The Department of Public Health Sciences at the College of Dentistry focuses on the science and art of preventing and controlling dental diseases and promoting oral health through organized community efforts.

Departmental faculty provide instruction in the prevention of oral disease, risk assessment and risk-based treatment planning, community-based clinical training, behavioral science, and dental public health to dental, dental hygiene, and graduate students.

Community-based clinical training is provided in extramural clinic settings. Departmental faculty contribute to enrichment and summer programs offered at the College of Dentistry. The department offers an American Dental Association Council on Dental Accreditation accredited Certificate program in Dental Public Health.

Numerous community outreach activities are coordinated by Public Health Sciences.

Departmental faculty conduct extramurally-funded research programs in cariology, oral cancer education, tobacco cessation, the epidemiology of oral diseases, and health policy/health services research.

The department houses the Office of Social Services, which coordinates subsidized care for patients, funded by extramural sources, such as the Ryan White grant program. Social Services also coordinates all community service requirements for dental students and conducts the public health and private practice preceptorship programs.