The Master of Science in Oral Health Sciences (OHS) program welcomed 50 students to its Class of 2026, comprising the program’s largest cohort since it was founded in 2005. This year’s new students attended an Orientation event on Thursday, July 31.
The incoming Fall 2025 cohort is represented by students from 14 different states and four international countries. Forty-seven percent of students joining the class graduated with an undergraduate degree in biology or microbiology, with the remaining students graduating in a range of other subjects like public health, health science, nutritional science, neuroscience and biochemistry.
The OHS program is one of the only pre-professional dental programs in the United States that allows its MS students to take classes alongside first-year dental students. On Monday, August 4, students will join D1s at Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine (GSDM) for dental school-level physiology and biochemistry. Due to the early start for classes, OHS students arrive on campus about one month earlier than other incoming GMS students, who will attend the Main Orientation sessions on August 31.
OHS boasts a 90% acceptance rate of its graduates into dental schools across the United States. Alumni have matriculated into BU, as well as other programs at University of the Pacific, University of Buffalo, Tufts University, New York University, AT Still (Arizona) and more.
Thursday’s Orientation events included introduction from program directors, faculty and staff, including Assistant Dean of Masters Programs and OHS Program Director Theresa Davies, PhD; Assistant Professor of Pharmacology, Physiology & Biophysics and OHS Assistant Director Aaron W. Young, PhD; OHS Senior Academic Program Manager Karen Bottenfield, PhD; and OHS Program Manager Andrew Best, MA. Students also met with the course directors of classes they will soon begin throughout the next year.
GSDM Associate Dean of Students Joseph Calabrese, DMD; Assistant Dean of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging Larry Dunham, DMD; and Assistant Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging Joseph Johnson also visited to introduce themselves to the new OHS cohort. OHS Program Manager Andrew Best also delivered a presentation on managing stress in graduate school.
Following presentations from GMS Student Affairs, Student Financial Services, the GMS Student Organization (GMSSO), and the Community Catalyst Center (C3), students got to know one another with an icebreaker challenge. D1 and D2 OHS alums presented as part of OHS’ DentMent mentorship program before guiding new students on a tour of the Medical Campus.
Learn more about the MS in Oral Health Sciences program here. Check out a slideshow from the day’s events below.
