This is the preliminary (or launch) version of the 2024-2025 VCU Bulletin. We may add courses that expose our students to cutting-edge content and transformative learning. We may also add content to the general education program that focuses on racial literacy and a racial literacy graduation requirement, and may receive notification of additional program approvals after the launch. The final edition and full PDF version will include these updates and will be available in August prior to the beginning of the fall semester.
OCMB 600. Oral Biology Clinical/Laboratory Rotations. 2 Hours.
Semester course; 6 laboratory hours. 2 credits. Enrollment is restricted to graduate students enrolled in the in oral health research program. Students will participate in clinical/laboratory rotations. Students will work with mentors and gain practical experience in dentistry and dental research. Graded S/U/F.
OCMB 701. Oral Microbiology and Disease. 2 Hours.
Semester course; 2 lecture hours. 2 credits. Enrollment is restricted to students in the oral health research/biology graduate programs or by permission of the instructor. A comprehensive introduction to the oral microbiome including tissue and bone development, oral microbial systems, and microbial-induced oral diseases and treatments.
OCMB 702. Infection, Immunology and Oral Cancer. 2 Hours.
Semester course; 2 lecture hours. 2 credits. Enrollment is restricted to students in oral health/biology research graduate programs or by permission of the instructor. This course is designed for students entering the oral biology graduate program to gain a basic understanding of systemic diseases and immune responses caused by oral microbes with a focus on the causes and treatments of head and neck cancer.
OCMB 703. Research Topics in Oral Biology. 1 Hour.
Semester course; 1 seminar hour. 1 credit. Restricted to students enrolled in the oral health research graduate program or by permission of instructor. This course will provide an in-depth discussion of current research in head and neck diseases. Students will be expected to critically evaluate relevant literature, discuss approaches to solving research topics and begin to identify possible areas of research for their dissertation. Graded as Pass/Fail.
OCMB 704. Oral Biology Seminar Series. 1 Hour.
Semester course; 1 seminar hour. 1 credit. This course will consist of a series of seminars by invited speakers addressing research topics in selected areas of oral health research and a series of student-led journal clubs. Graded P/F.
OCMB 705. Oral Biology Directed Research. 1-15 Hours.
Semester course; 1-15 laboratory research hours. 1-15 credits. Restricted to students enrolled in the oral health research graduate program or by permission of the instructor. This course will provide practical laboratory experience in participating laboratories. Graded Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory/Fail.
OCMB 706. Proposal Preparation. 1 Hour.
Semester course; tutorials and lectures. 1 credit. Restricted to students enrolled in the oral biology graduate program or by permission of the instructor. This course will provide students with the opportunity to draft an NIH application. Graded P/F.
OCMB 707. Research Skills and Career Development. 1 Hour.
Semester course; tutorials and workshops. 1 credit. Restricted to students enrolled in the oral health research graduate program or by permission of the instructor. This course will provide students with the opportunity to develop skills required to conduct and communicate their research, including assessing literature and managing databases, poster and oral presentations, finding research funding, preparing for writing the thesis, and exploring career opportunities outside academia. Students receive CO grading throughout enrollment with a pass/fail grade and credit earned during the final semester.
OCMB 710. Post-candidacy Doctoral Research. 9 Hours.
Semester course; 9 research hours. 9 credits. May be repeated for credit. Enrollment is restricted to students who have been admitted to doctoral candidacy in a Ph.D. program in the School of Dentistry. Students will participate in supervised discipline-specific research related to their dissertation topic. Students must have approval from their current degree program director to register. This course can be approved as a substitution for any post-candidacy degree requirement. Graded as Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory.
OCMB 791. Special Topics in Oral Biology Research. 1-9 Hours.
Semester course; 1-9 lecture hours. 1-9 credits. May be repeated for credit with different topics. Lectures in selected areas of advanced study or specialized laboratory procedures not available in other courses or as part of the research training. Graded as Pass/Fail.