Educating oral health care providers
Each year, approximately 120 dentists, eight dental therapists and 25 dental hygienists graduate from the School of Dentistry. Our students gain experience in a wide range of settings from rural to urban and learn to work effectively in a rigorous team-based environment.
School of Dentistry enrollment for the 2025 to 2026 academic year: Program for Advanced Standing Students (50), Advanced Education and Graduate Programs (86), Master of Science in Dental Hygiene (4), Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene (41), Master of Dental Therapy/Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene (25), Doctor of Dental Surgery (419)
Advanced disciplines and programs
The School of Dentistry is home to advanced education and graduate programs that prepare dental professionals for careers in practice, as well as advanced general dentistry, research, education and administration. We offer advanced education in seven ADA-recognized specialties:
- Endodontics
- Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
- Orthodontics
- TMD and Orofacial Pain
- Pediatric Dentistry
- Periodontology
- Prosthodontics
The graduate program in oral biology attracts students from dentistry and other fields interested in pursuing research in biomaterials, biomechanics, epithelial biology, microbiology, immunology, neuroscience, tissue engineering and related areas.
Continuing Education
Dental professionals across the region look to us to help them stay current on best practices, emerging research, new technology and regulations in a dynamic business climate.
Approximately 4,000 dental professionals participate annually in continuing dental education offered in online, hands-on clinical, lecture and workshop formats.
Driving groundbreaking research
Fueled by external grants, faculty are tackling a range of challenges from infectious diseases to the opioid epidemic to cancer to the increasing public health disparities in oral health. As a leading dental school located within a major health sciences university, our patients, students and faculty benefit from collaboration with a multitude of health professions and scientists from across the University and around the world. Our faculty partner with biomedical companies, manufacturers and health systems to test ideas and move discoveries to the marketplace.
Engaging alumni
The school’s alumni are an essential part of the community. Today an estimated 4,000 alumni are practicing dentists, dental hygienists and dental therapists in Minnesota. Our alumni are actively engaged in mentoring students and supporting them through scholarships.
Many of the school’s adjunct faculty are alumni who find that teaching part time enriches their own practices and life balance. An annual alumni weekend draws hundreds back to the school to rekindle friendships and network.
Delivering excellent clinical care
Each year our expert faculty, residents and students address more than 100,000 patient visits at our dental clinics on the Minneapolis campus, at 24 community-based clinics and in our mobile dental clinic. Because most are teaching clinics, our fees are lower than average while incorporating the latest research and patient care technologies.
