The Department of Biological Structure and Function is an interdisciplinary department organized to teach anatomy, pharmacology, physiology, and neuroscience to predoctoral dental students, undergraduate dental hygiene students, and advanced students in dental graduate or certificate programs. A number of faculty members participate in the University’s Ph.D. graduate training programs and several participate in the Continuing Dental Education program. This department also makes an important contribution to the School of Dentistry’s research program, particularly with interdisciplinary basic research in the areas of cell and developmental biology and the neurological sciences. Faculty members in this department also serve on university, dental school, departmental, and graduate training program committees.

This department has three major goals. The Educational Goal of the department is to provide contemporary information about anatomy, pharmacology and physiology to predoctoral dental and dental hygiene students. The department also strives to attract well-qualified visiting scientists, postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, and dental students to study and work in the various departmental research laboratories. The Research Goal of the department is to increase knowledge and understanding of structure and function, particularly as it relates to orofacial region. An essential part of our research goal is to publish new information and to obtain extramural funding to support meritorious research projects. The Service Goal is to provide an environment that encourages the transfer of research findings to the clinic, supports the teaching responsibilities of our school and university, and assists in the programmatic development of new scientific knowledge.