DDS Program
Faculty of the Department of Neural and Pain Sciences have primary responsibility for the design and implementation of five basic science courses of the DDS Program. These include: anatomy, neuroscience, pain and nociception, pharmacology and physiology. Cell and molecular biology and microbiology and immunology courses are administered by basic science faculty in other departments in the school of dentistry. The basic sciences course directors meet regularly to consider dental education issues such as curriculum design, integration and mentoring of new faculty, innovative educational methods, student performance, advancement decisions, student evaluation of courses, etc.
In addition to courses, faculty of the Department of Neural and Pain Sciences have primary responsibility for the PhD portion of the DDS-PhD combined degree program. In this program, DDS students are offered the opportunity for advanced training in the Graduate Program in Life Sciences. Likewise, combined DDS-Master's Programs in clinical research and public health are also under the direction of faculty in the Department of Neural and Pain Sciences.
Courses
The Department of Neural and Pain Sciences offers the traditional courses in anatomy, neuroscience, pain and analgesia, pharmacology, and physiology that are part of the curriculum for dental students. A description of those courses follows:
NPSC 518A ANATOMY
The course in human anatomy is devoted to the study of the structure and function of the body using a regional approach with an emphasis on functional and clinical relevance. It includes the study of the organs and muscles with their relationships, arterial supply, venous and lymphatic drainage, and innervation. Principles of body structure and function are studied with particular emphasis on the head and neck and major organ systems. A strong effort is made to correlate anatomy with other courses in the basic and clinical sciences of the dental curriculum.
NPSC 512N NEUROSCIENCE
The neuroscience course includes a study of neuronal activity and functions ranging from molecular events to neuronal circuitry and neurophysiology. The activities of the nervous system presented include: nociception, discriminative touch and proprioception, special senses, somatic motor control and higher cortical functions. Clinical correlations and therapies are discussed to illustrate the importance of understanding the basis of these functions of the nervous system.
NPSC 521A NEUROSCIENCE OF PAIN
The program of instruction in pain and analgesia is a required course for second year dental students and serves as the basis for translational research conferences for second and third year students. The didactic portion is divided into three sections: the neurobiology of pain, science of acute and chronic pain conditions, and diagnosis and treatment of orofacial pain conditions. This is an intensive course emphasizing the latest theories of mechanisms underlying acute and chronic pain. The translational research conferences emulate a clinical situation in which a patient complains of orofacial pain simultaneously experiencing other medical/dental conditions. Students must differentiate signs/ symptoms leading to differential diagnoses and present a tentative treatment plan all the while emphasizing the underlying neurobiology of pain in diagnoses and treatment. The goal is to have students utilize their basic science knowledge as the foundation for diagnosis and treatment of craniofacial disorders.
NPSC 521P - PHARMACOLOGY
Pharmacology is the study of drug mechanisms and drug use in the treatment, diagnosis, and prevention of disease. The foundation of pharmacology is composed of organic chemistry, biochemistry, anatomy, microbiology, and physiology. Because of this, the study of pharmacology usually encompasses aspects of other biological science courses you have already studied.
In this pharmacology course, drugs are considered to be chemicals that may alter both normal cellular function and disease states (therapeutics). This course emphasizes the mechanism of action of drugs, their absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion by the body, the FDA-approved uses in medicine and dentistry, their major adverse effects, and other information pertinent to medicine and dentistry. Drug interactions, rationale for use of specific drugs, and drug indications and contraindications are also stressed.
The art of prescription writing will also be taught. Prescription writing represents a summary of the dentist's diagnostic accuracy, knowledge of therapeutics, and ability to communicate instructions to the pharmacist and to the patient as to the proper use of the drug.
Credits - 5
Offered - Fall
NPSC 532P - PHARMACOTHERAPEUTICS
Advanced Pharmacotherapeutics is a clinical pharmacology course presented in the Spring semester of the 3rd year of the curriculum. It consists of several hours of didactic instruction, numerous hours of Blackboard access, and 2 hours of examinations. The course, presented by Dr. Santo, is designed to enhance the dental students’ appreciation of the role of pharmacology when treating dental patients and to provide review material in preparation for the National Boards Part 2.
Credits - 1
Offered - Spring
Course Directors
| Ali, Md, PhD Advanced Head and Neck Anatomy |
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| Ali, Md, PhD Case Based Conferences |
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| Myslinski, Norbert, PhD Drug and Abuse |
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| Teixeira, Da Silva Joyce, PhD Graduate Neuroscience of Pain |
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| Mekonen, Hayelom, PhD Gross Anatomy |
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| Akerman, Simon, PhD Neuroscience |
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| Wei, Feng, PhD, MD Pain and Analgesia |
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| Santo, Renan, PhD Pharmacology; Pharmacotherapeutics |
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| Yang, Jiale ,PhD Translational Research Conferences |
Postdoctoral Program
Program structure and curriculum for postdoctoral fellows
(U.S. citizens or permanent residents only)
Postdoctoral fellows interested in obtaining training in the general areas of neuroscience and pain may contact individual faculty in the Department of Neural and Pain Sciences. Additionally, specific postdoctoral training in the Training Program in Oral and Craniofacial Biology funded by the NIH exists as described below.
Objectives
The goal of the long-term postdoctoral training experience is to develop oral health research investigators who are qualified to conduct clinical and basic research in areas relevant to the goals of the NIDCR.
Individuals admitted as postdoctoral fellows in our training program must have training in an area that is relevant to the goals of the NIDCR. In addition, the person should be willing to spend at least two years in the program. Typically these individuals will come to our program through our recruiting efforts and by referral from department chairs within the school. The Internal Advisory Committee will serve as the panel for reviewing the credentials of applicants.
The most important step in the training of our postdoctoral fellows will be the initial pairing with the appropriate mentors. Potential trainees will be invited to interview with the Internal Advisory Committee and potential mentors. In many cases it is expected that the candidate will have applied because they were already interested in collaborating with one or more program faculty. If this is not the case, the Internal Advisory Committee will review the applicant’s CV and recommend a primary mentor. If the primary mentor and applicant will be engaged in clinical research specific basic scientist mentors will be identified to interact with the pair. Likewise, mentors and trainees engaged in basic research will be directed toward specific clinical mentors. After the interview process, the advisory committee evaluates the compatibility of the applicant and potential mentors and assesses the likelihood for success. Recommendations for appointment are then made to the Program Oversight Committee.
Curriculum Overview
We will foster postdoctoral training in those areas important to accomplishing our goals of providing qualified manpower to address the shortage of faculty in our dental schools and to increase the number of scientists doing research in oral health-related disciplines. The curriculum for postdoctoral trainees, which is based on a two-year model, actually represents an expansion of the short-term training program. We will encourage integration between the basic and clinical sciences by requiring all of our trainees to gain experience in both clinical and basic science research.
Our first priority of postdoctoral fellows is to introduce them to cutting edge research and provide the necessary training to become an independent investigator in one of the four thematic areas supported in this training program. Upon arrival, the postdoctoral trainee and mentor will develop an initial plan around this primary goal in the form of an Independent Development Process (IDP) to track progress and mentor-mentee relationships in the program. As soon as the postdoctoral fellow becomes familiar with the laboratory and starts contributing to the research objectives of the principal investigator, other activities will be scheduled. The following description suggests how a program might develop. The nature of the research, the aptitude and goals of the fellow and other variables will certainly result in different timetables. It will be the responsibility of the Postdoctoral Training Committee to oversee the development of the trainee.
Fellows will be encouraged to participate in training any short-term trainees assigned to the laboratory. Activities might include teaching basic laboratory skills, describing methods for keeping notebooks, and leading informal discussions about the significance of the work. This training will be performed under the guidance of the primary mentor, but the postdoc fellow will receive credit for the mentoring opportunity.
Interdisciplinary activities will be scheduled to familiarize the fellow with all aspects of the training program. This includes attendance and participation in seminars and grand round activities. Basic science postdoctoral trainees will be expected to participate in clinical activities such as grand rounds and make plans to participate at some level in clinical research relevant to their areas of interest. Clinical researchers will be expected to attend basic science research seminars and schedule specific time to participate in basic science laboratory experiments. Whenever feasible, appropriate clinical and basic science rotations will be established. Ideally this will open an avenue for fertile integration of basic and clinical topics and drive new collaborative efforts.
Improvements of basic communication skills will also be encouraged. Courses in writing skills and, for permanent residents from foreign countries, courses in English as a Second Language (ESL) are available through the Writing Center at the campus level. Finally, we will expect postdoctoral fellows to participate in courses that provide them with the basics of bioethics and responsible conduct in science. They will be expected to enroll in one of the several Bioethics courses available on our campus. Other training seminars and sessions necessary for certain areas of research will also be included in this planning (e.g., campus radiation safety).
The postdoctoral trainee will also be encouraged to participate in the University Postdoc Network DOC organized in response to the growing recognition at the local and national level of the need to address career development for all postdoctoral fellows. The activities of the Network include: help with relocating, orientation, special seminars relevant to career development, social activities, and program evaluation.
How to Apply
Successful applicants for postdoctoral positions must have a DDS, DMD, MD or PhD in a related biological discipline and must be U.S. citizens or U.S. permanent residents. Send a letter of intent that includes a brief summary of your career path to date, including any research training and a description of your current research interests. Your summary should also include a description of your overall career goals (both short and long term), including how you plan to incorporate research training in your career. Finally, describe how this research training experience will meet your career goals.
You should also include your curriculum vitae, and the names of three references to individual faculty in the Department of Neural and Pain Sciences.
