The Department of General Dental Sciences is one of four departments supporting the educational, patient care and research missions of the Marquette School of Dentistry. The department encompasses the broad disciplines of Oral Medicine, Oral Radiology, Cariology, Dental Biomaterials, Operative Dentistry and Prosthodontics.

The Department of General Dental Sciences is responsible for the major portion of the basic, applied and clinical sciences components of the pre-doctoral curriculum. This gives us the opportunity to interact closely with predoctoral students throughout the 4-year program. Educational activities in these programs relate to oral diagnosis, caries disease management, evidence-based decision-making, treatment planning, applied biomaterials, restorative dentistry, fixed and removable prosthodontics, dental implants, digital dentistry, among others.

We have a dedicated and highly skilled team of faculty and staff with the training, clinical and didactic experiences to provide student-centered education and patient-centered comprehensive oral health care.

All our programs utilize science, evidence-based approaches, skills and technology to transform our students into competent, safe, caring and independent professionals and leaders in dentistry. We proudly foster an environment of care, mentoring and professionalism.

Department Chair

Dr. Brian Hodgson Dr. Brian Hodgson completed his undergraduate and doctorate education at Marquette University. Dr. Hodgson is a decorated retired United States Naval Officer and after completing his Certificate in Pediatric Dentistry at the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin in 1993, served in the U.S. Navy Reserves from 1993 until 2020. Dr. Hodgson currently serves as director of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry. Prior to serving various roles with ABPD, he mentored many colleagues to achieve board certification, became a consultant examiner for the Oral Clinical Examination (OCE), and was selected as a member and ultimately chosen to be a Part Leader on the Oral Clinical Examination Subcommittee. Dr. Hodgson has been an educator to dental students and residents since 1993 at Marquette University and the Children’s Wisconsin Residency Program. In addition to teaching, Dr. Hodgson maintained a private practice for many years, authored many publications on a wide range of pediatric dental topics and presented at national and international dental meetings.

Associated Graduate Programs

Advanced Educational Program in Prosthodontics

The purpose of the prosthodontic residency program is to provide progressive clinical, laboratory and didactic training, closely supervised, at the post-graduate level in fixed, removable, maxillofacial and implant prosthodontics. The interrelation of other medical/dental clinical specialties is also emphasized. The program integrates a research project in the biomedical sciences with a comprehensive clinical experience, culminating in the award of a master of science in dentistry (Read more).

Dental Biomaterials

The M.S. program in Dental Biomaterials is offered to individuals who want to pursue advanced study in dental biomaterials. A major component of the program is conducting a research project, culminating in the successful completion of a master’s thesis and defense (Read more).

Associated Predoctoral Programs

Predoctoral Program in Preventive and Operative Dentistry

Predoctoral Program in Prosthodontics and Biomaterials

Faculty

Predoctoral program faculty

• General Dentistry
• Comprehensive Patient Management Group (CPMG) Leaders
• Adjunct Faculty
• Predoctoral Program Prosthodontics and Biomaterials

Graduate program faculty

• Graduate Prosthodontics
• Dental Biomaterials