Adult Restorative Dentistry

About

The UNMC Department of Adult Restorative Dentistry (ARD) is a leader in dental education, patient care, and research. The department boasts award-winning faculty, state-of-the-art digital dentistry technology, and exceptional hands-on clinical training. Its unique learning environment fosters student success, outstanding patient care, and groundbreaking research.

The department's key focus areas include general dentistry, biomaterials, digital dentistry, implant dentistry, operative dentistry, practice management, prosthodontics, and temporomandibular disorders.

Education

The ARD preclinical and clinical curriculum educates students in operative dentistry, prosthodontics, implant dentistry, and biomaterials. It follows a competency-based format and covers caries management, the full spectrum of current evidence-based restorative techniques, all-ceramic restorations, and tooth replacement options, including complete prosthetics and applied research.

Courses taught include:

• Caring for Patients with Disabilities
• Cariology
• Dental Anatomy
• Dental Implantology
• Dental Materials
• Diagnosis & Treatment Planning
• Digital Dentistry
• Evidence-Based Dentistry Principles
• Fixed Prosthodontics
• Integrated Biomaterials, Cariology and Operative Sciences
• Occulusion
• Physical Assessment
• Practice Management
• Practice Transition
• Removable Prosthodontics
• Restorative Dentistry
• TM Disorders and Sleep Disorders
• Treatment Planning

Highlights of Our Intricately-Designed Educational Experience:

Extraordinary Faculty – ARD faculty members play a vital role in our students’ learning and success. They serve as group leaders during clinical education, providing essential guidance and support. In addition to conducting cutting-edge research, ARD faculty actively participate in national and international outreach efforts to assist underserved populations. They also represent the College of Dentistry in national organizations, including the American Dental Education Association.

Leader in Digital Dentistry Education – In our digital design studio, students have access to the latest CAD/CAM technology for designing dentures and restorations, along with an equipment studio featuring milling machines, 3D printers, and other advanced technologies. Digital implant and imaging training further enhance students’ preclinical and clinical experience.

Hands-on Learning in Clinics – The college has developed a highly effective clinical model that closely mirrors the comprehensive care provided in private practice. Dental and dental hygiene students are assigned to color-coded teams, each supported by a faculty group leader, an associate leader, and a group practice coordinator. Working collaboratively, these teams ensure patients receive comprehensive care. This clinic model fosters teamwork, enhances efficiency, and helps students build strong, lasting relationships with their patients.

Patient Care

Patient-centered comprehensive care serves as the clinical management system for patient assessment, treatment planning, and entry into the college's clinics, as well as the assignment of patients to predoctoral dental students. The dental emergency services program provides students with the educational background and clinical experience needed to manage patient dental emergencies.

Team members primarily work with D2, D3, and D4 students to ensure a broad range of comprehensive dental experiences and to assign an optimal number of clinical patients to meet discipline-specific competency exams. Alongside patient care coordinators and appointment clerks, faculty members support students in managing their patients' needs through weekly seminars, case presentations, treatment planning conferences, clinical screening experiences, and overall record management.

Research

A biomaterials research area supports both faculty and student research projects. ARD faculty involved in biomaterials and biomechanics focus groups collaborate on research with faculty from the Growth & Development and Oral Biology departments.