Oral and Craniofacial Sciences, PhD Program

Return to: School of Dental Medicine

The Department of Oral and Craniofacial Sciences (DOCS) PhD Program requires approximately four to five years to complete and employs a core curriculum which is separate from the MS Program. Students may enter the PhD program directly following their undergraduate degree and do not necessarily have to earn a master’s degree first. Earning a master’s degree can be incorporated into the PhD program without increasing the total length of time in studies.

Students may earn Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in Oral and Craniofacial Science within one of two research concentrations:

• Craniofacial and Dental Genetics
• Craniofacial Tissue Regeneration

The program is open to post-baccalaureate students, pre-doctoral (First Professional) DMD students, and dental residents. School of Dental Medicine pre-doctoral students and residents may apply for a dual degree option with the PhD or MS Graduate Programs in Oral and Craniofacial Sciences. 

Admissions will only be considered for the fall term each year. However, early applications are encouraged, and offers may be extended to suitably qualified candidates before the application deadline.

Students will experience to both concentrations in the program curriculum, which includes three courses with DMD students, and work with faculty in the Department of Oral and Craniofacial Sciences on research in one of these concentrations.

Requirements for the PhD degree

• A total of 72 credits of coursework: 37 didactic (25 in the PhD core curriculum) and 35 research
• Successful completion of PhD core curriculum with a grade of B (3.0 GPA) or better in each course
• Written comprehensive examination after the sixth semester (for advancement to PhD candidacy)
• Dissertation proposal defense
• Approval of a dissertation committee and dissertation research
• Dissertation defense
• A PhD thesis

A student who earned a master of science degree from another institution may petition the Graduate Studies Committee to waive the comprehensive examination.

Learn more about the Oral and Craniofacial Degree Programs at dental.pitt.edu/OCS-Program