Academic and Student Support

• First stop for academic concerns; connects students with ISSP & other Tufts resources
• Non clinical academic support, including personalized advising and skill development
• Study skills, time management & exam strategy coaching (how to learn, not what to learn)
• Dr. Addy Alt-Holland

• Promote mental and physical well-being
• Maintaining healthy balance during their training
• Dr. Christina Pastan

• Ensure equal access to educational opportunities for all students, including those with disabilities or chronic health conditions
• Providing necessary accommodations and confidential support
• Maggie McMorrow

Rotations are clinical assignments that involve treating patients. Students are required to attend the rotations to which they are assigned. When students find they have a conflict with a scheduled rotation, they may swap their assigned rotation with one of their classmates. A student can swap rotations for any reason they find necessary six times during an academic year. If a student exceeds their number of swaps or would like additional opportunities to swap, they must meet with the Dean of Student Affairs for approval.

All swap requests must be requested via the online swap form (login required).

Please reference the Swap/Absences Protocols document or email Allyson Dacey (mailto: Allyson.Dacey@tufts.edu) with any questions.

Policy:

DMD students should consult the attendance policy in the pre-doctoral handbook and residents must speak to their program directors.

DMD Request Forms:

• Submit an Excused Absence Request (login required)
• Unanticipated Clinical Absence Request (login required)

Students intending to take a parental leave should submit their requests as early as reasonably possible, preferably at least three months before the anticipated leave date. Postgraduate students may also use the Parental Leave Request Form found below to request parental leave.

Before going on parental leave:

1. Obtain a letter from a doctor including anticipated due date for parental leave requests related to pregnancy or childbirth.
2. Submit the Parental Leave Request Form (student login required), including all the mandatory courses, exams, rotations, seminars, and other sessions that occur during your leave. After submission, please schedule a meeting with the Associate Dean of Admissions and Student Affairs before your anticipated leave.
   
   The Associate Dean of Admissions and Student Affairs will confer with the Director of Clinical Integration, Director of Educational Assessment, and Director of Enrollment Services to review the request, determine an appropriate leave plan based on your academic and clinical responsibilities, and assess the potential impact on academic progression and graduation timeline. Students may be asked to meet with one or more of these administrators to review specific academic, clinical, scheduling, or financial aid considerations related to their request.
3. Once the leave is approved, meet with Academic Affairs Administrative Coordinator to reschedule your mandatory sessions. Students remain responsible for completing all required academic, clinical, and competency requirements for graduation.
4. Inform all relevant Course/Preclinical Directors and reschedule course requirements if applicable.
5. If you are providing patient care, notify your Practice Coordinators. Work with them to coordinate temporary reassignment of patient care responsibilities during your parental leave.
6. Inform your patients. Provide them with the emergency provider contact information to ensure they can be treated while you are absent.

While on leave:

1. Focus on your wellbeing and take care of yourself, in addition to your newborn and family.
2. Submit a doctor’s note to the Associate Dean of Admissions and Student Affairs including delivery date and anticipated return date as soon as reasonably possible following childbirth, preferably within two weeks. Students planning a short leave should submit return documentation at least one week before their anticipated return date.

Returning from leave:

1. Inform the Associate Dean of Admissions and Student Affairs of your return to school.
2. Contact the Director of Enrollment Services to confirm your date of return so that your education and, if applicable, financial aid records can be updated.
3. A lactation room is located on the fourth floor of the dental school in room 418 and can be opened by student ID card swipe access. To request access, please email the Director of Student Affairs at least two weeks before returning to school.

Further information and FAQs regarding parental leave may be found in Appendix II of the Student Handbook.

TUSDM respects the right of all students to observe their religious holidays and upon notification will make reasonable accommodation for such observances unless such accommodation would create an undue hardship.

Students who are unable to attend a class or participate in any examination, study, or course requirement on a particular day because of their religious beliefs will be given the opportunity to make up the work that was missed or to do alternative work that is intrinsically no more difficult than the original assignment or examination.

Students on clinical assignments involving patient care must arrange in advance to have their assignments covered by a classmate while they observe the holiday.

To request religious accommodation:

1. Students must complete, well in advance, the excused absence form through the office of Student Affairs.
2. Notify well in advance Academic Affairs Programs/Schedule Administrator and instructors of known conflicts to arrange accommodation.

Last-minute requests may not be accommodated. While TUSDM policy requires instructors to make reasonable accommodations for missed assignments or examinations because of religious beliefs, it is not TUSDM policy for faculty to make accommodations for travel time when students wish to share a holiday with family or friends. Please also reference the Office of Equal Opportunity’s Religious Accommodation Policy.

Tufts established the Tufts Threat Assessment and Management (TTAM) program to identify, evaluate and address potentially threatening situations affecting members of the Tufts community. Recognizing and reporting early signs that someone may be in emotional distress or having thoughts of violence are crucial to preventing violence and enhance the university’s ability to aid community members who may be in distress.

Visit the Tufts Threat Assessment & Management website.

Tufts University School of Dental Medicine (TUSDM) is committed to fostering and maintaining a campus environment of mutual care and respect. Guided by our Code of Principles of Ethical and Professional Conduct, we share a collective responsibility for the safety and wellbeing of our community and strive to uphold the highest standards of ethical conduct and honesty. Should a violation of our standards arise, we encourage you to use our resources to take action—we offer formal and informal methods for conflict resolution.

Learn more about our Community Standards

View a listing of current TUSDM policies, standard operating procedures, guidelines, and standards.

• View the 2026-2027 Predoctoral Handbook *Updated 9/2026
• View the 2025-2026 Postdoctoral Handbook *Updated 7/2025