Advanced Graduate Certificate in Dental Public Health

Plan Description

The mission of the DPH Residency Program at the dental school is to educate specialists to promote oral health and the prevention of oral disease at the individual and population level, with a focus on underserved areas in Nevada.  The goal of the DPH Residency Program is to educate qualified DPH professionals to increase the capacity and infrastructure of the DPH workforce at the local, state and national level. Dental school graduates with a Master in Public Health (MPH) degree are eligible to become DPH specialists and to challenge the board exam by the American Board of Dental Public Health (ABDPH). The DPH Residency Program will provide a formal training opportunity for dentists planning careers in DPH with a focus on assessment, policy development and assurance.

For more information about your program, including your graduate program handbook and learning outcomes, please visit the Degree Directory.  

Plan Admission Requirements

Application Deadlines

Applications available on the UNLV Graduate College website.

All domestic and international applicants must review and follow the Graduate College Admission and Registration Requirements.

Graduate College Admission Requirements

1. Completed application in the Application Portal and non-refundable application fee.
2. Bachelor’s Degree – You must hold a four-year baccalaureate from a regionally accredited institution or an approved equivalent.
   1. Post-Master’s tracks and Advanced Certificates require a regionally accredited Master’s degree.
3. Grade Point Average – You must have a minimum overall grade point average of 2.75 (4.00=A) for the bachelor’s degree or a minimum 3.00 (4.00=A) for the last two years (60 semester credits). 
4. All applicants are required to submit an unofficial transcript from each postsecondary institution attended, showing all degrees and coursework, the dates awarded, and grades received. Official transcripts required upon admission.
   1. Credentials not in English must be accompanied by an English translation certified as true by a university official, an official representative of a United States embassy or consulate, the United States Information Service, the United States Education Foundation, or an approved professional translating service. Notarized copies of originals or translations are not considered official.​​​​​​​

Department Admission Requirements

Applications will be accepted from candidates with:

• A dental degree from a Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) regionally accredited school in the U.S. or another country.
• A Master of Public Health degree obtained from an institution that is regionally accredited by the U.S. Department of Education.

The aforementioned criteria are acceptable for board certification by the ABDPH.

Documents that will be submitted as part of the application process will include:

1. Writing Sample about a topic in dental public health
2. Statement of Intent about career goals/objectives
3. Three professional letters of recommendation
4. Curriculum vitae (CV)

Students are accepted into a certificate program as described in the Graduate Catalog. The faculty and corresponding sub-disciplines and sub-plans within the described programs are subject to change at any time.

Plan Requirements

Subplan 1: Full-Time
Subplan 2: Part-Time

Certificate Requirements

1. Completion of 18 credits, with a grade of B or better in the courses.

2. No more than 3 credits that are used to fulfill the requirements of another UNLV  certificate can count towards the requirements of the Advanced DPH certificate.

Plan Certificate Completion Requirements

Students may apply for graduation up to two semesters prior to completing their degree requirements. All required forms must be submitted to the graduate college via the Grad Rebel Gateway.