Students discussing their experience at CDM

Many departments of the University contribute to and collaborate in the education of dental and postdoctoral students, assuring them a broad foundation for sound professional development. The guiding educational policy of Columbia University is the pursuit of excellence, and the primary goal of the College of Dental Medicine is the preparation of graduates equipped to fulfill their obligations to the individual, to society, and to the profession.

The School, recognizing the need for greater emphasis on the prevention of dental disease, constantly strives to revise the academic program. The curriculum is designed to increase a student’s appreciation for the conceptual basis of dentistry. Adequate preparation for the demands of dentistry requires an understanding of broad biological principles integrated with a continually evolving body of scientific information in clinical dentistry and basic dental research. Predoctoral students, as directed observers, are exposed to a full spectrum of dental problems. They are then introduced to surgical and manipulative procedures as well as to methods of diagnosis and the prevention of disease. Emphasis is on the close relationship between health and disease, both systemic and oral; on diseases of the face and mouth that may affect other organ systems; and on oral health as an essential component in total health.