This program is designed for students focused on craniofacial development, bioengineering, biomaterials, oral health and biological mechanisms. Students work with an academic advisor to select courses and pursue research in one of three focus areas: biomaterials/bioengineering of biological tissues, craniofacial development and mineralized tissue biology, and translational/clinical research. Curriculum includes supervised research and courses such as biomaterials, research design/methodology, statistics, biochemistry, genomics and more.
Students also have opportunities to participate in seminars on innovative topics in the oral and craniofacial sciences by well-known researchers and are encouraged to attend conferences and participate in poster presentations. All of this culminates in a degree that is respected by employers and prepares students for positions in academic research, corporate research and academic leadership.
This program is comprised of 42 credit hours, including:
Complete course listing on Academic Catalog
Cost is a major consideration when deciding whether to continue your education. Please contact the program coordinator about graduate assistantships that may be available.
We encourage you to submit your F31 or F32 grant application, which is the written component of the comprehensive exam. You can also work with your research advisor to determine if there are other funding opportunities relevant to the area of your dissertation research.
Learn more about costs and financial aid and external funding opportunities that can make earning your degree more affordable.
Estimated costs International student costs Financial aid Funding opportunities
Benefit from a multi-disciplinary approach to research and graduate education that includes state-of-the-art equipment to support our world-renowned faculty’s high level of research grant funding.
Gain exposure to novel approaches and pioneering technological protocols while participating in on-going research in dental biomaterial innovations, craniofacial development and associated childhood birth defects, and oral cancer diagnosis that support advancements in oral healthcare.
Our graduates have gone on to work for NIH/NIDCR, University of Kansas Institute for Bioengineering Research, University of Michigan School of Dentistry, UMKC, University of Nebraska Biological Systems Engineering, and many more.
