General Information

The Grading System

Grades are issued by members of the faculty to indicate to students their level of achievement and to provide information to committees given the responsibility of reviewing a student's total academic record and assigning honor or deficient status.

Newly admitted students to the Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) program and the International Student Program (ISP) are bound by the university grading system, (excluding plus/minus grades), which is detailed in the Academic Policies and Information section of this catalogue.

Probation and Disqualification

A student evaluation policy has been developed that outlines methods by which the faculty can recognize outstanding achievements by students and identify those who have difficulty meeting the school's academic standards.

In this policy, the procedures dealing with the assignment and consequences of academic status are outlined in detail. It is hoped that the development of specific guidelines will eliminate confusion and minimize the amount of time spent in determining the student's status, thus allowing faculty and students to concentrate on their primary responsibility - the training of dental health professionals.

D.D.S. and B.S., Dental Hygiene Students

A student will be placed on academic probation if two units or more of failure are recorded at the end of any trimester; if a second consecutive academic warning is warranted; or if, in the judgment of the Student Evaluation Committee, probation is warranted.

A student will be placed on clinical probation if the student's clinical accomplishment in any trimester of the third or fourth year is less than 50 percent of the average accomplishment of the entire class, or 50 percent of the approximate required average, whichever is lower, and the total accomplishment is less than the class average; or if, in the opinion of the Student Evaluation Committee, the action is warranted by other factors relating to clinical accomplishment.

A student will be considered for disqualification if (1) a third probation is warranted at the end of any trimester; (2) a failing grade is not reconciled; (3) at the end of the academic year the grade point average for the preceding year is below 2.0; (4) academic probation is warranted while repeating a trimester on probation; (5) a student's total clinical accomplishment at the end of Trimester IX is less than 800 points; (6) a deficiency in any area is determined by the Student Evaluation Committee to be insurmountable.

Advanced Specialty Students

A student will be placed on academic probation if a failing grade is received in any course or if, in the judgment of the program director, a student's performance warrants such status due to academic or other factors. A student may be disqualified if the stipulations of a probationary period are not met by the required deadline, a failing grade is not reconciled in the period specified by the course director, or if a deficiency in any area is acquired which is determined by the program director to be insurmountable. A student who is placed on academic probation a second time can continue in the program only with the approval of the program director and the Advanced Evaluation Subcommittee.

Honor Status

The School of Dentistry recognizes excellence in achievement by assigning special honor status during the course of study and by presentation of awards upon graduation.

Dean's List

Students who complete all course work by a proscribed deadline and earn a grade point average of 3.5 or above for a term are placed on the Dean's List.

Omicron Kappa Upsilon Honor List

The local chapter of Omicron Kappa Upsilon (OKU), a national dental honor fraternity, recognizes the top 10 percent of each doctoral dental class at the end of each academic year (August) by including these students on the OKU Honor List. The determination of the top 10 percent is based on a yearly GPA. It should be noted that placement on the OKU Honor List has no relationship to membership in OKU, which is based on overall academic achievement and professional development.

Graduation Awards

There are numerous awards made each year at graduation to recognize excellence in members of the graduating doctoral, dental hygiene and international classes. A complete listing is available at the School of Dentistry.

Voluntary Withdrawal

The School of Dentistry recognizes that in some special instances it may be necessary or beneficial for a student to interrupt or discontinue dental education. A student wishing to withdraw from school for any length of time including or beyond a single trimester must contact the Office of the Dental Registrar for withdrawal procedures.

Students at the School of Dentistry who have not been formally dropped by the school, are considered enrolled each term unless they have submitted a letter of intent to withdraw. A student's verbal indication that he or she intends to withdraw or failure to settle a fee bill are not sufficient to eliminate the student from class rosters. Final course grades will be collected for students who do not have a letter of intent to withdraw on file with the Dental Registrar's Office.

A student who withdraws at any time during the first three weeks of a trimester will receive no grades for enrolled courses. A student who withdraws after three full weeks of an Academic Time Unit (ATU) will receive a mark of "W" for all enrolled courses not completed. Withdrawal is not permitted after the twelfth week of a trimester.

A leave of absence will not be granted for more than one year.

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act

The University of Southern California recognizes and acts in full compliance with regulations set in accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (The Buckley Amendment). A student may have access to all records about him or her maintained by the university except those considered confidential under the act. Students of the School of Dentistry wishing to review records or to appeal for a change in those records should contact the School of Dentistry Registrar. A small charge may be made to cover the time and costs of duplication of the record.

Tuition and Fees (Estimated)

Tuition at the USC School of Dentistry is charged on a flat fee basis for enrollment in the regular degree and advanced certificate programs of the school. Exceptions do not apply to students who have courses waived based on their prior education. In such cases, students are charged the standard flat fee for the program in which they are enrolled.

Auditors pay the regular tuition rate. Auditors are not required to participate in class exercises (discussions and examinations); they receive no grades or credit.

The information outlined here is for School of Dentistry fees and tuition deposits only. For information about School of Dentistry tuition and university fees, refer to the Tuition and Fees section of this catalogue. The university reserves the right to assess new fees or charges as it may determine.

Application Fee: (not refundable) 50.00 Applicable to all dental hygiene, dental hygiene post-certificate, International dental, advanced, and Doctor of Dental Surgery applicants. Commitment Deposit (not refundable) Dentistry 500.00 Dental Hygiene 200.00 International Dental and Advanced 500.00 Pre-Tuition Payment (refundable in accordance with the refund policy) 1,500.00

Mandatory Fees (School of Dentistry fees only; for other mandatory fees, refer to the Tuition and Fees section of this catalogue.) Optional Fees (See Tuition and Fees section of this catalogue.) CDA Dues 5.00 Doctoral dental and International Student Program students only; spring only. ASDA Dues 35.00 Doctoral dental and International Student Program students only; fall only. Special Fees Transcript Fee 7.00

For all dental hygiene, all advanced and doctoral dental classes through 1993, transcripts of course work taken at the School of Dentistry must be requested from the Office of the School of Dentistry Registrar. Transcripts for international and doctoral dental classes beginning with the International Student Program class of 1993 and the D.D.S. class of 1994 should be requested from the Office of Academic Records and Registrar. No transcript will be supplied for college work taken at other institutions.

Student Issue

Figures shown below are approximate. The School of Dentistry reserves the right to change fees at any time.

D.D.S. Program*

1st Year     Instruments and supplies                    $3,985.00
             IMS Fee                                      2,385.00
             Gold (based on market value)                   390.00
             Textbooks                                    1,829.05
2nd Year     Instruments and supplies                     3,185.00
             IMS Fee                                      1,850.00
             Gold (based on market value)                   600.00
             Textbooks                                    1,641.31

International Student Program

1st Year     Instruments and supplies                     3,900.00
             IMS Fee                                      4,168.00
             Gold (based on market value)                   390.00
             Textbooks                                      611.78
2nd Year     Gold (based on market value)                   600.00
             Textbooks                                      236.30

Advanced Dentistry Programs

             IMS Fee                                        650.00

Dental Hygiene Program

1st Year     Instruments and supplies                     1,509.17
             IMS Fee                                        292.00
             Textbooks                                    1,209.13
2nd Year     Instruments and supplies                       315.67
             Textbooks                                      289.77

All entering students are required to purchase a new mobile cabinet as part of the student issue.

*Installment plan available. Contact Dental Bookstore for details, (213) 740-2725; FAX 740-2728.

Financial Aid

Detailed information about the major loan and scholarship programs available to students in dental school programs can be obtained by writing the Assistant for Financial Aid, Room 219A, USC School of Dentistry.

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Produced by the USC Division of Student Affairs, Office of University Publications, May 1, 1995
univpub@stuaff.usc.edu