The dental clinics comprehensive dental care program, is a system of clinical instructions and operations which permit the student to provide and be responsible for all aspects of a given patient's dental treatment needs in a manner that closely resembles the way the student would provide care in a private practice subsequent to graduation.

The concept of comprehensive care forms the foundation for all clinical treatment with the School of Dentistry.  This concept is facilitated by two basic approaches to care, comprehensive patient care and specialty rotation.  This broad based approach enhances the environment in which high quality dental health care can be delivered in a more humanistic manner by students.  It is expected that in using this dual approach to care, the barriers which delay high quality care will be removed.  Systematic treatment planning and a patient referral system permit the student to become aware of the needs of the patient and the skills required to satisfy these needs.

Third and fourth year students are assigned to the clinics for definite periods.  Their clinic time includes assignments to specific clinical service areas as well as treatment periods on adults and children.  The students become competent in clinical examination, diagnosis and treatment planning for the hard and soft tissues of the oral cavity; placement of restorations consisting of different materials including gold, amalgam, composites and ceramics.  They must design and construct fixed and removable dental prostheses, develop skill in surgical techniques and become competent in dental x-ray exposure and interpretation.  Much emphasis is placed on pain control, the use of anesthetics and total patient care.