College of Dentistry
The Doctor of Dental Medicine program is a 6-year program under the De La Salle Medical and Health Sciences Institute awarded by the Commission on Higher Education in 2022. It is an undergraduate program that requires a full time mode of study. The required units to finish the program are 254 credit units including Physical Education and the National Service Training Program. The medium of instruction is in English and will require lecture and lab classes in the basic medical courses of Anatomy, Physiology, Histology, Pathology, Pharmacology and Microbiology among other basic medical courses. After which a candidate will be immersed into the core dental courses of Operative Dentistry, Prosthodontics and Oral Medicine with pre-clinical laboratories. The pre-clinical laboratory utilizes dental simulators with mannequin heads that will create a scenario of the actual head and oral cavity of an individual. With this, the student will be able to use dental equipment and materials on the dental simulator in preparation for clinical dentistry. Skills development with the applied knowledge gained from lectures will be honed in this stage. This prepares the candidate in the application of acquired knowledge and skills in the first 4 years of study into the last 2 years of clinical work. The application of all knowledge and skills will be practiced in the holistic treatment of patients with the development of the right attitude unique from a De La Salle dentist.
Program Description:
The Doctor of Dental Medicine (DDM) aims to produce graduates who are adept in the prevention, diagnosis, identification and management of oral needs and diseases of the individual and the community. The six-year program consists of basic and professional sciences, clinical sciences and dental public health courses. The DDM program aims to produce graduates who will practice the dental profession, who are scientifically knowledgeable, technically capable and socially sensitive in the maintenance of oral health. The graduates shall promote oral health as an integral part of general health and total well-being of an individual.
The De La Salle Medical and Health Sciences Institute (DLSMHSI) College of Dentistry provides holistic, excellent and premium comprehensive general and oral health professional education. The College of Dentistry facilitates dental education and research services to its students in a nurturing God-centered environment as it pursues its commitment of Nurturing life.
Career Opportunities:
The graduates of the Doctor of Dental Medicine Program can pursue a general dental practice after passing the Dentists Licensure Examination. Engaging in private dental practice is the backbone of every DDM graduate. Other opportunities of employment for the private practitioner with the DDM degree are the ff:
- a General Dental Practitioner
- Private practice
- Hospital dentist
- LGU dentist
- Private company dentist
- School dentist
- a researcher / Innovator
- a teacher of the profession
- a dental practice specialist as recognized by the PRC
- a provider of Oral Health Services as a dentist and officer in the AFP, PNP and other investigative agencies
- a manager and entrepreneur
- a consultant in a pharmaceutical company or allied industry consultants
Preventing, diagnosing, identification and management of oral needs and diseases of the individual and the community are the primary functions of every De La Salle dentist. The emphasis in improving the oral health which is part of the overall health of the individual or community is the core competency we expect in every DLSMHSI dentists.