The School of Dentistry (SOD) and the School of Graduate Studies and Research (SOGSR) offer the DDS/PhD program jointly. This program trains clinical and research professionals seeking to identify and solve significant problems in oral health and/or its influence on overall health. Successful completion of the program leads to the DDS and PhD degrees.

Students considered for admission to the combined degree program must meet the admission requirements of both the dental and graduate schools. Students enrolled in the DDS/PhD program must matriculate in the SOGSR for the first two to three years of PhD training where they will successful complete graduate level courses and achieve candidacy before entering the four-year dental program (DDS). Upon completion of the SOD requirements for the DDS degree, students are required to continue working on their dissertation research project. Once students have published at least one manuscript from their dissertation project, they will be able to submit their written dissertation for defense. A successful defense and submission of an approved dissertation document to the SOGSR will fulfil the requirements to obtain the DDS/PhD degree.