The School of Dental Medicine Department of Oral and Craniofacial Sciences offers basic and translational studies addressing fundamental biological phenomena related to the development, structure, and function of the craniofacial region and the development of new therapies, biomaterials, and diagnostic tools for the treatment of diseases and disorders in the craniofacial area.
The PhD and MS programs in Oral and Craniofacial Sciences are independent degrees from Pitt Dental Medicine's DMD Program. Students accepted to both the DMD and an Oral and Craniofacial Sciences Graduate Program will pursue the programs sequentially—one after the other—not concurrently.
Applicants to the DMD Program interested in either of the Oral and Craniofacial Sciences Graduate Programs should indicate their interest in applying to the PhD or MS program on their dental application and provide an essay explaining their reasons for applying to the program. Once accepted into the Oral and Craniofacial Sciences Graduate Program, each student will develop an individual study plan in consultation with the Graduate Program Directors, the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, and their primary mentor. Please note: the DMD and Oral and Craniofacial Sciences Graduate Programs are not undertaken simultaneously; if admitted to both, students will complete one program before beginning the other.
Students in the Oral and Craniofacial Sciences Program may earn a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) or Master of Science (MS) degree within one of two research concentrations:
- Craniofacial and Dental Genetics
- Craniofacial Tissue Regeneration
Students will experience both concentrations in the program curriculum, which includes three courses with DMD students, and work with faculty in the Department of Oral and Craniofacial Sciences on research in one of these concentrations.
Learn more about the Oral & Craniofacial Sciences Academic Program.
Student applicants to the School of Dental Medicine DMD Program with an interest in the Oral and Craniofacial Sciences Graduate Programs, should indicate their interest in applying to either the PhD or MS program on their dental application and provide an essay explaining their reasons for applying.
Once accepted into the Oral and Craniofacial Sciences Graduate Program, each student will develop an individual study plan in consultation with the academic program directors. After successfully completing the first three years of the PhD program, students transfer to the four-year predoctoral program. The student can apply for advanced standing status in the Oral and Craniofacial Sciences Academic Program and transfer up to 6 credits from their dental curriculum as described in The Regulations Governing Graduate Study at the University of Pittsburgh.