Great Things at UDM

Great Things at the School of Dentistry

Dental School Celebrates 75th Anniversary

UDM’s School of Dentistry celebrates its 75th anniversary this academic year. The School has awarded degrees or certificates to approximately 4,500 dentists, 1,865 dental hygienists with 350 postgraduate students receiving specialty certificates or master’s degrees. The School also serves more than 15,000 patients in its clinics and outreach programs each year.

Successful Accreditation Visit

Following a successful accreditation visit this year from the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association, UDM received 13 commendations in the Commission’s initial report.

Dental School to Move to New Facility

In January 2008, the School of Dentistry will relocate to 2700 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard near downtown Detroit. The 12-acre site increases the School’s facility space from 125,000 square feet to 261,000 square feet, and is close to area freeways. The site has ample parking and is served by the city bus system. The state-of-the-art facility will contain 190 patient operatories, digital radiography units, a simulation laboratory with 100 stations, food services, dental library and multiple classrooms with multimedia capabilities.

System Moves School Closer to Paperless Record Keeping

Axium, a clinic management software system, was implemented this summer at the School of Dentistry to improve the management of clinical, academic, and financial information and to allow for the integration of digital imaging and electronic claims processing, which will benefit students, faculty, staff and patients.

Cone Beam Tomography

A cone beam tomography unit was recently installed in the School of Dentistry Radiology Clinic. This machine is designed specifically for imaging the maxillofacial complex and adjacent structures. It is capable of assessing potential implant sites, depicting the bony components of the tempromandibular joint and aiding in the diagnosis of other abnormalities that are invisible or difficult to identify on conventional X-rays.

Tablet PC Utilization

The School of Dentistry continues to enhance the use of technology in the classroom and clinic setting. All dental and dental hygiene students lease and use a Tablet PC throughout their educational programs. In the classroom, students download lectures from course web sites and write notes directly on Powerpoint presentations. In the clinic, students access patient education and clinic information utilizing the Tablets. Clinical faculty also use the Tablets to document evaluation of student activity. Other uses include more efficient access to e-mail, Blackboard (a system allowing course directors to post course syllabi, assignments, quizzes and announcements), and completing course and faculty evaluations.

Endodontic Searchable Web Site

The Department of Endodontics has developed the web site, Evidencebasedendo.com, as a resource for an evidence-based literature database available to the entire dental community to help justify historical and current endodontic (root canal) treatment decisions.

Dental Hygiene Program

UDM's Dental Hygiene students consistently rank well above the national average in passing the National Board and state licensing examinations on the first attempt. The dental hygiene curriculum includes seven classes that are combined with dental students providing an opportunity for future dental hygienists and dentists to begin developing a team approach to practice.