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postdoctoral programs I first semester schedule (fall 2006)
second semester schedule (spring 2007) I policies I home
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Welcome Letter from Dr. Thomas Kilgore Dear Advanced Education Student:
Welcome to Boston University School of Dental Medicine and to your postdoctoral program. My office is responsible for supporting advanced education programs at SDM. I work with your program director and department chair to coordinate your program with the other activities of the school. Early on in your orientation you will receive a Program Manual, which will contain much of the information you will need on how your program is organized and on what is required for you to successfully complete your program. The information in this orientation manual is intended to supplement your Program Manual and contains some general policies of the Postdoctoral Curriculum Committee, as well as, clinic policies.
My office also coordinates the Interdisciplinary Curriculum, which is a series of courses that cross departmental lines and are intended to supplement the courses and seminars presented by your program. A copy of the Interdisciplinary Curriculum is enclosed. Please note that you are not necessarily required to attend all of the courses listed. Your program director will inform you as to which courses you are required to attend and will register you for those courses.
During your program, your program director or department chair can answer most of your questions or concerns. However, I will be happy to meet with you and am available by appointment. My office is in the Robinson Building, 3rd floor (room B307). Carole Loughran and Jessica Mount are my assistants and will be happy to help you.
Sincerely yours,
Thomas B. Kilgore, DMD
Associate Dean for Advanced Education
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Academic Policies
Postdoctoral Curriculum Committee Policy
FUNCTION OF THE COMMITTEE
The Postdoctoral Curriculum Committee is charged to develop the postdoctoral curriculum and to schedule classes for the interdisciplinary curriculum; evaluate the curriculum periodically and undertake special tasks toward improving the curriculum; meet periodically with student representatives, course faculty and program directors to evaluate the curriculum; and make recommendations for substantive changes and the introduction of new programs to the Executive Committee. Student evaluation and promotion is the responsibility of individual program directors. However, the Postdoctoral Curriculum Committee also serves an oversight function in matters of student promotion, graduation and academic discipline. Program directors may bring issues relating to student academic evaluation to the committee for advice and support.
Academic Schedules
During the academic year requests for any and all changes in interdisciplinary course schedules must be submitted to the Office for Advanced Education for approval and implementation one month in advance, if possible. Interdisciplinary courses are defined as those courses that are attended by students of more than one postdoctoral program. Course leaders must review their course schedules and confirm topics and time commitments of faculty for each coming month. The addition of lectures, special lectures or guest lecturers should also be cleared through the Office for Advanced Education one month in advance, when possible. To avoid conflicts in scheduling, course directors should specifically refer to the Office for Advanced Education any student requests for changes in lecture, lab or examination schedules.
GUIDELINES FOR PREPARATION AND ADMINISTRATION OF EXAMINATIONS
The following guidelines are offered in order to promote fairness and to enhance academic integrity.
Examination Preparation
New examinations must be constructed each year. To assist in discouraging academic dishonesty, where class size is larger than 15-20 students, two or more versions of written examinations should be prepared (same questions in a different order).
All examinations are to be secured until their administration.
Written Examinations
An instructor will proctor all examinations. Adequate proctors must be available for each room used in the administration of the examination.
Rooms should be sufficiently large enough for adequate separation of students. Advance scheduling of all examinations will allow the scheduling of additional classrooms if necessary. Requests for exceptions to standard room scheduling must be made through the Office of Academic Affairs.
Policy statements regarding cheating and consequences of must be discussed with students prior to each examination.
Proctors should actively circulate throughout the room, observing student behavior.
If a student is suspected of trying to get or give information during an examination, the following actions must be taken:
- alert a second proctor (if appropriate). proctors shall observe the situation as
unobtrusively as possible
- if proctors observe enough evidence that
cheating is occurring, the names of involved
students must be noted and reported to the
supervising faculty member.
- the supervising faculty member shall provide
a written report of the infraction to the course
or program director
as described in SDM Bylaws
- the course or
program director shall provide a written report
of the incident to the Associate Dean for
Advanced Education
- the examination(s) of the student (s) in
question shall be held by the course director
until such time as a determination is made
according to SDM Bylaws
(see appropriate section of SDM Bylaws).
Procedures for the Examination
All books, coats, notebooks and possessions, with the exception of purses, will be placed along the wall of the room. Any items inappropriately retained by the student will be removed at the request of the proctor.
There will be no talking at anytime during the examination. Any corrections on the examination will be reported by the faculty or proctors. No questions will be answered. Use your best judgment.
When you have finished the examination, leave your examination papers face down on the desk, reclaim any personal belongings left along the wall and immediately and silently leave the room. Do not talk to anyone; do not ask any questions of anyone, including the proctors.
The proctors are instructed to report any incidents that might be construed as cheating or any violations of the examination procedures to the course director and the Associate Dean for Advanced Education, following academic policies.
Clinical and Preclinical Practical Examinations
All faculty members in the clinic should be aware of which students are taking a practical examination. This may be facilitated by posting a card on the operatory wall at time of practical examinations.
If a student is suspected of trying to get or give information during an examination, the following actions must be taken:
- alert a second proctor
proctors shall observe the situation
as unobtrusively as possible
if proctors observe enough evidence that cheating is occurring, the names of involved students must be noted and reported to the supervising faculty member
the supervising faculty member shall provide a written report of the infraction to the course or program director
- as described in SDM Bylaws, the course or program director shall provide a written report of the incident to the Associate Dean for Advanced Education. The examination(s) of the student(s) in questions shall be held by the course director until such time as a determination is made according to SDM Bylaws (see appropriate section of SDM Bylaws).
EXAMINATION REVIEW POLICY
In keeping with the school’s philosophy that examinations and testing situations should be educational as well as evaluative in nature and to ensure timely reporting of performance to students, instructors shall follow the policies below:
- Didactic Examinations: Examinations must be corrected, graded and returned to students for discussion of the questions with the class as a whole within two weeks in case of multiple choice exams and three weeks in the case of essay or combined essay/multiple choice exams. In order to ensure that no student is penalized by lack of access to examinations used in previous years, all examinations will be returned to all examined.
Preclinical Laboratory Examinations: Materials, including teeth, restorations and other appliances, and grades, along with a written evaluation, will be returned to the student within three weeks.
- Clinical Practical Examinations: Written evaluation must be supplied to the student within two weeks after the practical examination. It is directed that each department giving clinical exercise or practical examinations develop a standard, uniform, NCR grade sheet to be utilized by those faculty giving the examination. A copy of this grade sheet, with appropriate comments, is given to the student upon completion of the examination.
TEXTBOOK AND COURSE MATERIAL
Required texts for a course should be placed on the student book list. A substantial handout prepared by the department which is the sole text for a course or portion of a course may be charged to the student within reasonable costs and quality. Any such handouts shall be reported to the Office for Advanced Education when information for required textbooks is requested. The cost of any supplementary course handout material shall be absorbed by the department sponsoring the course and should be budgeted by the department chair. Students should have advance notification of any costs of department handouts by adding them to the required textbook list. CURRICULUM EVALUATION
Effectiveness of each didactic and laboratory course will be evaluated annually by the program director and/or department chair. Interdisciplinary courses will be evaluated annually by the Associate Dean for Advanced Education. Clinical faculty will be evaluated annually by department chairpersons, program directors and the Dean. (See Appendix I for evaluation instruments) The Associate Dean and program directors shall discuss course evaluations annually with the Postdoctoral Curriculum Committee as part of ongoing curriculum review. (See below)
At the end of each course, course leaders distribute and class officers collect course and instructor evaluation questionnaires. Evaluation data forms will be forwarded to the Office of Educational Research and Evaluation, which will develop a report. This report should be reviewed with the appropriate faculty by the Associate Dean or department chairperson.
COMMITTEE MEETINGS
The Postdoctoral Curriculum Committee will meet on a regular basis throughout the academic year.
To keep meetings to within a brief, productive time frame, an agenda will be circulated in advance to committee members, along with background material needed for planned discussion. Minutes of previous meetings will also be circulated in advance of each meeting.
Any member of the faculty or student representatives may suggest agenda items by submitting a proposal in writing to the Postdoctoral Curriculum Committee secretary, Ms. Carole Loughran, Rm. B306.
Meeting minutes will be distributed to the Dean, each postdoctoral chair and program director and to all regular committee members. COMPOSITION OF THE COMMITTEE
The Postdoctoral Curriculum Committee will be made up of a chair and members of the faculty, staff and students appointed by the Dean. Student representatives shall consist of a representative from each of the postdoctoral programs. Student members may be asked to absent themselves from those parts of committee meetings having to do with student promotion.
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General Policies: Graduate and Postdoctoral Programs
Research Advisor
A candidate for the MS, MSD, DSc, DScD, or PhD degree is required to have an advisor, a member of the faculty in the department of the major field. The research advisor is always the first reader of the MS, MSD, DSc, DScD thesis/PhD dissertation. Under certain circumstances, a special faculty appointee may serve as first reader. When the first reader/research advisor has only a special faculty appointment in the school, then the second reader of the thesis/dissertation must be, as a minimum, a full-time faculty member of the major department or program. If an advisor is not assigned in advance of registration, the student should consult the departmental chairman about assignment procedures
Outline of Study
An outline of the research project, approved and signed by the major professor, shall be submitted for the approval of the student’s department or division no later than four weeks after initial registration. This program of study must be submitted to the registrar of the school.
Academic Credit
The academic year is divided into two semesters. A credit hour (or semester hour) is equivalent to one class hour per week or approximately fifteen hours per semester.
Directed Study or Research
Students may register for directed study or research with approval of the faculty member concerned. In the School of Dental Medicine, passing directed study and research courses at the 900 level must be passed with a grade of B or better. The minimum registration is a 2-credit course. A candidate for the MS or MSD degree may register for not more than 16 credits in directed study or research. A candidate for the DSc, DScD or PhD degree may not register for more than 32 credits in directed study or research.Transfer of Credit
Graduate-level courses in other accredited graduate schools or in other Schools or Colleges of Boston University not used toward the awarding of any other degree and for which a grade of B or better was earned, may be transferred on recommendation of the major advisor and the chairman of the department with the approval of the Associate Dean for Advanced Education. Credit for work to be taken concurrently with studies in the School of Dental Medicine must be approved before registration for such courses; all such courses must be taken for a letter grade (not pass/fail). Petitions for credits for transfer are available in the Office of the Registrar.
MS degree programs
No more than 8 credits may be transferred from other universities unless a department requires more than 32 total credits. A student may transfer additional credits corresponding to that number required in excess of the 32.DSc, DScD and Post-bachelor’s PhD programs
No more than 16 credits may be transferred from other universities. Of these, only 8 may be credited toward a master’s degree. If a department requires more than the minimum of 64 credits, a student may transfer an additional number of credits corresponding to that number required in excess of 64.Post-Master’s PhD program
No courses may be transferred from other universities unless a department requires more than the minimum 64 credits. A student may transfer the number of credits corresponding to that number required in excess of the 64.
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MS AND MSD
Course RequirementsCandidates for the MS and MSD degree are required to complete a minimum of 32 credits or the equivalent at the graduate level, of which at least 16 credits must be in formal coursework. At least 16 credits must be in the major field. Normally, no more than 16 credits may be taken concurrently. Each student must register for at least 4 credits each semester until completion of all degree course requirements unless the student obtains an authorized leave of absence. The number of courses that may be transferred to an MS program as explained in more detail in the "Transfer of Credit" section of this bulletin. Candidates plan their courses in consultation with the major advisor and in accordance with the requirements of their major field. Coursework may be in formal courses, seminars, and research in proportion to the particular needs and backgrounds of the candidates as worked out in consultation with the major advisor.Thesis or Comprehensive ExaminationA research thesis or comprehensive examination is required. The choice of this requirement rests with the major department or program. Guidelines for preparation and presentation of the thesis will be provided by the specific department. The thesis is to be based on a research project carried out by the candidate. A laboratory thesis is recommended and is required by certain departments. A field project or library thesis is accepted by certain programs.Time Limit: The program shall be completed within three years after the first registration for study leading to the MS and MSD degree.MSD/CAGS ProgramThe goal of the combined MSD/CAGS program is to prepare its graduates for productive careers in both basic research and clinical dentistry. Consequently, the program requires a laboratory research thesis or field project. The degree/certificate program requires a minimum of three years of and leads to both the Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study in the dental specialty and the Master of Science in Dentistry degrees. The program may be longer than three years depending on specific department requirements.In the MSD/CAGS program, the specific course requirements of the Master of Science in Dentistry can be satisfied by the regular CAGS curriculum. The remainder of the 32 credits required for the MSD degree can, therefore, be fulfilled through directed study and research credits.GENERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR THE D.SC AND DSCD
Candidates for the DSc (Doctor of Science) or DScD (Doctor of Science in dentistry) are required to complete a minimum of 64 credits at the graduate level. At least 32 credits must be in the major field. Normally, no more than 16 credits may be taken concurrently. Each student must register for at least 4 credits each semester until completion of all degree course requirements unless the student obtains an authorized leave of absence. Specific requirements relative to the selection of courses, seminars and research or directed study will be determined for each student by department or division in the field of concentration.The number of courses that may be transferred to a postbachelors program is explained in more detail in the "Transfer of Credit" section above.Qualifying Examination: All students shall demonstrate mastery of their major fields in special examinations set by the major department. All parts of the qualifying examination must be passed before the dissertation prospectus or outline will be accepted by the sponsoring department of the School of Dental Medicine.Time Limit: The DSc and DScD program must be completed within five years after the first registration for doctoral study.DScD/CAGS ProgramThe goal of the combined DScD/CAGS program is to prepare its graduates for productive careers in both basic research and clinical dentistry. Consequently, the program requires a laboratory research thesis. The degree/certificate program requires a minimum four years of study and leads to both the Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study in the dental specialty and the Doctor of Science in Dentistry degrees. The program may be longer than four years depending on specific department requirements.In the DScD/CAGS program, the specific course requirements of the Doctor of Science in Dentistry can be satisfied by the regular CAGS curriculum. The remainder of the 64 credits required for the DScD degree can, therefore, be fulfilled through directed study and research credits.GENERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR THE PH.D
Course Requirements for postbachelor's and post-masters degree programs are as follows:Postbachelors Candidates without a master's degree or its equivalent are required to complete a minimum of 64 credits or the equivalent. Specific requirements relative to the selection of courses, seminars and research or directed study will be determined for each student by department or division in the field of concentration.Normally, no more than 16 credits may be taken concurrently. Each student must register for at least 4 credits each semester until completion of all departmental course requirements unless granted an authorized leave of absence. The number of courses that may be transferred to a postbachelors program is explained in more detail in the "Transfer of Credit" section of this bulletin.Post-master's Candidates with a master's degree or its equivalent are required to complete the equivalent of a minimum of 32 credits. Specific requirements relative to the selection of courses, seminars and research or directed study will be determined for each student by the department or division in his or her field of concentration. Normally, no more than 16 credits may be taken concurrently, and each student must register for at least 4 credits each semester until completion of all departmental course requirements unless granted an authorized leave of absence. Regulations regarding transfer of credit to a post-master's program are explained in more detail in the "transfer of Credit" section of this Bulletin.Qualifying Examination: All students shall demonstrate mastery of their major fields in special examinations set by the major department. All parts of the qualifying examination must be passed before the dissertation prospectus or outline will be accepted by the School of Dental Medicine.PhD Candidacy: A student in the School of Dental Medicine PhD program will be accepted to PhD candidacy upon successful completion of such qualifying examinations as are designated by the department. At that time, the department will notify the School of Dental Medicine and the Division of graduate Medical Sciences of the School of Medicine, which will formally accept the student to PhD candidacy. The maximum period allowable between matriculation and acceptance to PhD candidacy is established by the individual department. Once entered, a PhD candidacy will expire on its fifth anniversary and after such time will be renewed only if the student requalifies for candidacy as determined by the department and the School of Dental Medicine. In no instance will a student who is not a PhD candidate be allowed to defend a completed PhD dissertation.Dissertation: Candidates shall demonstrate their abilities for independent study in dissertations representing original research or creative scholarship.Dissertation Prospectus: After completing coursework and the qualifying examinations, a student proposes a dissertation topic and asks the department to identify first and second (and in some departments third) readers for the dissertation. The first reader will be a member of the students department, except by special arrangement with the School of Dental Medicine. The dissertation prospectus should be completed before the more extensive phase of dissertation research is undertaken. The department is responsible for reviewing and evaluating a draft prospectus. The review is followed by revision and the production of a final draft, which must be approved by the readers, the director of graduate studies and the department chairman. The approved prospectus is submitted to the School of Dental Medicine on or before the date specified in the SDM Graduation Calendar. Although the length of the prospectus will vary from discipline to discipline, it cannot exceed twenty double-spaced (or ten single-spaced) pages, not including bibliography. Specific procedures for meeting the general guidelines described here vary from department to department.Abstract and Final Oral Examination: Students undergo final oral examinations in which they defend their dissertation as valuable contributions to knowledge in their fields and demonstrate a mastery of their fields of specialization in relation to their dissertation. The examining committee is composed of five or more School of Dental Medicine faculty, at least two of whom are from the students department. By special appointment, approved by the dean of the School of Dental Medicine, examiners may be from outside the institution. The membership of the committee must be approved by the chairman or the director of the graduate studies. Before the final oral examination can be scheduled, the candidate must obtain initial approval of a dissertation abstract from the readers, the director of graduate studies, and the chairman. The abstract, which cannot exceed 350 words in length, describes the thesis, methods and general content of the dissertation. The abstract must be submitted to the School of Dental Medicine at least three weeks before the examination. Two weeks before the examination, the schedule of the examination is due in the School of Dental Medicine, together with fourteen copies of the approved abstract. Students are responsible for arranging an examination date with the department and for requesting that the School Dental Medicine schedule the examination. Students should consult their departments and the SDM Graduation Calendar about specific procedures and dates pertaining to abstracts and examinations. General instructions concerning the scheduling of examinations and the submission of abstracts are available from the School of Dental Medicine.Time Limit: The post-bachelors program must be completed within seven years after the first registration for doctoral study. The post-masters program must be completed within five years after the first registration for the doctoral program.
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Policies for Postdoctoral Clinics
PATIENT CARE
Clinical education at Boston University School of Dental Medicine is patient centered. Respect for the patient and provision of the highest possible quality of dental care is the expected outcome of dental education and the key to successful dental practice. The best interests of the patient always take priority over educational considerations. For every patient treated in the postdoctoral clinics there must be a treatment plan signed and approved by faculty. The cost of treatment must be placed in the record and must be explained to the patient. Before starting any treatment the treatment will either be contracted or paid for. There will be only one treatment plan for each patient departmental treatment plans that do not complement a general treatment plan are not permitted. For each patient treated in the postdoctoral clinics, there must be a designated primary-care dentist who will, along with a faculty supervisor, have responsibility for the final treatment plan or for modification of treatment plans. This primary-care dentist may be a postdoctoral student or may be a predoctoral student. The patient must be told the name of his or her primary care dentist is. An exception to this policy is the patient who is referred to one of the schools postdoctoral clinics from an outside primary-care provider with the specific intention that the patient will be referred to that primary-care provider once specialty care is completed at SDM. In this case, the primary-care provider should be indicated in the patient record, as well as an indication as to how the specialty care complements the patients treatment plan. Any changes in a treatment plan by a specialty department may not be made without consultation and approval of the primary-care dentist and/or his/her faculty supervisor. An exception to this is the case of the dental emergency. If a dental emergency dictates a deviation from the original treatment plan, a clear entry in the record must document this change, including the reason for the change and an indication that the change and its consequences were discussed with the patient. Published fee schedules must be adhered to by all faculty and students. Only the clinic manager or program director may authorize a deviation from the published fee schedule. Any deviation from the published fee schedule and its rationale must be documented in the patient's record and the visit sheet. If a student or faculty member inappropriately adjust a patients fee from the published fee schedule, that student or faculty member will be responsible for making up the difference between the published fee and the fee quoted to the patient.
STUDENTS
Students are responsible for arranging in advance for any and all absences from the clinical program. Requests for absences must be in writing and arrangements must be authorized in writing by the program director and the clinic manager. Except in the case of personal emergency, arrangements must be made at least one month in advance. The clinic coordinator or reception desk must be notified of all changes. Students are not allowed to cancel scheduled patients without the consent of the program director and clinic manager or clinic coordinator. In the case of personal emergency, the program director and the clinic manager or clinic coordinator must be notified of any last minute patient cancellation(s). Students are co-responsible, with faculty, for accurately filling out record entries, treatment plans and visit sheets. Where applicable, students are responsible for returning patient visit sheets to the front desk after each patient appointment. Students must return patient records to the clinic desk or record room on a daily basis. These records must have faculty signatures. If at any time it is found that a patient has not been billed for a procedure due to inappropriate activity, intentional or unintentional, by the student, then the student will be responsible for the unbilled charges. Students must coordinate patient appointments through reception desk staff. Students must adhere to infection control and safety protocols. To minimize waiting time for the patients, students must arrive at the clinic in advance of the appointment time to set up their operatories. Students are expected to inform patients when they are running late by any time over ten minutes. Students assigned to emergency coverage must respond to requests for emergency consultations in Oral Diagnosis in a timely manner. Students are not allowed to transfer an emergency beeper to another student unless this transfer has been approved by the program director or the clinic manager or coordinator. Repeated sudden illnesses resulting in same day patient cancellation will be investigated. The School of Dental Medicine recognizes the value of its diverse student body. However, English is the language of instruction, patient care and record keeping at SDM. Out of respect for our patients, it is expected that English be spoken in all common and patient care areas. Patients should not be treated without a patient record present.
FACULTY
There must be sufficient faculty to cover the clinics at all times (preferably 3 per session or 1 per 4-5 students). Posted faculty coverage schedules must be: Accurate; i.e., represents faculty who are on the clinic floor for the entire clinical session, and not faculty who are in the school but involved in other endeavors such as research, administrative duties, etc. Prominently posted in the various clinics, including the reception desks and clinic managers/coordinators office. Updated monthly
Faculty are responsible to review and sign all records. In order to facilitate return of records to the record room on a daily basis, faculty must sign records in a timely manner. Faculty must arrive on time and be available on the clinic floor at the start of the session. Faculty must be available during the time they are scheduled to be on the clinic floor. Faculty must be aware that patient care is the highest priority and faculty not assigned to clinic session should be willing to participate in patient care if this need arises. Faculty are expected to work with ALL students in a collegial manner and must avoid selectivity in working with students. Faculty must contact the program director and clinic manager/coordinator if unforeseen circumstances (e.g. emergency, illness, etc
) or any other issues require their absence from the clinic. Faculty and Staff must be responsible for arranging in advance for vacation or other absences from the clinical program. Absences must be REQUESTED in writing well in advance and must be authorized in writing by the program director and the clinic manager/coordinator. Requests may be denied if other faculty have already obtained approval to be absent. Except in the case of a personal emergency, arrangements will be made at least one month in advance. ALL faculty assigned to teach in the second-floor postdoctoral clinic will be accountable to both the program director and the clinic manager for their clinical performance.
RECEPTION DESKS, PATIENT COORDINATORS, SUPERVISORS, AND FOURTH-FLOOR BUSINESS OFFICE
Are responsible for coordinating patient appointments, cancellations, rescheduling. Are responsible for ensuring that students schedules are optimally booked. Must provide the clinic manager with reports on: Real chair occupancy time (weekly). The coefficient of hourly generated income per resident (weekly). The number of procedures performed, with the appropriate ADA codes, names of the patients, record numbers and payments, per resident (daily). The number of cancellations and no-shows (daily). The number of patients seen per Postdoctoral Division (weekly). The number of new patients seen per Postdoctoral Division (weekly). Fourth floor record room staff must provide reasonable access to patient records (i.e., 24 hours normally or less in emergency). Reception desk staff must follow established rules for emergency treatment. Where available, reception desk staff must use automated voice systems to confirm appointments and remind patients of outstanding balances. Schedules for lectures, seminars etc. must be given to the reception desk staff by the clinic coordinator (and/or secretary) for each Division well in advance (at least two weeks) so that the reception desk will not be required to cancel patients to accommodate last minute changes in schedule.
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Policy on Absence for Religious Reasons
The School of Dental Medicine observes federal holidays only. The School remains open during religious holidays. If a student intends to be absent for a religious holiday, it is imperative that the program director be notified well in advance. It should be understood that days absent from the program for religious purposes will be considered vacation days. Course and program directors will make every effort to coordinate examinations to avoid conflicts with religious holidays and will provide every opportunity for students to make up examinations missed due to religious holiday absence.
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Policy on Missed Examinations
Any student who misses an examination due to illness must contact the course director PRIOR to the start of the examination. It is the responsibility of the student to make arrangements with the course director to make up the missed examination in a timely manner. A student who misses an examination in one of the Interdisciplinary Curriculum courses should not only contact the course director but the Office for Advanced Education. A student who contacts the course director, program director or Office for Advanced Education to claim a medical reason for missing an examination AFTER the completion of the examination must show medical authorization for not being present.
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Policy on Leaves of AbsenceIf a student needs to take any type of leave of absence including sick/maternity leave, the student is responsible for notifying the director of their program. If this period of time will be for more than one week, the Office for Advanced Education and the Registrars Office should also be notified. Written approval for any leave of absence of more than one week should be obtained from the program director. If a program grants a student a leave of absence that encompasses a large portion of the semester, a Withdrawal form must be filed with the Registrar prior to the leave. A student on a formal extended leave who wishes to return must notify the program director and the Registrars Office six months before the semester for which the student is returning. A student on a short leave of absence, for example, maternity leave, will be required to fulfill all curriculum requirements missed during the leave. Copies of all correspondence should be sent to the Registrars Office for the students official record.
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Policy on Course Exemptions and Academic PerformanceCourse ExemptionsEffective academic year 2000-2001, BU DMD students will no longer be allowed to petition for exemption of Interdisciplinary Curriculum courses on the basis of having successfully completing a comparable predoctoral course. At the discretion of the Interdisciplinary Curriculum course director, students may have the option to take an exemption examination. A form for formally petitioning for course exemption is available in the Office for Advanced Education, Rm. 708 (Appendix I). Any petition must be submitted to the course director before the beginning of the second week of the course. Students may not exercise this option without the approval of their program director. Exemption examinations will be sufficiently challenging to be a true test of the students mastery of course content. Once a student successfully completes an exemption examination, a student will be exempted from the course and it will be the responsibility of the course director to contact the Registrars Office.Grade Point Requirement and General Policy Regarding Deficient GradesGrades of "F" or "D" are not acceptable for promotion from year to year or for successful completion of a postdoctoral program. If the program director or student evaluation committee allows a student with a deficient grade to remain in a program, that deficient grade must be rectified. A grade of "F" must be rectified by repetition of the course. A grade of "D" may, at the discretion of the course director, be remedied by a written or oral reexamination or completion of an assigned project.When a student repeats a course in its entirely, the student may be awarded the grade earned for that course. When a deficiency grade is rectified by repeating a course, the original grade remains on the students transcript and a new grade is recorded for the year the course is retaken along with the designation "RP".. Successful completion of a remediation option short of repetition of a course in its entirety will result in a grade improvement from a "D" to a "C-". Improvement of a grade of "D" by this means will be recorded in the transcript as a "C-" with the designation "RM".Effective academic year 2000-2001, BU DMD students will no longer be allowed to petition for exemption of Interdisciplinary Curriculum courses on the basis of having successfully completing a comparable predoctoral course. At the discretion of the Interdisciplinary Curriculum course director, students may have the option to take an exemption examination. A form for formally petitioning for course exemption is available in the Office for Advanced Education, Rm. 708 (Appendix I). Any petition must be submitted to the course director before the beginning of the second week of the course. Students may not exercise this option without the approval of their program director. Exemption examinations will be sufficiently challenging to be a true test of the students mastery of course content. Once a student successfully completes an exemption examination, a student will be exempted from the course and it will be the responsibility of the course director to contact the Registrars Office.Grade Point Requirement and General Policy Regarding Deficient GradesGrades of "F" or "D" are not acceptable for promotion from year to year or for successful completion of a postdoctoral program. If the program director or student evaluation committee allows a student with a deficient grade to remain in a program, that deficient grade must be rectified. A grade of "F" must be rectified by repetition of the course. A grade of "D" may, at the discretion of the course director, be remedied by a written or oral reexamination or completion of an assigned project.When a student repeats a course in its entirely, the student may be awarded the grade earned for that course. When a deficiency grade is rectified by repeating a course, the original grade remains on the students transcript and a new grade is recorded for the year the course is retaken along with the designation "RP".. Successful completion of a remediation option short of repetition of a course in its entirety will result in a grade improvement from a "D" to a "C-". Improvement of a grade of "D" by this means will be recorded in the transcript as a "C-" with the designation "RM".
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Postdoctoral Grading PolicyGrading ScaleThe grading scale is as follows: A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D, and F. Please note that there are no A+, D+, D-, F+ or F- grades. A grade of "I" (incomplete) as an interim grade is only awarded in special circumstances such as an inability to complete course work due to illness or personal reasons beyond the students control and acceptable to a course director. An interim grade of "I" (incomplete) will not be recorded as a final grade. If the student has not rectified the I by the end of the course, the grade will be recorded as W (withdrawn) or F.Posting Grades
Course directors must inform students of the course grade within 10 business days of the final exam. Course directors may elect to post student grades. To insure grade confidentiality, grades will not be posted by name or university ID number, but by an assigned Personal Identification Number (PIN). Grades will not be posted in clinical areas, at an elevator, or near patient waiting areas.
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Implantology Symposium Student Attendance Policy
The Center for Implantology hosts an Annual International Symposium on Implantology each academic year. The symposium is a mandatory course for several postdoctoral programs as follows: First Year Postdoctoral Students Implantology, Periodontology, Prosthodontics, Graduate Operative Dentistry, Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery. First-year students in these programs are not charged tuition for the symposium.The symposium is open to 2nd, 3rd and 4th year post-doctoral students. Attendance for these students is with the approval of their program director. DMD IV and AS II students are invited to attend the symposium with the approval of their mentor. There is a nominal charge of $350 for students and attending the symposium.Any student for whom the symposium is not mandatory must obtain written approval to attend the symposium from their program director or mentor and attendance must not conflict with normally scheduled academic activities and patient care.
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Policy on Continuing Education CoursesThe Office for Advanced Education works with each of the individual programs and the Office for Continuing Education to promote the education of our students. Some programs may require students to participate in continuing education courses as part of the programs curriculum. There is no charge for students for mandatory continuing education courses. If a student opts to participate in a continuing education course which is not part of their programs curriculum, there will be a nominal fee for this course.
Postdoctoral students must get advance written approval of their program director to attend continuing education courses. Continuing education courses have a limited number of openings for attendees. For this reason, once a student registers for a course and signs out of clinic for the day, he or she is expected to attend the course in its entirety. Attendance will be taken at each course and copies of the attendance sheets will be forwarded to appropriate program directors.
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Policy on Computing Equipment, Listservs, and Web Pages
In addition to Boston University's Conditions of Use and Policy on Computing Ethics (http://www.bu.edu/computing/ethics), the Boston University School of Dental Medicine expects individuals using school and university computing services to follow the additional guidelines set-forth.Computing Equipment at the School of Dental MedicineComputing equipment owned by the school must display standard Windows backgrounds at all times. Screensavers and software not provided by the school may not be downloaded or installed.Listservs at the School of Dental MedicineListservs are to be used to broadcast school and university related business only. This is limited to messages sent from the administration and school endorsed organizations. It is not a mechanism for non-school related discussion, religious announcements, chain letters, commercial endorsements or advertisements.WebPage Access at the School of Dental MedicineStudents, Faculty and Staff may not post their "personal " web pages via the school server. Web Page posting is for the exclusive use of school related business.
The School of Dental Medicine reserves the right to revoke the computing privileges and/or discipline any individual using the Computing Equipment, Listservs, or Web Pages in violation of this policy.
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Delineation of Privileges
Guidelines as to clinical procedures or disciplines that should be limited to particular departments or programs.
Postdoctoral Program Directors have developed a consensus on some general procedures, the performance of which should, in the best interest of the patient, be limited to particular departments. The following delineation is intended as a guideline. It is recognized that deviation from these guidelines may, on occasion, be in the best interest of the patientt. Decisions to deviate from these guidelines should never be made independently by a student but should be made in consultation with a faculty member. Reasons for deviation from these guidelines should be clearly documented in the patients record by a faculty member.
| procedure |
department/division |
| Restorative |
Operative, AEGD, Prosthodontics, Pediatric Dentistry, Geriatrics |
| Fixed Pros |
Operative, AEGD, Prosthodontics, Geriatrics |
| Removable Pros |
AEGD, Prosthodontics, Pediatric Dentistry, Geriatrics |
| Implant Placement |
OS, Periodontology, Implantology |
| Implant Restoration |
AEGD, Prosthodontics, Implantology |
| Endo (simple) |
Endodontics, AEGD, Pediatric Dentistry, Geriatrics |
| Endo (complex) |
Endodontics |
| Periapical Surgery |
Endodontics |
| Perio (initial prep) |
Periodontology, AEGD, Geriatrics |
| Perio Surgery |
Periodontology |
| Tooth hemisection |
Periodontology, Endodontics. |
| Crown lengthening |
Periodontology |
| Orthodontics |
Orthodontics, Pediatric Dentistry
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| Minor tooth movement |
Orthodontics, Periodontology, Pediatric Dentistry |
| Simple Extractions |
Oral Surgery, AEGD, Pediatric Dentistry, Geriatrics, Periodontology.* Implantology* |
| Complex Extractions |
Oral Surgery |
| Removal of Impacted Teeth |
Oral Surgery
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| Preprosthetic Surgery (all) (vestibuloplasty, tuberosity reduction, torus removable, ridge augmentation, etc.) |
Oral Surgery, Periodontology. ** |
| Exposure of impacted teeth (for Ortho) |
Oral Surgery, Periodontology |
| Biopsy |
Oral Surgery, Periodontology, Oral Diagnosis |
| Biopsy of lesions suspected to be malignant |
Oral Surgery |
| Excision of all benign pathologic lesions |
Oral Surgery |
| Evaluation and Management of TMD |
Orthodontics, Oral Surgery, Periodontology, Oral Diagnosis, Prosthodontics |
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* If, during periodontal surgery, a tooth or teeth , involved in the surgical procedure, is found to be nonsalvageable it/they may be extracted by perio. at the time with the written approval of a perio. instructor.**Preprosthetic surgery for the purpose of restoring the health of a periodontally involved tooth or dentoalveolar segment may be performed by Periodontology with the written approval of a perio. instructor.
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Family Discount PolicyBeginning on July 23, 1999, Boston University Goldman School of Dental Medicine will redefine the specifics of the Family Discount Policy. Students and residents will continue to be granted the privilege of treating their own immediate family at no cost other than applicable laboratory fees. The immediate family of students and residents may also be treated by other approved members of the dental school community at a discount of 50% from regular fees, or 50% from the remainder of regular fees after all laboratory expense have been paid. "Immediate family", for purposes of this discount, will be defined as a current spouse and/or dependent children. All other family members will be required to pay our regular fees, which are significantly below those experienced in outside private practice.Those students and residents applying for the discount will be asked to sign a statement affirming that the patient is, in fact, their current spouse or dependent child. A misrepresentation on this point will be considered a serious offense and appropriate and severe sanctions will follow.
The administration is confident that these changes in the "Family Discount Policy" will enable the school to continue to offer a well-deserved courtesy to the tuition paying members of our school
those who need it most.
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Security System Schedule
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LOCATION
SYSTEM
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SCHEDULE
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DAY
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TIMES
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Main Entrance
Card reader-- Unlocked
Monday-Thursday
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6:00 AM to 9:00 PM
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Friday
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6:00 AM to 7:00 PM
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Saturday & Sunday
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8:00 AM to 4:00 PM
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Card Reader w/ Terrier Card
Monday--Sunday
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To 11:00 PM *
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Elevator Lobby doors:
Floors 2, 6, 7
Door contacts-Unlocked
* Locked
Monday Friday
Saturday & Sunday
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6:00 AM to 8:00 PM
* as authorized
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Elevator Lobby doors: 5th floor
Door contacts- Unlocked
Locked
Monday FridaySaturday
Sunday
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6:00 AM to 9:00 PM6:00 AM to 5:00 PM
floor is closed
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G-10 SDM Supply Store
Card Reader- **
Monday-Sunday
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Limited access as authorized at all times.
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G521 & 703
Sterilizationdispensaries
Card Reader- **
Monday-Sunday
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Limited access as authorized at all times.
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G-401 SDM Finance Office
Card Reader- **
Monday-Sunday
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Limited access as authorized at all times.
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G-707
Educational Resource Center
Card Reader Unlocked
Access w/ card
Monday - Sunday
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7:00 AM 7:00 PM
7:00 PM 9:00 PM
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Students should have their BU Terrier ID cards in their possession at all times. BU Terrier cards are not only for identification purposes, but will allow you access to student authorized areas in the School after hours. If you lose your BU Terrier ID card, there is a $35.00 replacement fee.
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