Graduate Program in Oral Health Sciences

The mission of the Graduate Program in Oral Health Sciences is to foster academic and creative research excellence in the field of Oral Health Sciences. Our program provides advanced interdisciplinary training for graduate students to enable them to become academic and research leaders in the dental and craniofacial sciences, and to contribute to improved understanding of human oral and systemic health and disease.

DEGREE PROGRAMS

  • PhD Program, Doctor of Philosophy degree is designed for students desiring extensive research training as well as in-depth course work in oral health sciences.
    PhD Program

    PhD Program

    Doctor of Philosophy degree is designed for students desiring extensive research training as well as in-depth course work in oral health sciences.

    Program Information
  • DDS/PhD Program, DDS/PhD combined training is available for students committed to an academic or research career. This is a minimum 8 year program and combines the DDS curriculum with studies directed toward a PhD in Oral Health Sciences.
    DDS/PhD Program

    DDS/PhD Program

    DDS/PhD combined training is available for students committed to an academic or research career. This is a minimum 8 year program and combines the DDS curriculum with studies directed toward a PhD in Oral Health Sciences.

    Program Information
  • MS Thesis Program-Suspended, Master of Science degree thesis program has been suspended.
    MS Thesis Program-Suspended

    MS Thesis Program-Suspended

    Master of Science degree thesis program has been suspended.

    Program Information
  • MS Dental Hygiene Program, Master of Science in Oral Health Sciences for Dental Hygienists is available for dental hygienists who seek careers as dental hygiene educators. This pathway emphasizes training in basic and applied dental science as well as a research experience. This program requires a capstone project but not a thesis.
    MS Dental Hygiene Program

    MS Dental Hygiene Program

    Master of Science in Oral Health Sciences for Dental Hygienists is available for dental hygienists who seek careers as dental hygiene educators. This pathway emphasizes training in basic and applied dental science as well as a research experience. This program requires a capstone project but not a thesis.

    Program Information

ADMISSIONS PROCESS

The application for Summer/Autumn 2024 enrollment has closed.

NOTE: Admissions is suspended for the MS Thesis degree until further notice.

The annual application deadline is January 15. Your graduate school application, including all required application materials, must be submitted by that date. Oral Health Sciences accepts applications for Summer or Autumn Quarter start.

Please contact the OHS Graduate Program with questions after reviewing the information below: ohsgrad@uw.edu

Apply

The Graduate School of the University of Washington is administratively responsible for admissions to graduate study. To apply to the Graduate Program in Oral Health Sciences, applicants must submit an application to the UW Graduate School as well as meet all requirements set forth by the Graduate School.    The nonrefundable application fee is $85.00 (USD). Unfortunately, applicants studying on F or J visas are not eligible for application fee waivers. You can find information on the Graduate School’s policies and procedures, along with a link to the on-line application, on their page Understanding the Admissions Process.

APPLY NOW

Application Fee Waivers

Information for underrepresented and minority applicants, including programming, resources and funding opportunities and can be found at the page Graduate School’s Equity & Justice in Graduate Education.

PhD, DDS/PhD

The MS Thesis degree program is currently suspended for admissions. OHS is not accepting applications for the MS Thesis for the foreseeable future. 

  • Applicants must have either a Bachelor’s in the life sciences (e.g. Microbiology or Biochemistry) or a professional degree from a Dental or Medical School (e.g. DDS, DMD, MD).  We seek applicants who show great promise of successful careers in research with an interest in teaching.  Our applicants typically have strong undergraduate records as well as previous laboratory experience and demonstrated skills in life sciences or public health research.
  • A minimum 3.0 grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) for the last graded 60 semester credits or 90 graded quarter credits
  • Demonstrated English Language proficiency for all Graduate School applicants whose native language is not English.

MS DH

  • Applicants must have either a Bachelor’s degree in dental hygiene from an accredited program or an Associate Degree in dental hygiene from an accredited program plus a Bachelor’s degree in any area
  • A minimum 3.0 grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) for the last two years of study
  • Demonstrated English Language proficiency for all Graduate School applicants whose native language is not English

All Degrees

The GRE and the submission of GRE scores is not required for admission.

Please review the UW Graduate School’s English Proficiency information regarding current English Language Proficiency admission policies.

Minimum English Language Proficiency scores required for OHS admissions are:

  • 7.0 on the IELTS
  • 92 on the TOEFL ibt

When requesting official TOEFL scores from the Education Testing Service, use institutional code 4854 for the University of Washington.

PhD, DDS/PhD

All applicants for the DDS/PhD combined training program need to apply for both programs for Summer Quarter start only. 

The MS Thesis degree program is currently suspended for admissions. OHS is not accepting applications for the MS Thesis at this time. 

  • UW Graduate School online application and fee
  • Three letters of recommendation.  We prefer that the letters of recommendation be from university teachers or your professional supervisors who know you well enough to provide us with an objective evaluation of your potential as a graduate student.  A good recommendation would include statements about your research abilities and any progress you have made towards research goals.
  • A 200-300 word Statement of Purpose reflecting your educational and professional objectives which includes a general area of research interests, academic goals, motivation, and background.
  • CV/resume
  • Unofficial transcripts from all universities attended
    • You will only need to submit official transcripts directly to the Graduate School if you are offered acceptance.  Instructions on how to submit will be provided on the Graduate Application after you have been offered admission and accepted.  Note that the Graduate School ONLY accepts official transcripts sent directly from your previous institution.
  • Proof of English language proficiency if English is not your native language
  • Optional: Personal History Statement.  Please provide a statement, no more than two pages in length, about your personal history, family background, and other influences on your intellectual development. The statement should address educational, cultural, and economic opportunities and disadvantages that you have experienced, and ways those experiences have affected the development of your special interests, career plans, and future goals. Please note that this is not an academic Statement of Purpose, but a personal statement that addresses your intellectual growth and development, both inclusive of and beyond your academic goals.

MS DH

  • UW Graduate School online application (upload all below documents to the online application) and fee
  • Three letters of recommendation
  • Statement of purpose
  • CV/Resume
  • Unofficial transcripts from all attended institutions.
    • You will only need to submit official transcripts directly to the Graduate School if you are offered acceptance.  Instructions on how to submit will be provided on the Graduate Application after you have been offered admission and accepted.  Note that the Graduate School ONLY accepts official transcripts sent directly from your previous institution.
  • Proof of English language proficiency if English is not your native language

*Please note that GRE test scores are not required for any degree program.

You are an international applicant if you are NOT a U.S. citizen, immigrant, or green card holder.  International students must have a visa status that allows for academic study at the University of Washington.  If accepted, all international applicants must show proof of financial ability.  This information will be provided on your graduate application after you have accepted the offer of admission.  Additional international applicant information can be found here.

Tuition

Please refer to the tuition and fee rate schedule for the most current tuition rates.

Graduate Fellowships and Assistantships

OHS most commonly employs three types of financial assistance for graduate students: research assistantships, T90/R90 traineeships and fellowships. OHS does not offer teaching assistantships, but OHS graduate students may apply to relevant TA positions outside of the department.

Research Assistantships

The RA appointment requires that you conduct research under the direction of a faculty member. This could include research planning, experiment setup and measurements, computational analysis, or theoretical analysis of a problem. The appointment typically requires that you work an average of 20 hours per week during the period of support. Students should meet regularly with your faculty supervisor to discuss progress and set goals. It is student’s responsibility to make satisfactory research progress.

Traineeships

T90/R90 NRSA traineeships may be available to students who are U.S. citizens/permanent residents (T90), or a non-U.S. citizen/permanent resident in pursuit of a PhD, who already holds a dental degree (R90).  The traineeships are competitive awards that generally do not require service (i.e., work) as part of the award. They are intended to fund your academic study and research. The T90 and R90 traineeships are offered by the federal government. After you receive a fellowship, remember it is your responsibility to ensure all requirements are met, such as enrollment or reporting to the funding agency.  OHS works with the SOD Office of Research in the administration of the training grant.

Fellowships

Fellowships are competitive awards that generally do not require service (i.e., work) as part of the award. They are intended to fund your academic study and research. Fellowships may be offered by department, the University, the federal government or private agencies. Every fellowship has different provisions, so take note of what is offered. Similar to the traineeship, remember it is your responsibility to ensure all requirements are met, such as enrollment or reporting to the funding agency.

Graduate Funding Resources

Additional Funding Sources

STUDENT PROFILES

Kimia Imani, MS

Kimia Imani, MS

DDS/PhD Student

What do you enjoy about being an OHS DDS/PhD student?  As a dual-degree student, I have the privilege to be mentored and supported by highly respected clinician-scientists who have made positive impacts on my intellectual and personal growth. Through this program, I can evolve my clinical and research skills to better connect with low-income and underserved communities, and to build a strong foundation for pursuing a career as an independently funded dentist-scientist.

What are you currently researching?  My research interests include low-income children and adolescents’ oral health disparities, the impact of special health care needs on dental care use, and most recently veterans’ unmet dental care needs. The goal of my current project is to create a comprehensive data set consisting of demographic and clinical oral health data from Everyone for Veterans (E4V), a non-profit organization that provides free dental care to low-income veterans who are ineligible for Veterans Affairs dental care, and to evaluate the association between veterans’ disability ratings and the complexity of dental treatments received in the program.

Anjali Patni, MS

PhD Student

What do you enjoy about being an OHS PhD student?  As a Ph.D. student, I relish the opportunity to work towards my career goal of contributing to the field of dental regenerative medicine. I find immense joy in delving deep into my research, using advanced techniques like single-cell RNA sequencing and CRISPR/Cas9 technology to study human tooth development. This pursuit of knowledge and the chance to create functional enamel layers for treating tooth loss and disease motivate and inspire me every day. The autonomy and independence that come with being a Ph.D. student allow me to focus on my passion, and collaborating with fellow researchers and experts fuels my enthusiasm to make a meaningful impact on dental health outcomes. The support and guidance from my advisors and mentors play a vital role in shaping my journey toward achieving my career goal. Overall, the sense of purpose and fulfillment I gain from being a Ph.D. student drives me to contribute to a field that has the potential to transform dental care and improve the lives of countless individuals.

What are you currently researching?  I am currently researching dental regenerative medicine, utilizing single-cell RNA sequencing and CRISPR/Cas9 technology to study human tooth development and create functional enamel layers to treat tooth loss and disease. Additionally, I am investigating the signaling factors crucial for the maturation of induced secretory ameloblasts (isAM) and exploring the underlying mechanisms of the congenital tooth disorder amelogenesis imperfecta (AI) using an Ameloblast (iAM) 3D organoid model. Through my comprehensive efforts, I aim to significantly advance our understanding of amelogenesis imperfecta and contribute to the development of innovative strategies for dental health improvement.

Anjali Patni, MS

CONTACT INFORMATION

ohsgrad@uw.edu

206-543-5477

 

Robert A. Cornell, PhD

Professor & Graduate Program Director

cornellr@uw.edu

206-616-6706