The UNMC College of Dentistry’s mission extends around the globe – to continually improve the oral health of the people of Nebraska and beyond through a humanistic approach to education, extraordinary patient care and innovative research.
The college gives international students opportunities to realize their dreams of becoming leaders in dentistry in the United States, a faculty member teaches aspiring dentists in Jamaica about dental practice management, and another faculty member has built a research group that gives faculty and students from Brazil and UNMC the opportunity to exchange ideas involving dental research.
Advanced Standing Dental Program
The College of Dentistry's revitalized Advanced Standing Dental Program allows dentists who are educated outside of the United States the opportunity to earn a Doctor of Dental Surgery degree. The first class of advanced standing students joined the college’s second-year dental class in January 2020.
"As an internationally-trained dentist, my dream was to be able to continue to practice in the United States and UNMC is making my dream come true. It is interesting to compare the techniques and technology that are used here versus in my country, like crowns that can be printed and delivered in the same day. UNMC has the most supportive professors who work closely with us to improve our skills. I am so grateful to be part of this program." – Karla Mejia, Honduras, UNMC College of Dentistry Class of 2022
China Scholarship Council (CSC) Program
The UNMC College of Dentistry started participating in UNMC’s first-ever health professions degree program for Chinese students in August 2014.
"The China Scholarship Council program is a great opportunity for Chinese students like me to experience health care in the United States. I’m building upon the dental education I received in China and learning much more, especially how to develop good provider-patient relationships. I am learning from both the faculty and my fellow students – the faculty excel at teaching students how to navigate complex cases and when I’m assisting other students I’m learning how to communicate with patients." – Bo Chao, China, UNMC College of Dentistry Class of 2022
Collaboration with University of West Indies-Mona
David G. Dunning, MA, PhD, professor in the department of oral biology, has taught a course in dental practice management for the dental students at the University of West Indies (UWI) – Mona in Kingston, Jamaica, every year starting in 2017.
"This cross-cultural teaching experience has fulfilled UNMC’s deep and abiding commitment to cultural inclusiveness every year. Students at UWI-Mona represent a rich diversity of international nations in addition to Jamaica—Barbados, Bermuda, Canada, Trinidad-Tobago, Guyana, England and Nigeria, among others. Students who originally had little excitement for practice management have found this course to be life changing each year. I’ve utilized best of features from the college’s own courses, including an online dental management simulation, and featured guest lecturers who enjoy national/international reputations, including UNMC alumnus Dr. Addison Killen." – David G. Dunning, MA, PhD
Collaboration with University of Uberlandia-Brazil
Luana Oliveira-Haas, DDS, MS, PhD, associate professor in the department of adult restorative dentistry, received grant funding through UNMC's Faculty Diversity Fund to aid in her work to solidify an international collaboration between UNMC and the Federal University of Uberlandia (UFU) in Brazil to research non-carious cervical lesions. PhD students from UFU-Brazil spend one month at the College of Dentistry; this collaboration exposes UNMC and Brazilian students to new ideas and developments in dental research.
"I’m very honored to be the first Faculty Diversity Fund recipient at the College of Dentistry. Developing a research collaboration with UFU-Brazil, my alma mater, has been one of my biggest dreams since I started teaching in the United States in 2007. I’m very excited about producing high-quality clinical research with UNMC and Brazilian faculty and students while embracing the richness of diversity." – Dr. Oliveira-Haa