University of Colorado School of Dentistry

In addition to our nationally recognized DDS and dental hygiene programs, our post-doctoral programs are thriving. Our new orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics program enrolled its first class of residents in August and next years' class has already been selected. Our pediatric dentistry program (a collaborative program with The Children's Hospital) is doing very well and this year had one of its largest applicant pools in the program's history.
Consistent with our mission to increase access to education and care, in January 2005 the school will start an educational program targeted for a unique group of students. CU will join approximately a dozen other US dental schools, in establishing an international dental student program (ISP). The ISP will offer qualified graduates of foreign dental programs the opportunity to earn the Doctor of Dental Surgery degree in a 24-month program that has the same competency standards as the conventional dental program.
I am also happy to inform you that our research program has grown at an unprecedented rate in the past five years. Our research faculty recently moved into the state-of-the-art research building on the Fitzsimons Campus, Research Complex (RC) 1. We are in the process of recruiting some new scientists, and also intend to develop a comprehensive research track for DDS students to pursue.
On a service note, I am proud to say that the School of Dentistry continues to play an important role in serving the underserved in Colorado. The number of patients being treated at the School's Healthy Smiles Clinic (a collaborative program with The Children's Hospital) continues to climb. Additionally, through participation in the Advanced Clinical Training and Service Program (the ACTS Program), our dental students not only see an average of 8 patients each day, they provide the market equivalent of $3 million of uncompensated or discounted care each year to needy populations in Colorado.
So, please look closely at the University of Colorado School of Dentistry. We are a dental school on the move!
Warm regards,
Denise Kassebaum, DDS, MS
Interim Dean