These courses span the D1 and D2 years and serve as a transition to Clinical Professionalism in the D3 and D4 years. These quarterly courses contain no formal class sessions or written examinations. The courses monitor and evaluate student dentists’ relationships with their peers, faculty, and staff and their professional conduct. The course grading philosophy assumes a professional behavioral norm in which all encounters and personal interactions are handled appropriately and professionally. Each student dentist begins the course with 100 points. Points are deducted if there are departures from the norm of excellent interactions with peers, faculty, and staff, and professional conduct.

Credits: Each course 0.5

These two courses cover important concepts in preventive dental medicine. Through lectures and hands-on exercises in the Simulation Clinic, students learn how to establish their own oral health. They also learn the science and practice of oral health assessment and preventive dental treatment modalities. Course instruction focuses on ways to promote one's own oral health, the health of one's patients, and the health of one's community at large. Methods learned and forms used in the courses are incorporated into subsequent patient care in the Dental Institute.

Credits: Each course 1

This course introduces the new dental student to effective personal financial management. Topics include the economy's effect on credit and debt, personal money management, managing credit, and debt and personal needs.

Credits: 0.5

This course introduces the fundamentals of effective communication and relationship-building skills. Topics covered include rapport-building skills with patients and colleagues, emotional intelligence, personality types, conflict resolution, and team-building strategies.

Credits: 1

Healthcare Ethics introduces dental students to the broad concepts of ethical and professional obligations, guidelines, reasoning, and decision-making involving the doctor-patient relationship and the delivery of healthcare.

Credits: 0.5

Dental Ethics and Professionalism uses a case-based approach to clinical ethical reasoning and examination of ethical issues and dilemmas in the dental care setting. The course also addresses expectations for professional behavior among dental practitioners.

Credits: 0.5

In these Dental Community Service courses, second year dental students participate in visits to elementary and junior high schools to provide health promotion education to students in oral disease prevention, tobacco cessation, and drug avoidance. Each student participates on two half-days per quarter.

Credits: Each course 0.5