The mission of Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine is to improve the oral health of Southern Illinois and the region through education, patient care, scholarship and service. In addition to classroom, clinical, and research facilities, the school has scanning and transmission electron microscopy facilities and other sophisticated equipment with which to conduct biomedical research. The dental curriculum is a structured program that requires all students to participate in a specified course of study. During the first two academic years, the educational offerings center around the biomedical sciences such as anatomy, microbiology, physiology and pathology, and preclinical dental sciences such as prosthodontics, pediatric dentistry, and community health.
Courses consist of a mixture of didactic, laboratory, and clinical offerings.
The third and fourth years of the curriculum focus on more advanced aspects of dental treatment and the relationship of basic, medical, and social sciences to the treatment of dental disease. During the third and fourth years, the students devote the majority of their time to providing comprehensive clinical outpatient care. Training is conducted at the Alton campus, the East St. Louis Center and the Dental Implant Clinic in University Park. The program includes experiences with special patient populations, patient care in the hospital setting, and training in the newest techniques in dental implants. The School of Dental Medicine offers an Implant Fellowship as part of its postdoctoral training program.