Program Mission

The doctor of philosophy degree in Oral Health Sciences is a program of the Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studies, offered through the School of Dentistry.  The primary objective of this program is to train exceptional students to become leaders in academic research in oral health science.  Major areas of study include: developmental craniofacial biology, mineralized tissue biology and musculoskeletal disorders, oral and pharyngeal cancer, oral health disparities, oral infectious and immunologic diseases, oral sensory systems and central circuits, and tissue engineering and regeneration. 

Program Objective

The primary objective of the PhD Program in Oral Health Sciences is to train outstanding students to become advanced research scientists in their field of interest within the oral sciences.  This training will prepare dentist scientists who will be strong candidates for faculty positions in dental schools at major research universities.  The program emphasizes basic research on clinically important problems concerned with health maintenance or diseases of the oralfacial region.  A major goal is to provide students with insight into the biological, chemical and physical bases of problems related to oral health.  This is achieved through understanding the functional, structural and molecular properties of the oral region, and their interactions in maintaining the integrity of the oralfacial complex.