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Policies of the Master’s of Science Program in the College of Dentistry

The Graduate Programs of the College of Dentistry operate within the context of the policies and rules of the Council on Research and Graduate Studies of the Ohio State University. These policies and rules can be found in the Graduate School Handbook. College of Dentistry-specific policies are included on this page.

Policy on Admission to Masters Program

Students accepted by the clinical programs who meet university minimum qualifications for admission to the Graduate School (see section II.1.2 of the Graduate School Handbook) are automatically approved for admission by the Graduate Studies Committee. Students who do not meet minimum criteria must be reviewed individually by the Graduate Studies Committee.

Guidelines on Resident Attendance

Graduate students in the advanced dental education programs (“Residents”) have a year-around attendance requirement. However, the College of Dentistry (“College”) recognizes that Residents have needs for absences during their training. Therefore, the College grants each Resident 10 (ten) training days of vacation and 5 (five) training days of sick leave per academic year.  These days cannot be accumulated under this policy and will expire at the end of each academic year.  Exceptions to this policy may be granted at the discretion of the Program Director for medically and/or personal necessitated absences and additional time may be granted.  Any time away from the College beyond the 15 training days per academic year granted each Resident may require such Resident to enroll for additional time in the College which shall be at the discretion of the Resident’s Program Director.    Each advanced dental education program (“Program”) determines its own attendance guidelines. Programs must submit their attendance guidelines to the College Office of Graduate Studies for record. 

If medical conditions of the Resident or the Resident’s family responsibilities (e.g., maternity, paternity) result in the need for absence from the Program that exceeds the 15 training days granted each year per Resident, then following approval for such additional time by the Resident’s Program Director and the taking of the additional time by the Resident, he/she will be responsible for the appropriate documentation of the completion of the program. This will include demonstration of completion of clinical and didactic requirements, completion of a full-scope, approved research project, and fulfillment of graduate teaching obligations prior to completion of the program and granting of a certificate. Failure of the Resident to meet these obligations will result in the Resident having extended time commitments to the College in order for his/her Program certificate to be awarded. 

 Effective date July 1, 2009

Guidelines on Extramural Practice for Residents and Graduate Students

The advanced education programs of the College provide a comprehensive clinical, didactic and research education experience. Coupling the graduate program leading to the MS degree with advanced education in one of the clinical specialties of dentistry provides a firmer understanding of the process whereby new knowledge is developed, tested and ultimately incorporated into clinical practice.

Due to the extensive and demanding nature of these combined programs, they require a full commitment of student, time and effort that is likely to include evenings and weekends.

Therefore, any external professional employment or practice opportunities (“moonlighting”) must be approved regularly by the Program Director after consultation with the respective Division Chair and the Dean of Graduate Studies.  For those students enrolled in the Graduate School, the Graduate Studies Committee will be informed and updated at least annually on a student’s progress.  Students engaged in moonlighting will be responsible for their own professional liability insurance and shall manage any issues related to moonlighting at times they are not assigned to program activities and without using any College resources or facilities.

Time Limit for Completion of Master’s Degree Requirements

Six (6) years shall be the time limit for the completion of the Master of Science degree program in the College of Dentistry. Under appropriate extenuating circumstances, an extension of this time limit may be approved by the Graduate Studies Committee. The candidate must submit a written petition to the Graduate Studies Committee requesting an extension prior to the final month of eligibility.

Policy and Procedures Concerning Misconduct in Research or Scholarly Activities

Graduate students and graduate faculty aspire to professional behavior that is consistent with the highest ethical and moral standards. The Graduate School at The Ohio State University expects that graduate students will demonstrate responsibility and integrity in pursuing their creative and scholarly interests. The academic enterprise is dependent upon such behavior. Graduate students are responsible for learning about appropriate standards for ethical research and scholarly conduct and for following all university policies related to ethical research and scholarly conduct. The Graduate Student Code of Research and Scholarly Conduct is included in the Graduate School Handbook.

Issues of professional misconduct occurring in the College of Dentistry are managed according to the protocol outlined in the College of Dentistry Code of Honor and Professional Conduct. Issues of academic misconduct are referred to the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs and Graduate Studies for appropriate action. Issues related to scholarly misconduct by graduate students are the responsibility of the Dean of the Graduate School. Guidelines for the Review and Investigation of Allegations of Scholarly Misconduct by Graduate Students is available from the Graduate School, 250 University Hall. The University's Interim Policy and Procedures Concerning Misconduct in Research or Scholarly Activities must be followed when responding to allegations of misconduct in research.  These policies and procedures may be viewed at http://orrp.osu.edu/irb/osupolicies/documents/Noncompliance.pdf

Grievance Procedures for Graduate Students

If a graduate student has a grievance, it should be discussed with the appropriate faculty member, course director, program director, academic advisor, or other individual directly involved, to seek resolution of the issue. If such discussions fail to resolve matters, the graduate student may, should the case warrant, request a meeting with the Section Head for the given program. If such discussions fail to resolve matters, and the grievance is related to the Master's portion of the academic program, the graduate student may submit a written petition to the Chair of the Graduate Studies Committee-M requesting a hearing by the GSC. This Committee will obtain written descriptions of the matters under consideration from the petitioner and other principal parties involved. The GSC will meet as soon as possible but no later than 30 days after receipt of the complaint to review this written documentation, and will request all appropriate individuals involved to verbally present their viewpoints. The petitioner may have an advisor present at the Committee meeting. The advisor may only counsel the student and not actively participate in the hearing, unless clarification is needed by the Committee. Each individual witness, or requested witness groups, will meet separately with the Committee. After all witnesses have been heard, the Committee will discuss all testimony and make a decision regarding the petition. The decision requires a simple majority vote of the Committee members present. The decision will be communicated to the student in writing as soon as possible. If the graduate student or resident feels that the grievance has not been satisfactorily resolved by the GSC, a written petition for review of the grievance may be submitted to the Dean of the Graduate School within 5 business days. Graduate Student Grievance Review Guidelines are available in there Graduate School Handbook.

Policy on Graduate Faculty Membership (Category M)

Graduate School eligibility for Category M status:

Regular Faculty. Regular (appointments at 50 percent time or more) tenure-track faculty and regular research track faculty are eligible for appointment at Category M and P graduate faculty. Regular clinical faculty are eligible for appointment as Category M graduate faculty.

Emeritus Faculty. Emeritus members of the regular faculty holding graduate faculty membership at the Category M or P level at the time of retirement may continue to act as advisors for their advisees in progress at the time of retirement with the approval of the graduate studies committee and notification to the Graduate School. For these faculty emeriti to engage in graduate teaching or advising activities not in progress at the time of retirement, approval of both their graduate studies committee and the dean of the Graduate School is required.

Auxiliary Faculty. Auxiliary faculty are “persons with adjunct titles, clinical titles, visiting titles, and lecturer titles; also professors, associate professors, assistant professors, and instructors who serve on appointments totaling less than 50 percent to the university” (University Rule 3335-5-19D). Auxiliary faculty are not eligible for appointment to the graduate faculty. Auxiliary faculty may serve on master’s and doctoral examination committees upon petition by the graduate studies committee of the student’s program and approval by the Graduate School. Auxiliary faculty may, under extraordinary circumstances, serve as advisors upon petition by the graduate studies committee and approval by the Graduate School.

Ex Officio Members. Ex officio members of the Graduate Faculty are the senior vice president for academic affairs and provost, the vice president for research, the vice provost for graduate studies and dean of the Graduate School, the deans of the colleges, and the director of libraries.

Additional College of Dentistry eligibility requirements: To be eligible to join the Graduate Faculty M, faculty members must have completed and published as the primary or senior author in a peer-reviewed journal, at least one research project at a level commensurate with the awarding of a master’s degree within 5 years their initial appointment.

Procedure for appointment: Members may apply to the Graduate Studies Committee for membership on the Graduate Faculty, category M (download Graduate Faculty Application, Category M).

Thesis Committee Membership by Nonmembers of the Graduate Faculty: (section IV.3.5.5 of the Graduate Student Handbook) Persons who are not Graduate Faculty members may serve on master’s examination committees upon the recommendation of the Graduate Studies Committee. Petition for such membership should be made to the Graduate Studies Committee, outlining the special qualifications and expected contributions of the proposed committee member. Approval by the Graduate School is granted upon special petition by the Graduate Studies Committee based on these qualifications.

Policy on composition and selection of the Graduate Studies Committee M:

Composition: The Graduate Studies Committee M is composed of 5 regular, elected members of the Graduate Faculty of the College of Dentistry, an elected graduate student representative, and the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Graduate Studies.

Selection of members and chair: Regular members of the GSC are elected by the members of the Graduate Faculty of the College of Dentistry to 5-year, staggered terms, so that an old member retires and a new member joins the committee each July 1. No more than two members from any of the clinical programs are eligible to serve at any one time. Nominations are solicited from the Graduate Faculty. A non-voting graduate student member is elected to a one-year term in an at-large election held each year among all Graduate Students enrolled in the Master’s program in the College. The Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Graduate Studies is an ex officio, non-voting member of the committee. The chair of the committee is elected from the regular membership of the committee each year.

Election rules: The Office of Graduate Studies and Graduate Studies Committee will work with the graduate faculty and students to open nominations, accept a ballot and call the vote in separate elections for both the student representative and the regular members of the GSC each year. In both elections the candidate who receives the most votes will win. In case of a tie there will be a run-off vote.