MS in Oral Health Sciences

The Master of Science in Oral Health Sciences (OHS) is designed specifically for students who wish to improve their academic preparedness for dental school admission. This master’s degree program is open to applicants who have already earned their bachelor’s degree and have completed all of the pre-dental course requirements.

Oral Health Sciences students take courses at both Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine (SDM) and Boston University School of Medicine Division of Graduate Medical Sciences (GMS). Optional coursework is available in a variety of disciplines, including public health, bioethics, mental health, or clinical research.

The Oral Health Sciences program takes four semesters to complete and the degree may be completed in either one or two calendar years. The MS program has flexibility allowing students to complete the program in 12 months by submitting a Capstone paper, whereas those students using the full two years have the opportunity to complete a research-based thesis on a topic of their choice in the field of dentistry. Faculty from both the School of Medicine and the School of Dental Medicine serve as teachers and mentors enriching their educational experience while in GMS. Students also receive AADSAS application support.

Degree Requirements

Candidates for the MS in Oral Health Sciences are required to complete a minimum of 32 graduate credit hours, including a final thesis project or Capstone paper. The required courses are indicated with an asterisk (*).

Coursework

The following core courses are taken at Boston University’s Goldman School of Dental Medicine:

• GMS OH 730, 731 Physiology* (6 cr, 1st sem and 2 cr, 2nd sem)
• GMS OH 740 Microbiology and Immunology (4 cr, 2nd sem)
• GMS OH 750 Prevention and Oral Health Promotion in Dentistry* (3 cr, 2nd sem)

The following courses are taken with students in the Division of Graduate Medical Sciences at Boston University School of Medicine.

• GMS PA 600 Introduction to Pathology and Disease (4 cr, 2nd sem)
• GMS OH 770 Evidence Based Dentistry (2 cr, 1st sem)
• GMS MS 640 Biomedical Information* (2 cr, 2nd sem)
• GMS MS 700 Elementary Biostatistics for the Biomedical Sciences (2 cr, 1st and 2nd sem)
• GMS MS 771 Fundamentals of Head and Neck Anatomy (3 cr, 2nd sem)
• GMS PM 730 Introduction to Medical Pharmacology
• GMS MS 610 Ethico-legal Issues of Bioscience

Additional elective courses may also be selected from those offered through the Division of Graduate Medical Sciences.

Admission Requirements

The application deadline is May 15, and admissions decisions are made on a rolling basis starting January 1. Required application materials include:

• Completed online application
• An official college transcript
• DAT scores
• A personal statement
• Three letters of recommendation
• A $80 non-refundable application fee

**Please note that we do not consider international students.

More Information

For details about the program, please visit the Graduate School of Medicine’s page.