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Interim Chair: Stephen Walker, MSc, PhD
The Department of Oral Biology and Pathology acts as a bridge between the traditional basic sciences and the clinical sciences related to oral health. The department has made a major commitment to the development of new diagnostic technology and approaches for use in the preservation of the oral tissue and management of oral disease. It is one of the leading departments in the University in technology development and transfer to clinical practice. Within the predoctoral dental curriculum, the department offers approximately 300 hours of didactic instruction relevant to the understanding of biological and molecular processes involved in oral diseases. The department is responsible for instruction to dental students in the body of basic biological and molecular processes involved in oral disease. During the first three years of the predoctoral program, the subject matter deals with the biology of embryological development of the face and oral cavity, oral mineralized tissues, dental supporting tissues, oral microbiota, salivary glands and their products, oral and other mucous membranes, and the various sensory and oral motor systems of the mouth. The sequencing of the units is designed to obtain maximum integration between concurrently offered basic science and clinical courses.
The department has developed a unique course in translational and clinical oral biology in the third and fourth years of the dental program. Translational Oral Biology is an area of applied science that has been developed over a period of 35 years at the Stony Brook University School of Dental Medicine, where it exists as an important and unique component of the dental curriculum. It has been built on a growing foundation of oral and medically related biological science with focus on clinical application and patient care.
The Translational Oral Biology curriculum for dental students is given in the third year and is presently comprised of four sections. Section one deals with the nature and fundamentals of technology and knowledge transfer. Section two focuses on the fundamentals and specifics of newly developed and emerging diagnostic devices and techniques. Section three deals with the underlying basis and specifics of a range of new and emerging therapeutics and therapies. The fourth and last part deals with protocols to manage specific diseases where newly discovered and perfected diagnostic and therapeutic entities can be applied and integrated into clinical practice. This course also offers basic and practical experience in clinical laboratory methods and familiarizes students with investigative clinical procedures used in the diagnosis and monitoring of the effectiveness of treatment of a patient.
The department also offers graduate studies leading to a PhD in Oral Biology and Pathology or to a MS in Biomedical Science (Track in Oral Biology and Pathology). Both the PhD and MS can be obtained as part of combined DDS/PhD or DDS/MS programs. The MS in Biomedical Science (Track in Oral Biology and Pathology) may also be obtained as part of combined degree programs leading to an Advanced Certificate in Endodontics/MS, and Advanced Certificate in Orthodontics/MS, or an Advanced Certificate in Periodontics/MS. These programs are granted through Stony Brook University’s Graduate School. The main function of these programs are to train oral biology educators and researchers to staff dental and medical schools, dental research institutes, dental and medical industrial laboratories, and to provide relevant basic science training for dentists and physicians taking post-doctoral specialty training. The course work consists of an in-depth exposure to knowledge, directly and indirectly related to oral biology and its related sciences, and is coupled with appropriate individual research, tutorial and thesis programs.
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