The College of Dentistry recognizes the need to develop its students as active and engaged members of the profession. Organizations such as ASDA and ADEA are instrumental in developing attitudes regarding the nature of our profession in society. As such, students are encouraged to participate in the several formal local, state, and national organizations.
However, students must also recognize that their primary focus while enrolled is their own professional development. Participation in extracurricular organizations, especially at officer level, is often time consuming and inherently competes with the time available for their own basic professional education. The College cannot allow extracurricular involvement to compromise the integrity of the student's professional growth and their inherent role in direct patient care.
Students holding leadership positions in recognized student professional organizations must be deemed to be making satisfactory academic and clinical progress in all areas of their scholastic and clinical activities. Those who do not show satisfactory progression will not be allowed to attend conferences at the expense of the College, nor will they be allowed excused absences to attend. In general, students enrolled in coursework involving preclinical activity must have the permission of the course director as well as the Deans Office in writing prior to making any plans to attend conferences.
It must be understood that the educational programs here at the college are graduate professional programs and the emphasis of learning and attending all courses both clinical and pre-clinical programs are of the highest priority for entering into the profession of dentistry. This priority will always be considered as paramount for consideration of any student to attend such events.
The following policy became effective June 1, 2017 for any and all students requesting to attend any elective external events/conferences. This policy is specific for any student requesting absence from any lecture, classroom, didactic, pre-clinical, or clinical session where attendance is required for the dental or hygiene educational program at the University of Oklahoma College of Dentistry.
Any student that is requesting to attend such events:
1) Be currently and maintain rank in the top 75% of their current class.
2) Currently have at least a 3.00 GPA grade average.
3) Must have written approval from all specific course directors
4) Must have all clinical requirements at minimum level projected for on-time graduation and/or direct approval from clinical course director.
5) Must not have any Professional Concerns Reports or Skills Development Reports on record for the current or preceding semester at the time of the days requested for absence; further any student receiving a Professional Concerns Report or Skills Development Reports will be ineligible for any such request during the current academic year.
All of these items will be monitored by the administration up to the point of the specific days requested to be absent and any student that does not meet any of the five criteria listed above, will have this privilege revoked immediately. Any student with this request revoked due to violation of the criteria of the policy may apply for a subsequent event(s) after approval from the Dean of Student Affairs. Please fill out travel form below:
Student Travel Form
Volunteering for Dental Events
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All events at which students are invited to provide clinical service must be approved by the Administration of the College of Dentistry.
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Students are not permitted to provide any form of direct care to patients, at any event or location, except under the direct supervision of approved College faculty.
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Failure to comply with this policy will be ground for disciplinary action, including the possibility of dismissal from the College of Dentistry.
