Temple University

Temple University School of Dentistry is considered one of the best educational values in the country.

27 May 2006

The Maurice H. Kornberg School of Dentistry, Temple University, is the second oldest dental school in continuous existence, chartered 134 years ago in 1863. The school has long believed that the number of minority graduates in the field of dentistry should better reflect their representation in the general population, and outreach programs have been put in place to attract young, talented African-American, Latino and Native American men and women who are interested in a career in dentistry. Two of the several recruitment and outreach programs sponsored annually are through the Health Careers Opportunity Program (HCOP). They are the Future Dentist of America Program and the Early Arrival Program.

The Future Dentist of America Program is a seven-week summer program designed to assist students with DAT preparation, AADSAS/DAT applications, and interview preparation. For this program the dental school targets students from disadvantaged backgrounds and who are from minority groups underrepresented in the dental profession. They also recruit students from historically black colleges and universities. The Early Arrival Program is a seven-week program designed to assist first-year students by providing introductory mini courses in restorative dentistry, gross anatomy, biochemistry, histology, and physiology. Students accepted into the dental school who are from disadvantaged backgrounds and are from minority groups underrepresented in the dental profession are invited to participate.

In terms of financial support, the Maurice H. Kornberg School of Dentistry offers scholarships specifically geared toward providing minorities with the means of attending their dental program. For instance, from the pool of minority students accepted for admission, the members of the sub-committee for disadvantaged students select 10 students to receive W. K. Kellogg-Kellogg/ADEA Scholarships. Four of the students are selected from those who participated in the Future Dentists of America (FDA) program, and the remaining six are other disadvantaged students from the general applicant pool. Financial assistance is provided at an amount of $ 2,500. Financial assistance is also available through the National Association of Minority Medical Educators (NAMME) and the Pennsylvania Black Conference on Higher Education (PBCOHE).

The Maurice H. Kornberg School of Dentistry, Temple University, is considered one of the best educational values in the country: Its "private/state-related" designation means that Pennsylvania residents are afforded a $7,500 tuition subsidy annually (petitioning for in-state residency status is possible for out-of-state students after the first year). Because of its dedication to providing quality dental education, it is certain to continue delivering both its pre-doctoral and postgraduate programs well into the 21st century.