Faculties and Resources

The University of Utah School of Dentistry (UUSOD) is administratively housed in the University of Utah Health

Sciences, providing direct academic and clinical connections with the U of U Healthcare Services program as well as health-related colleges (pharmacy and nursing), schools (medicine, including the physicians' assis- tants program), and related department personnel requisite for successful interdisciplinary substance use disorder (SUD) prevention program development and implementation. The main UUSOD facilities include the Ray and Tye Noorda Oral Health Sciences Building (~80,000 square feet) with ~80 dental operatories, ~20,000 square feet of administrative office space (~50 individual offices), 110-seat auditorium with distance-learning teleconferencing capacity, 7 classrooms and conference rooms (ranging from 60-10 person capacities)

and an attached covered parking structure (~200 parking spaces) to support large continuing education events with internet teleconferencing ability. The UUSOD is located in a relatively new (2015 completion), readily accessible structure ADA compliant building on the University of Utah campus. The conference rooms have the capacity to hold virtual meetings, trainings, and conferences. The UUSOD has access to

all technology, equipment, and instructional campus resources to include print services, video services, and website design. University Information Technology (UIT) provides all information technology services to the UUSOD, thus maintaining and securing information compliant with federal law and regulation. The UUSOD also has the capacity to conduct instructional telehealth clinics (V-TECH), web-based/on-demand events, using UUSOD-accessible existing equipment and software. The UUSOD now has eight clinical sites; (1) University Hospital, a six-chair clinic fully integrated with a major medical center (2) Wakara Way, a 82 chair stand-alone (non-integrated) clinic (3) Greenwood, a ten chair clinic physically contiguous with medical primary care and specialty clinics in a community setting, but separately administered (4) South Main, an oral health service using four dental operatories fully integrated administratively and financially within U Health's Department of Pediatrics-run family health clinic in a community setting (5) Liberty School, a four chair dental stand-alone clinic in a community setting (6) St. George, an six chair clinic contiguous with the Utah Technical University dental hygiene program in St. George, Utah (7) Rose Park, a twelve-chair clinic physically contiguous with an equal-dimension medical primary care clinic, the latter now in the process of being transferred by the State of Utah to UHealth, creating the opportunity for unique collaborative care, and (8) Ogden, a four chair stand-alone dental clinic in a community setting.

The SOD also manages a mobile dental service to underserved areas in rural, remote and frontier Utah, which like the fixed sites (7) and (8) above was formerly managed by the State of Utah. Oral health services are planned to be included in a new, U Health mental health crisis receiving center, and within a large outpatient and low-acuity inpatient community health center in an area of high social need.

The current personnel employed by the UUSOD serve 200 dental students and 11 general practice residents and include ~40 full-time and 100 part-time clinical/didactic faculty members and ~40 full-time administrative staff most of whom would be available to contribute and support, with an ~ annual budget of $28,000,000. The involvement of the dental profession in health initiatives relating to the prevention of substance abuse is of high priority for the UUSOD. It is extremely concerned about the devastating impact of substance abuse on oral health of the communities and is committed to developing effective solutions to these challenges.

The UUSOD worked closely with the Region 8 Central Rockies Addiction Technology Transfer Center (2012 - 2017) and is currently working with the Region 8 Mountain Plains Technology Transfer Center (beginning 2018) to establish innovative dental-related substance abuse prevention, intervention, and treatment pro- grams in the State of Utah such as: providing dental care to persons undergoing SUD treatment as part

of the FLOSS (Facilitating a Lifetime of Oral health Sustainability for Substance use disorder patients and families); implementing SBIRT (Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment) training for healthcare pre-doctoral and post-graduate student; and programs to facilitate training of rural health care providers

in substance abuse prevention. Such programs have established the UUSOD as a pioneer in the creation and implementation of programs in the area of substance abuse prevention. The UUSOD has the capacity to provide culturally appropriate, state of the art, evidence-based training and technical assistance to the substance abuse prevention field.

Background Certificate in Digital Dentistry Program

The Certificate in Digital Dentistry was considered in the School of Dentistry Curriculum Committee. The Cur- riculum Committee voted unanimously to recommend approval of the program to the Executive Committee for its consideration. The Executive Committee considered the Curriculum Committees recommendation and voted unanimously to approve the Certificate in Digital Dentistry program.

As outlined in the Memorandum of Understanding, University Connected Learning has partnered with the School of Dentistry to provide program management services to enable the development of the online Digital Dentistry program. University Connected Learning will provide course development services, program marketing, recruitment coordination, and student success. The School of Dentistry will provide course content through faculty authors identified by the Digital Dentistry program.

Certificate in Digital Dentistry Structure

The Certificate in Foundational Digital Dentistry is administered by the Digital Dentistry Program Director who coordinates the Digital Dentistry program with course faculty.

1. Digital Modalities (Fall Semester): Students learn about digital modalities and additive/subtractive manufacturing.

2. Radiology & Fixed Prosthodontics (Fall Semester): Under the guidance of course faculty, students develop skills and knowledge in digital dentistry radiology and fixed prosthodontics.

3. Digital Restorative Dentistry I (Spring Semester): Under the guidance of course faculty, students develop skills and knowledge in digital dentistry in fixed prosthodontics, operative dentistry, and removable prostho- dontics dentistry.

4. Digital Restorative Dentistry II (Spring Semester): Under the guidance of the requisite course director, students develop skills and knowledge in digital dentistry fixed prosthodontics, operative dentistry, and removeable prosthetic dentistry. The content of this course builds on the content from Digital Restorative Dentistry I.

5. Digital Implant Dentistry & the Business of Digital Dentistry (Summer Semester): Under the guidance of the requisite course director, students develop skills and knowledge in digital dentistry implant surgery, implant prosthetics, and the business of digital dentistry.

The Digital Dentistry program is set up as a certificate program (15 credits) that builds into a master's program with an additional 21 credits to earn a Master of Digital Dentistry. Students will be taught in group settings with substantial on-line and experiential components. Course structure is determined by the Course Directors and may include mentoring, shared learning experiences, presentations, portfolios/projects, hands-on experience with digital software, off-site learning experiences, and independent projects. The Digital Dentistry program is designed for dental professionals who desire to learn about cutting age technologies. The Digital Dentistry program is intended to assist dental professionals in the expertise and adoption of in-office digital dentist equipment to meet the needs of patients. Students will gain the skills required to operate this equipment and become successful in the adoption of this new technology. The Digital Dentistry program is a part-time on-line higher education program that is conducive to dentists who are already in practice.

The program utilizes a sequencing and stackable model where student's complete coursework for a Cer- tificate in Foundational Digital Dentistry with an option to transitioning to a full Masters of Digital Dentistry which focuses on specialized procedures and advanced manufacturing in digital dentistry. Completion of the Certificate counts toward the Master of Digital Dentistry.

Foundational Digital Dentistry

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Program Information

Program Requirements

Program Learning Outcomes

Total Credits

Minimum Program Hours

Program Graduation Requirements

Certificate Type