School of Dentistry receives 6-year reaccreditation

The University of Louisville School of Dentistry has been reaccredited for the next six years.

The Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA), the organization that accredits dental education programs, has reaffirmed the quality of education at the University of Louisville School of Dentistry. The school has received reaccreditation of the doctor of dental medicine (DMD) program, bachelor of science in dental hygiene program, and advanced dental education programs in endodontics, oral and maxillofacial surgery, orthodontics, pediatric dentistry, periodontics and general practice residency. “It is our mission to educate competent dental professionals through excellence in teaching and research. This accreditation speaks to the high quality of our programs that provide oral health care to our local and statewide communities,” said John J. Sauk, DDS, MS, dean of the School of Dentistry. The school educates more than 600 students in the DMD, dental hygiene, post-graduate and oral biology programs. Annually, just less than 4 percent of qualified applicants are accepted to the highly competitive DMD program. Entering DMD students have higher Dental Admission Test scores and GPAs than the national average. UofL boasts a near-100-percent pass rate for the National Board Dental Exam. UofL offers comprehensive patient care that includes prevention, diagnosis, treatment and follow-up care. Combined, dental and dental hygiene students, along with residents provide oral health care to 87,500 patients each year. Dental researchers advance the profession and science through new discoveries in basic science and clinical translation. UofL ranks 17th among 69 dental schools in funding from the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, a component of the National Institutes of Health.   The school’s CODA accreditation continues through December 31, 2022.