Are you driven by a passion for dentistry and making a difference in patient care?听 The Larkin University School of Dental Medicine represents a bold new vision for dental education in Central Florida.听 Located in one of the fastest-growing regions of the United States, our school is founded on a committment to excellence in education, patient care, research, and innovation.
Larkin University School of Dental Medicine is awaiting approval from the Florida Commission for Independent Education (CIE). The School is not recruiting, or reviewing applications at this time. Additional information regarding the application process and timeline will be provided upon receipt of CIE approval.
Larkin University School of Dental Medicine is awaiting approval from the Florida Commission for Independent Education (CIE). The School is not recruiting, or reviewing applications at this time. Additional information regarding the application process and timeline will be provided upon receipt of CIE approval.
Message from the dEAN
It is with great pride and excitement that I welcome you to the Larkin University School of Dental Medicine鈥攁 new chapter in our commitment to excellence in education, healthcare, and community service.
The establishment of the School reflects the dedication of many individuals united by a common purpose: to create a dental school in Orlando, Florida, one of the nation鈥檚 fastest-growing regions.听
Larkin University prepares diverse future health professionals through innovative, student-centered learning. We are committed to serving underserved populations, advancing meaningful research, and improving the health of communities locally and globally.
The School of Dental Medicine will bring this mission to life by preparing students to provide compassionate, evidence-based, and culturally responsive oral healthcare. Community engagement will be central to the student experience through outreach programs, oral health education, and external clinical rotations that serve those with the greatest needs.
Research and innovation will also be integral to the School鈥檚 identity. Faculty and students will explore emerging materials, clinical techniques, and the social factors that influence oral health. Our curriculum will embrace technologies transforming dental education and practice, including digital dentistry, artificial intelligence, 3D printing, and virtual reality.
Equally important, we are committed to creating an exceptional place to learn and work鈥攐ne where faculty, staff, and students find purpose in improving health, restoring smiles, relieving pain, and supporting one another as members of the Larkin family.
Together, we are building more than a dental school. We are preparing a new generation of compassionate clinicians, innovative scholars, and dedicated advocates for better oral health.
We invite you to join us on this exciting journey.
Warm regards,
Steven E. Haas, DMD, JD, MBA
Founding Dean
dental Accreditation
The Larkin University School of Dental Medicine鈥檚 Doctor of Dental Medicine (D.M.D.) program is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) and has been granted the accreditation classification of 鈥渋nitial accreditation.鈥�
Initial accreditation is the classification granted to a developing dental education program that is not yet fully operational. This classification indicates that, at the time of CODA鈥檚 initial evaluation, the program demonstrated the potential to meet the standards established for an accredited dental education program.
For further information about our accreditation, please contact our Admission Office by email: DMDadmissions@larkin.edu; or by phone 305-760-7488.
About Us
The Larkin University School of Dental Medicine represents a bold new vision for dental education in Central Florida. Located in one of the fastest-growing regions of the United States, our school is founded on a commitment to excellence in education, patient care, research, innovation, and community engagement.
We are guided by Larkin University鈥檚 mission to educate diverse healthcare leaders through innovative, student-centered learning. Our students will develop the knowledge, clinical skills, professionalism, and compassion necessary to improve oral health and serve communities with integrity and purpose.
The School of Dental Medicine embraces the future of dentistry through advanced technologies, evidence-based practice, interdisciplinary collaboration, and meaningful community service. We are committed to preparing graduates who are not only exceptional clinicians, but also leaders, scholars, and advocates for improving access to oral healthcare.
Most importantly, we are building a culture that values people. We strive to create an environment where students, faculty, and staff feel supported, inspired, and connected鈥攚orking together as a family united by a shared mission of transforming lives through oral health.
Together, we are creating more than a dental school. We are shaping the future of dentistry and improving the health of the communities we serve.
Curriculum Overview
A Transformative Approach to Dental Education听
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Larkin University鈥檚 Doctor of Dental Medicine curriculum is designed to prepare a new generation of dentists through an integrated, innovative, and patient-centered approach to dental education. Rather than teaching basic science, dental science, and clinical care as separate disciplines, the curriculum connects knowledge across the continuum of learning and emphasizes its application to real-world patient care.
From the beginning of the program, students engage in early clinical experiences, allowing them to develop patient communication, clinical reasoning, and professional skills while building a strong scientific foundation. Team-Based Learning, case-based learning, simulation, flipped classrooms, and other active-learning strategies听create an engaging environment in which students learn by applying knowledge, solving problems, and collaborating with colleagues.
The curriculum is structured around longitudinal learning experiences听that allow students to progressively develop competencies in clinical reasoning, evidence-based dentistry, professionalism, community health, and patient-centered care. Concepts are revisited throughout the curriculum at increasing levels of complexity, reinforcing learning and connecting foundational science to clinical practice.
Community health is a central component of the educational experience.听Students learn to recognize and address oral health disparities, serve diverse and underserved populations, and understand the relationship between oral health and overall health. Community-based experiences prepare graduates to become clinicians who understand not only the needs of individual patients, but also the health of the communities they serve.
Larkin University also embraces the future of dentistry through an emphasis on digital dentistry and emerging technologies. Students develop experience with digital imaging, intraoral scanning, CAD/CAM, 3-D printing, digital treatment planning, artificial intelligence, and other technologies that are transforming contemporary dental practice.
Through an integrated curriculum, collaborative learning environment, early clinical exposure, community engagement, and technology-enhanced education, Larkin University seeks to graduate clinically confident, technologically capable, compassionate, and practice-ready dentists听prepared to lead and innovate in a rapidly changing profession听
Master of Biomedical Sciences (MsBS) 鈥� Dental School Pathway
The Master of Biomedical Sciences (MBS) is a rigorous graduate-level program designed to strengthen students’ academic foundations in the biomedical sciences while preparing them for admission to dental school and other health professional programs. The curriculum emphasizes advanced coursework in anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, microbiology, neuroscience鈥攃ore subjects tested on the Dental Admission Test (DAT) and foundational to dental education.
Students in the MBS program gain experience in critical thinking, research methodology, and academic professionalism, often participating in service learning and clinical exposure opportunities. The program fosters academic growth, improves competitiveness for dental school admission, and demonstrates the student’s ability to succeed in a demanding graduate curriculum.
Graduates of the MBS program are well-positioned for dental school acceptance, often enhancing their DAT scores, GPA, and overall application profiles through the intensive academic and professional development experience the program provides.听 For more information, visit Masters of Biomedical Sciences
*Dental School Accreditation Statement: Larkin University has submitted an application to 听the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) to begin the accreditation process. The submission started a review process that may ultimately lead to accreditation status. The Larkin University School of Dental Medicine (SDM) is not yet accredited. If initial accreditation status is not granted by CODA, the Larkin University SDM program will not conduct interviews for prospective students, nor will it matriculate a first class.
Liz Kaz
Ed.D., M.S.
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
Gabriel Sangalang
DMD
Assistant Dean for Distributive Rotations
Assistant Dean for Distributive Rotations
Contact Information
Office: 332C
Phone: +13214901113
Email: Gsangalang@ularkin.edu
Hours: By Appointment
Office: 332C
Phone: +13214901113
Email: Gsangalang@ularkin.edu
Hours: By Appointment
Kati Dukes
M.Ed
Executive Assistant
Executive Assistant
Contact Information
Office: Executive Suite
Phone: +13214900924
Email: Kdukes@ularkin.edu
Hours: By Appointment
Office: Executive Suite
Phone: +13214900924
Email: Kdukes@ularkin.edu
Hours: By Appointment
Amir Farhangpour
DDS
Associate Dean of Clinical Affairs and Education
Associate Dean of Clinical Affairs and Education
Contact Information
Office: 333B
Phone: +13214901178
Email: Afarhangpour@ularkin.edu
Hours: By Appointment
Office: 333B
Phone: +13214901178
Email: Afarhangpour@ularkin.edu
Hours: By Appointment
Cesar Sabates
DDS
Assistant Dean of Admissions and Student Affairs
Assistant Dean of Admissions and Student Affairs
Contact Information
Office: 333A
Phone: +13214900989
Email: CSabates@ularkin.edu
Hours: By Appointment
Office: 333A
Phone: +13214900989
Email: CSabates@ularkin.edu
Hours: By Appointment