School Committees

Faculty Council: The faculty’s rights to admit students, to determine courses of study, to matriculate and graduate students, and to propose candidates for academic degrees and certificates are largely exercised through the Faculty Council and its standing committees. The Council is composed of an elected faculty representative from each of the four departments, three elected faculty representatives at-large, representatives from various faculty groups, and the President of the Associated Dental Students. The faculty of the School of Dentistry delegates to the Faculty Council its authority and responsibility for educational matters within the School, including but not restricted to curriculum, educational policy, conditions of admission, academic status of students, and recommendation of candidates for degrees.

Admissions Committee: This committee evaluates the records of all applicants to the School, recommends to the Faculty Council the selection of students for the dental and international dental curricula, maintains a continuous study of admissions policies and procedures, and recommends changes to the Faculty Council.

Educational Policy: The EPC maintains a continuous study of the curricula for the programs leading to the Doctor of Dental Surgery and Bachelor of Science in Dental Sciences. The EPC recommends to the Faculty Council changes and innovations in these curricula.

Subcommittees of EPC:

Basic Sciences Coordinating Committee: The BSCC coordinates instruction in the basic science courses taught in the School of Dentistry. It meets regularly to evaluate the effectiveness of individual courses, as well as assessing appropriate sequencing, overlap, and reinforcement among courses.

Clinical Sciences Coordinating Committee: The CSCC coordinates instruction in the clinical sciences, and its functions parallel those of the BSCC. In addition, the chairs of the BSCC and CSCC serve as members on each other’s committees to ensure cooperation and correlation between the two.

Postgraduate Education Coordinating Committee: The PECC coordinates instruction in the postgraduate curriculum of the School of Dentistry. Program directors of the postgraduate programs or their designates serve as members of the committee.

Student Status Committees: Student Status Committees review the academic progress of students in the School of Dentistry. The faculty maintain academic standards, follow prescribed evaluation procedures, and keep students informed of their progress.

Research: The Research Committee assists the faculty in preparing grant proposals, encourages students to develop proposals for summer fellowships, evaluates proposals, and recommends funding for research.

Scholarship: The Scholarship Committee selects recipients for scholarships, honors, and awards. The Committee coordinates the award ceremonies annually for the continuing and graduating students.

Academic Planning and Budget: This committee confers with and advises the Dean and administrative officers on academic planning, academic policy, resource allocations, and teaching environments affecting the school; pursue budget and planning matters as directed by the Faculty Council and advise the Faculty Council of matters that require study and/or action; and maintain liaison with the School's Educational Policy Committee.

Ad hoc committees: In addition to these standing committees, the Dean or the Faculty Council may appoint ad hoc committees with specific charges. Among current ad hoc committees are:

Progress Toward Degree

The majority of students complete the curriculum and receive the degree without encountering serious problems. For the dental class that entered UCSF in 1995 and graduated in 1999, 79 students (96%) completed requirements and graduated in June 1999. Eighteen dental hygiene students entered the program in 1997, and 18 (100%) completed the requirements for graduation in June 1999. Very few students have significant academic difficulty. Students are expected to attend all classes and to perform the coursework satisfactorily. Instructors are sole judges of students’ abilities to perform the coursework.