Carol Dahlke teaching

Oral Health Educator Certificate Program

The Oral Health Education Certificate Program educates dental and dental hygiene educators with the contemporary knowledge and skills needed for effective didactic and clinical teaching.

Program at a Glance

32 weeks
Length of Program
4 courses
Taken online
Certificate
Earned upon program completion
Oral Health Certificate students
Oral Health Certificate students 2
Oral Health Certificate students 3

About Our Program

The Oral Health Educator Certificate program provides you with the knowledge and skills necessary to be an effective educator in the classroom and in the clinic. This program develops essential skills, while guiding learners in the exploration of contemporary educational methods, innovative teaching strategies and student assessment. Early-career and seasoned educators will enhance their understanding of dental education.

The certificate can be completed asynchronously over 32 weeks of curriculum, across four courses. Each course is eight weeks long, and courses can be taken individually or in sequence in pursuit of the certificate. 

This program is designed for faculty, lecturers and instructors engaged in dental and dental hygiene education and seeking to develop effective classroom and clinical teaching skills.

Who can apply?

Minimum requirement of bachelor's degree.

2024-2025 Academic cycle admission deadline: August 1, 2024

Course dates:

  • Clinical Teaching: August 26 - October 20, 2024
  • Didactic Teaching: October 21 - December 15, 2024
  • Assessment: January 6 - March 2, 2025
  • Instructional Strategies: March 3 - April 27, 2025

School of Dentistry professors on the Oral Health Educator Certificate Program

Brian Hatch, DDS

"The Oral Health Educator Certificate has given me all the tools I need to successfully transition from being a clinician to an educator. I can already see a noticeable difference in how I approach my students while teaching in both the clinical and classroom setting. I know I will benefit tremendously from this program, and more importantly, I know my students will too. I would highly recommend this program to anyone who is looking to enhance their career in academia.” - Brian Hatch, DDS - Clinical Associate Professor

“One of the biggest things I’ve gotten out of this course so far is an appreciation for the educational process itself. I never realized the amount of effort, thought and preparation it takes to make a course. Now I have a greater appreciation for all the things I’ve learned—and the people who’ve taught me!” - Kacie Woodis, DDS - Clinical Associate Professor

Take the Next Step

Apply to the Oral Health Program

Applications are submitted through the University of Minnesota Graduate School.

Get more information on requirements and the application process at grad.umn.edu/admissions

Learn more about applying

Students talk about a class

Learn all the specifics about the Oral Health Educator Certificate Program.

Program Information Sheet