DDS Accepted Student Requirements

Letter of Intent

First, reply to the email that you received notifying you of your conditional acceptance. This way, the Office of Student Affairs is aware of your intentions as soon as possible. Then print the Letter of Intent, sign it, and return it to:

UT School of Dentistry
Office of Student and Alumni Affairs 
Reynalda R. Pinales
7500 Cambridge St, Suite 4120
Houston, TX 77054

Criminal Background Check

Complete the required Criminal Background Check by June 1. Please review the Criminal Background Check Policy before accessing the steps to submitting the Criminal Background Check.

Official Transcripts

The Office of the Registrar needs official transcripts of ALL college coursework. Even if nothing has changed since you sent transcripts during the application process, you still need to have final official transcripts sent to:

Office of the Registrar
UTHealth 
P.O. Box 20036
Houston, TX 77225-0036

Submit: April 1 through June 1

Student Identification Badges

To better assist our incoming classes, we ask that you please send a recent passport-type photo(white background) to be used on your student ID badges. These should be sent electronically to sod.photos@uth.tmc.edu beginning April 1 of the year of entry, but no later than June 1.

Immunizations

Beginning late March our Registrar's Office will begin emailing your User ID and Password to access MyUTH (Student System). You will need this User ID and Password for the link below.

In order for UTHealth incoming students to register you must provide verification of immunizations before classes start in August. Beginning in January 2013, we will require all immunizations to be entered through our new online database. Once this form is submitted, Student Health Services will verify and release your immunization hold so you can complete registration.

The form may be found at https://atapps.uth.tmc.edu/StudentImmunization/ or download the Immunization Record form.

Student Health Insurance

Beginning late March our Registrar's Office will begin emailing out your User ID and Password to access MyUTH (Student System). You will need this User ID and Password to either submit proof of your health insurance or confirm your participation in academic health plans.

Academic Year 2012 - 2013

Health Insurance Requirements for All Students

The Board of Regents of The University of Texas System mandates health insurance (Texas Education Code Section 51.961) for all students enrolled in the UT System health components. As such, each UTHealth student who cannot provide evidence of continuing coverage under another approved plan will be enrolled in the student insurance plan with Academic HealthPlans and assessed a health insurance fee. The health insurance fee is $1,204.00 for the academic year 2012-2013.

Before being able to register for classes each semester, every student must complete the health insurance certification process through his/her MyUTH account. Through this process, students either provide proof of their own coverage or confirm their participation in Academic HealthPlans. To waive this fee you are required to show proof of current health insurance coverage through another provider by completing the information below before the twelfth day of class for the Fall/Spring semester and the fourth day of class for the Summer semester of every academic year. Failure to provide this information before the deadline will result in forfeiting your option to waive the health insurance coverage and associated fee. Please note that it is not necessary to submit the waiver every semester, as after submitting the waiver in the fall and/or spring semester, the insurance fee will be removed from your bill for the remaining academic year.

For further instructions on accessing MyUTH to submit your proof of insurance or confirm participation in Academic HealthPlans, please review the Insurance Certification Instructions

Core Residency Questionnaire

All residency decisions are determined by TMDSAS and our Registrar’s Office will accept these decisions as final and official. The only time a “Core Residency Form” will need to be submitted to our Registrar’s Office is when it is determined that a DDS student is a non-resident by TMDSAS. ALWAYS PROMPTLY CHECK YOUR TUITION BILL FOR ACCURACY.

Collect teeth

Procedures For Handling Extracted Teeth

Collection, storage, sterilization and handling of extracted teeth to be used for educational purposes at the School of Dentistry follows Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations and guidelines.

Before being used in an educational setting, extracted teeth that do not contain amalgam can be steam heat sterilized to allow for safe handling. Microbial growth can be eliminated by using an autoclave cycle for 40 minutes.

http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5217a1.htm

Extracted teeth containing amalgam restorations should not be heat-sterilized because of the potential health hazard from mercury vaporization and exposure. If extracted teeth containing amalgam restorations are to be used, immersion in 10% formalin, solution for 2 weeks is recommended for disinfecting both the internal and external structures of the teeth. The School of Dentistry uses disinfection in formalin to eliminate microbial growth on all teeth.

1. Sources of extracted teeth
   1. Oral Diagnosis Department – Pathology Laboratory, Room SOD 6110. You must wear gown, gloves, mask and protective eyewear when selecting teeth from this source.
   2. Private Practice – Teeth acquired by students from private practitioners must be placed in a holding solution as described below. Teeth must also be submitted for sterilization or disinfection as described below.
2. Holding Solution: Use 0.5% sodium hypochlorite (1:10 dilution of commercial chlorine bleach) in wide-mouthed plastic jars for initial collection and storage medium. This solution is available in the laboratory, DBB 3130.
3. Sterilization and Disinfection of Extracted Teeth
   1. Steam Sterilization - The teeth must be cleaned of visible blood and gross debris and maintained in a hydrated state in a well constructed closed container filled with 0.5% sodium hypochlorite (1:10 dilution of commercial chlorine bleach) until ready for sterilization.
   2. Formalin - Teeth with amalgam cannot be steam sterilized and must be disinfected in a solution of 10% Formalin for a period of two weeks.
   3. All teeth are to be submitted to Educational Support Services (SOD 3450) for disinfection.
4. Use of Extracted Teeth for Laboratory/Mock Board/Western Regional Examining Board
   1. Disinfection - Before use in the laboratory or in preparation for mock board and the Western Regional Examining board, all extracted teeth must be sterilized or disinfected as described above.
   2. Approval for Use of Teeth – After the extracted teeth have been disinfected as described above, they should be submitted to the Educational Support Staff overseeing the preclinical lab prior to using the teeth in lab. Prior to using teeth for Mock Board or Western Regional Examining Board, submit the previously formalin disinfected teeth to the appropriate faculty members for approval.
   3. Personal Protective Attire – Wear gowns, gloves, masks and protective eyewear any time that you handle extracted teeth.
   4. Holding Solution and Collection Jars – Sodium hypochlorite holding solution is to be poured down the drain followed by generous amount water. Discard the collection jars and their lids in biohazard waste receptacles.
   5. Surface Disinfection – Countertops and desktops must be disinfected using Sani Cloth Plus wipes.

Invitations

Keep an eye out for an email from Jayne Little for your invitation to the Open House and White Coat ceremony, which will take place the Saturday after orientation. You’ll need to RSVP for yourself and your guests (5 maximum).

DDS Entering Guide 2013-14

13-14 DDS Entering Guide

All entering students are required to read through the DDS Entering Guide. This guide contains information about registration, orientation, accessing the Student UT-Link, tuition, activities, etc.

If you have any questions, feel free to e-mail SOD.Questions@uth.tmc.edu.