Dental Medicine

Are you interested in becoming a part of a vibrant dental medicine program? Do you want to help improve quality of life for others?

Once you are admitted as a pre-doctoral dental student, you will find yourself among faculty and students who encourage your success every step of the way. The program offers an environment in which collaboration, creativity and professionalism are embraced. Your study integrates classroom experience, group problem-solving via collaborative networking, acquiring clinical skills, and beginning clinical practice of dental medicine. You will have boundless opportunities for involvement in community service and outreach.

Dental school is a four-year commitment. For the first three years of the program, you will find yourself attending classes, labs and clinics in Ledyard E. Ross Hall, the School of Dental Medicine’s state-of-the-art building on ECU's Health Sciences Campus. During your second year, you will begin the clinical phase of your education, gaining hands-on experience by providing care for patients from the surrounding area. You will continue to develop your patient care skills throughout your third year, and you will learn how to be a leader of the dental team.

During your fourth year, you will have the opportunity to provide patient care as you work alongside dental faculty, residents and other professionals in our community service learning centers across North Carolina. You will also learn more about the communities where you will be working and how to effectively manage a dental practice.

ECU Advantage

A unique component of ECU’s DMD program is the fourth-year experience at community service learning centers (CSLCs) in the underserved locations of Ahoskie, Brunswick County, Davidson County, Elizabeth City, Lillington, Robeson County, Spruce Pine and Sylva, North Carolina. Students provide patient care for 27 weeks at CSLCs alongside faculty, residents, dental hygienists, dental assistants and business staff.

The school also offers competitive residency experiences, including Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD), General Practice Residency (GPR) and the Pediatric Dentistry Residency program.