Admissions Policy
The admissions policy of UTSD includes a wide variety of criteria, including qualitative and quantitative information, in evaluating applicants individually and making decisions on acceptance into the D.D.S. degree program. The admissions processes for the undergraduate Dental Hygiene certificate, Baccalaureate (B.S.), degree-completion programs, Master of Science in Dental Hygiene (MSDH), and graduate Advanced Education Programs utilize a mix of cognitive and non-cognitive consideration factors that are similar to the Dental Education Program. The Dental Admissions Committee gives individual consideration to applicants. The Admissions Committee considers the application in its entirety and gives importance to the following factors:
- Intellectual capacity, based on consideration of undergraduate and graduate records; academic progression/regression; standardized test scores; academic awards and honors; a history of research accomplishments; degree of difficulty of the undergraduate educational program; pre-professional evaluations; personal interview; and any other data submitted.
- Interpersonal and communication skills, based on consideration of community or charitable service, extracurricular activities and organizations, leadership positions, employment history, recognition for humanitarian service, awareness and direct knowledge of cultural elements as they may have an impact on healthcare, expression of future goals in the written essay; statements made on the application or in the personal interview; and any other relevant considerations the student’s pre-professional advisors may present;
- Knowledge of the profession, based on consideration of an understanding of factors that have an impact on access to care, along with the social and financial implications; consideration of the impact of lifelong learning; and demonstrated significant effort in seeking knowledge regarding the practice of dentistry or participation in oral health promotion activities.
- Potential for service to the State of Texas, based on consideration of the applicant’s goals for the future; size and location of hometown and whether the applicant resides in a Health Professions Shortage Area; potential for future provision of health services to underserved areas or needed specialties; race/ethnicity as it relates to service to underserved and underrepresented populations; linguistic skills appropriate to the Health Professions Shortage Area the applicant wishes to serve;
- Motivation, based on consideration of success in overcoming adverse personal, economic, or educational conditions; employment during undergraduate education; participation in activities requiring time management skills; experience in health-related activities; and heavier than normal academic course loads (≥ 18 hours/semester).
- Integrity, based on consideration of professional evaluations; any academic integrity violation; commission of a crime; any other relevant background relating either positively or negatively to the applicant’s standard of integrity; and
- Essential skills, based on consideration of psychomotor skills (fine motor dexterity and coordination) and observational skills (vision, hearing, and tactile abilities) sufficient to master the clinical procedures essential to treating oral disease, with or without reasonable accommodation.
An interview is required before the Dental Admissions Committee will make a final determination regarding any applicant. Interviews are arranged by invitation only and are conducted both for the Committee's informational purposes and to provide the applicant with information about dentistry and the School of Dentistry program. The interview is a substantive step in the admissions process and will be used to investigate the criteria noted above further. An Admissions Committee member or designee conducts all interviews. The interviewing committee member scores interview candidates, which further contributes to the overall evaluation of the applicant.
The selection of the entering class is based upon the total evaluation conducted by the Dental Admissions Committee incorporating the criteria listed above.
Attendance
Purpose
UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry has a standard policy for student attendance in the Dentistry and Dental Hygiene programs. These policies are provided to students in the Student Guide to Academic Studies and summarized in each course syllabus. Attendance is a component of professionalism that all at UTSD are expected to model.
Attendance Expectations
Students are required to attend all scheduled sessions in each course. Student attendance at scheduled classes, small group sessions, lab sessions, preclinical labs, intramural clinics and rotations, extramural clinics and rotations, and official School or University required functions is MANDATORY.
- Absence in excess of 10% of the total clock hours in any course will result in a final grade deduction of at least one letter grade for that course.
Students not present when attendance is taken will be considered absent. Each department will determine general policy for monitoring and tracking attendance in assigned courses. At the discretion of Course Directors, attendance may be part of the course grading rubric for that particular course.
Attendance During Final Exam Week
Students should refrain from making any travel plans prior to 5:00 pm on Friday of Final Exam Week. While the exam schedule may not show all scheduled exams, remediation exams may be offered later that week after final examinations are completed. Missing a scheduled exam due to travel without an excused absence will result in a failing course grade.
Attendance During Extramural Patient Care Sessions (Rotations)
Students must notify the Assistant Dean for Clinical Education before the scheduled session that will be missed due to the absence. Additionally, every effort must be made to locate another student to take your place if you will miss a rotation date. Depending on the length of the absence, students may be required to make up missed community rotation absences.
Special Conditions
From time-to-time special situations will arise that require individualized planning and considerations. Example conditions include: personal health issues, family obligations, advanced education or similar interviews, externships, and National Board Dental Examinations.
Personal Health Issues and Family Obligations
Students are advised to meet with the Associate Dean for Student and Academic Affairs preferably at least two weeks before the expected absence. The UTSD and UTHealth Houston have resources available to help address personal health issues. School bylaws permit the granting of leaves of absence to facilitate this process. Accommodating remedial work will be determined by the Associate Dean for Student and Academic Affairs. The plan will be communicated to the student and the appropriate Course Directors, Associate Dean for Patient Care, Assistant Dean for Clinical Education, Group Practice Director Leader, and departments.
Advanced Education and Private Practice Interviews
Interviews should be conducted outside of regularly scheduled school hours whenever possible. If students are unable to arrange interviews outside of school hours and the interview falls on an examination or test date, prior approval must be obtained from the course director/Assistant Dean for Clinical Education and the Office of Student and Academic Affairs at least two weeks in advance.
Externships
Externships, when possible, should be scheduled during break weeks between terms. All externships must be pre-approved by the Associate Dean for Student and Academic Affairs. Externships shall not be scheduled for more than five (5) days.
National Board Dental Examinations
Students are expected to schedule National Board examinations during term breaks whenever possible. It is understood that limitations related to testing sites and dates occur. In these circumstances, students must request an excused absence from the Office of Student and Academic Affairs at least two weeks in advance of challenging the exam.
Faculty Responsibility
There is no intent in this policy to mandate monitoring of student attendance by faculty. However, Course Directors may choose to include attendance in their course assessment measures and to document the expectation in the course syllabus. In addition, if a faculty is aware of student attendance issues, the faculty may contact the Office of Student and Academic Affairs. Departments and/or the Course Directors will determine the methods by which they monitor student attendance in their course and report absences to the Office of Student and Academic Affairs.
Personal Days Away from School
For the use of planned Personal Day absences, the student submits the Personal Day request, whenever possible, at least two weeks in advance, or as soon as possible if the absence was not planned.
For the use of unplanned Personal Day absences (e.g., illness, emergency), the student must submit the absence request the day of, or as soon as reasonably possible; and the absence request is documented by the Office of Student and Academic Affairs.
The School of Dentistry allows each student a set number of Personal Days for use during an academic year. Students are expected to use the Personal Days judiciously for such events as medical appointments or illness, legal obligations, family events, weddings, national board examinations, postgraduate or employment interviews, or other school-sponsored trips or events. The use of Personal Days will be considered Excused Absences.
Personal Days for each class for the academic year are as follows:
- DS1 year – eight (8) full days with no carry-over to the DS2 year
- DS2 year –eight (8) full days with no carry-over to the DS3 year
- DS3 year – eight (8) full days with no carry-over to the DS4 year
- DS4 year – eight (8) full days
Decisions on any absence requests beyond the allotted number of Personal Days will be at the discretion of the Office of Student and Academic Affairs.
Guidelines for the Use of Personal Days
- Use your allotted Personal Days wisely!
- Half-days can be used for events lasting less than a full day and when a student will only miss either the morning or afternoon session (e.g., medical appointments).
- Personal Days may not be used for an absence of more than two consecutive academic days. For any absence of more than two consecutive days documentation supporting the absence must be submitted promptly to the Office of Student and Academic Affairs. Absences of more than two consecutive academic days may be considered to fall under the category of Leave of Absence and rules under that category may apply.
- “Bunching” of unused days at the end of an academic year is prohibited by this policy.
4. Personal Days may not be used retroactively. A report of more than five days after the absence will not be considered a valid Personal Day and instead will be considered an unexcused absence.
5. A Personal Day is forfeited whenever an unreported absence is discovered or otherwise has not been reported to the Office of Student and Academic Affairs; this absence is considered unexcused.
6. Absences over the number of allotted Personal Days and/or the failure to make up missed clinic/course activities may be referred to the Evaluation and Promotion Committee and could impact decisions regarding program advancement and/or graduation.
Having a Negative Personal Day Balance
Students with a negative Personal Day balance at the end of the academic year will be reported to the appropriate E&P committee for determination of the appropriate steps going forward.
Students will remain enrolled in the School of Dentistry if they have a negative Personal Day balance at the time of graduation until their balance is zero unless there is an approved exemption from the Office of Student and Academic Affairs. This could have an impact upon walking at graduation and could delay the receipt of the diploma.
Personal Day Request Policy
Whenever any class, clinic, lab, or other required activity is to be missed, students must submit a Personal Day Absence Request Form to the Office of Student and Academic Affairs.
Timely notification of the Personal Day absence is imperative so that the school administration can notify relevant class and/or clinic administrators, as appropriate. All appropriate rules as outlined above must be followed.
Assessments
Students are expected to complete all assessments given as part of the DDS and DH curriculum at the times and dates scheduled by the course director. A score of either 0 or Incomplete will be recorded for assessments that have been missed.
Acceptable reasons a student may be allowed to reschedule an assessment are defined and included in the Student Guide as the following:
- Illness
- Hospitalization
- Death in the immediate family
- Approved religious observance
- Approved accommodations for disabilities
- Unique academic or professional opportunities (pre-approved by the Office of Student and Academic Affairs)
- UTSD approved events (pre-approved by the Office of Student and Academic Affairs)
- Jury duty
- Other compelling reason (pre-approved by the Office of Student and Academic Affairs)
Students who seek to reschedule an examination or assessment of any type are required to provide appropriate documentation.
Students anticipating an absence that conflicts with a scheduled assessment must inform the Office of Student and Academic Affairs in writing at least one week before the anticipated absence. For absences due to illness or unexpected emergencies, students must notify the Office of Student and Academic Affairs before the scheduled exam or as soon as possible. Students who miss an assessment for medical reasons will be required to provide appropriate documentation.
Students who will miss a scheduled assessment due to attendance at an UTSD-approved event must notify the Office of Student and Academic Affairs, as well as the appropriate Course Director no later than one week before the UTSD-approved event in which they will be participating. Only pre-approved students will be allowed to reschedule any missed assessments.
The Associate Dean for Student and Academic Affairs, in consultation with the course director, has the authority to reschedule assessments for students who have missed a scheduled assessment due to an approved excused absence.
DEFINITIONS
Unexcused Absences: An Unexcused Absence occurs when the student fails to meet any of the conditions of a Personal Days or Excused Absence.
Didactic Courses: Instructors are not required to offer make-up work to students who do not attend didactic courses and do not have excused absences.
Preclinical Lab Courses, Clinical Courses/Sessions, Rotations, and Small Group Sessions: Students who are not present in the preclinic lab, clinic, rotation, or small group session and do not have an excused absence will be charged a Personal Day and reported to the Office of Student and Academic Affairs.
Procedures for Reporting Absences
All absences are to be reported by the student to the Office of Student and Academic Affairs (713-486- 4151) no later than 11:00 am on the day of the absence, and as required by any other specific policy (i.e., HOOP Policy 112, Religious Accommodation). The student is to provide the following information: their name, reason for the absence, and a list of classes and their course directors that will be missed on that day. The student must call the Office of Student and Academic Affairs on subsequent days unless the Associate Dean for Student and Academic Affairs grants a leave of absence (see leave of absence below). Documentation of the reason for the absence will be required within three days of return in most instances for an excused absence to be granted. A doctor’s note is required as documentation for absence due to an office visit to any health care provider (doctor, dentist, etc.).
It is the student’s responsibility to contact the course directors of missed classes within five days of returning to school to determine what, if any, arrangements are to be made for missed coursework (examinations, practical exams, etc.). The Office of Student and Academic Affairs will retain records of reported absences and inform course directors of excused and unexcused absences. If a scheduled examination, quiz, or required activity will be missed, the course director should also be contacted, preferably before the scheduled start of the examination or required activity.
Anticipated absences, e.g. advanced program interviews, doctors’ appointments, etc., should be discussed with the appropriate course directors prior to the absence so that arrangements can be made as needed. Students should go the Office of Student and Academic Affairs, Suite 4120, prior to the anticipated absence to complete the Student Request for a Personal Day Form.
Externships must be approved in advance and appropriate paperwork must be filled out, signed, and approved by the Associate Dean for Student and Academic Affairs prior to the participation in an externship program.
In the case of an absence necessitating cancellation of patient appointments, it is the student’s responsibility to notify their group practice director and their affected patients.
Student Conduct and Discipline
Students are responsible for knowing and observing University regulations concerning student conduct and discipline, including those outlined in UTHealth Houston Handbook of Operating Procedures (HOOP) Policy 186, Student Conduct and Discipline. The University of Texas School of Dentistry at Houston Student Guide to Academic Studies also outlines rules specific to student conduct and discipline, distributed during orientation and at the beginning of each semester.
Student Grievances Procedures
Grade Grievance Procedure
If a student disputes the grade received on a course examination, it is the student's responsibility to arrange an appointment to discuss the grievance with the appropriate faculty member. The faculty member retains the primary responsibility for student evaluation and assignment of grades. A faculty member's judgment in such cases is final unless there is substantial evidence of discrimination, differential treatment, or error. If the student feels that the grade grievance has not been adequately addressed after meeting with the appropriate faculty member, the student may appeal the grievance in writing to the Associate Dean for Student and Academic Affairs within seven working days. The Associate Dean for Student and Academic Affairs will review the case and submit a written recommendation to the Dean within fourteen working days. The Dean will respond in writing to the student's grievance within five working days. In academic issues, the dean's determination is final and not subject to further appeal.
Nonacademic Grievance Procedure
Students enrolled in UTSD should report abuse or mistreatment to the Associate Dean for Student and Academic Affairs. The Associate Dean will meet with the student to discuss the incident or behavior and the options for action.
University policies and procedures concerning misconduct by faculty and staff, including sexual and physical abuse and harassment, are outlined in the UTHealth Houston HOOP 59, Sexual Misconduct, and HOOP 183, Nondiscrimination, Anti-Harassment and Equal Opportunity. The Associate Dean for Student and Academic Affairs will advise and assist the student in following the institution's applicable procedures.
Student Health Insurance Program
The University of Texas System Board of Regents mandates that all students in the UT System obtain health insurance. More information regarding student health insurance can be found in the UTHealth Houston General Information Catalog or at Auxiliary Enterprises Student Insurance.
Criminal Background Checks
An offer of admission to any program at UTSD is expressly contingent upon the successful completion and review of a criminal background check, which is required before matriculation. The criminal background check will, among other things, serve to verify the information provided in the application. Individuals who do not permit the conduct of the criminal background check as required will be subject to withdrawal of the offer of admission to School programs.
Dental and Dental Hygiene Licensure Eligibility
According to State law and the Texas Board of Dental Examiners, a person applying for initial licensure to practice Dentistry and Dental Hygiene in the State of Texas may be ineligible for licensure due to a previous conviction or deferred adjudication for a felony or misdemeanor offense.
For more information contact the Texas State Board of Dental Examiners by email: information@tsbde.texas.gov or by phone: (512) 463-6400.
Reasonable Accommodation
Individuals seeking reasonable accommodation related to disability, pregnancy and parenting, or religion must initiate the accommodation process by contacting their school’s designated Section 504 Coordinator and completing a request form found on the Student Accommodations webpage.
Accommodations are not retroactive and require advance notice to implement. To allow adequate time to evaluate the request, engage in the interactive process, and make arrangements for any accommodation to be provided, requestors are strongly urged to contact the University Relations & Equal Opportunity (UREO) Office prior to the start of the semester or as soon as possible.
For more information, visit HOOP Policy 101, Disability and Pregnancy Accommodation, HOOP Policy 232, Pregnant and Parenting Students, and HOOP Policy 112, Religious Accommodation.