the last decade with growing extramural funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Agency for Health Care Research and Quality (AHRQ), and numerous foundations and international corporations. The school has active research programs in basic biological and material sciences, health services and translational and clinical trials. Extramural research funding totaled nearly $1.5 million for 2016-2017.
Dental students engage in research early in their academic careers, participating in research projects as part of courses requirement. They are also invited to participate in faculty research projects. Many students have presented research projects and results at regional, national and international meetings and have published findings in scientific journals.
The National Institute of Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) recognizes Creighton as being in the 30th percentile of the nation's dental schools for research funding, which demonstrates excellence and leadership in dental research.
The Creighton University School of Dentistry has international research partnerships with Nihon University, Department of Operative Dentistry, in Tokyo, Japan; and Shofu Corporation in Kyoto, Japan. Two faculty members from the School of Dentistry at Nihon University School of Dentistry have completed one-year research fellowships at Creighton and a third scholar is scheduled to start in July 2015. An industrial scholar from the Department of Research and development at Shofu Corporation has also completed a one-year fellowship. These academic and industrial fellowships have resulted in several research abstracts being presented at national and international research meeting and publications in peer-reviewed journals. The Creighton University School of Dentistry plans to encourage more research collaborations at the international level.
Faculty-driven research at the School of Dentistry ranges from basic sciences to clinical investigations, including a variety of materials and techniques with translational potential into clinical applications to provide better care to patients.
Departments
Creighton University School of Dentistry includes the following departments:
- Department of Community and Preventive Dentistry
- Department of Diagnostic Sciences
- Department of Dental Radiology
- Department of Oral Biology
- Department of General Dentistry
- Department of Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics
- Department of Fixed and Removable Prosthodontics
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
- Department of Endodontics
- Department of Periodontics
Accreditation
Creighton University School of Dentistry is currently accredited by the American Dental Association (ADA).
Admissions
The purpose of the School of Dentistry is to educate students who can demonstrate the attainment of competence and the progression toward proficiency in providing for the oral health needs of society. This education is designed to be comprehensive in nature and to challenge students to reflect on transcendent values as well as instill caring, ethical, and moral components in their professional lives. This educational experience will enable the students to manage with confidence all phases of comprehensive dental care. It will also prepare the students to evaluate and implement new knowledge and to accept their responsibility of service to one's community and profession.
The School of Dentistry accepts an average of 85 students per year, with several thousand applicants from around the United States applying each year.
Location
The School of Dentistry is located near downtown Omaha. It is set off to the edge of the main Creighton University campus, making it easily accessible to offsite housing as well as campus amenities. Students especially appreciate Omaha's relatively low cost of living, which is as much as 12 percent below the national average for a wide range of goods and services.
Media
The Creighton School of Dentistry was featured on several websites for the music video "Wax it Fresh and Carve it Smooth" created by Creighton dental students.
See also
- American Student Dental Association