University of Minnesota School of Dentistry


The University of Minnesota School of Dentistry is the dental school of the University of Minnesota. It is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States.

History

The University of Minnesota was established in 1851, and it took over the Minnesota College Hospital in 1888 in order to establish its own department of medicine. Its dental school, originally a part of that department, was separated off in 1892, and in 1932 it took the name of the School of Dentistry.
Early students used a dental handpiece driven by a foot pedal and made some of their own laboratory and clinical instruments in class. By the 1938-39 academic year, the original three-year program of study had been lengthened to four years, preceded by two years of prescribed undergraduate courses. In 1976, the prerequisites for dental school were changed to include three years of undergraduate coursework. A two-year oral hygiene program was added beginning in 1920. A year of prerequisite coursework was added to that in 1990. A bachelor's degree program in dental hygiene was established in 1990. A dental graduate school program began in 1937. From 1957 to 1993, several programs were developed to give dental graduates the opportunity to earn doctor of philosophy degrees in various disciplines, if they so wished.

The School of Dentistry today

Today, the school is a part of the University Academic Health Center, which also includes the UofM Medical School, College of Pharmacy, School of Nursing, and School of Public Health. As part of the Center, one of the most comprehensive education and research facilities for health professionals in the nation, students and faculty reap the unique benefits of being part of an exceptionally broad range of professional health education, research and treatment efforts. The school is primarily located in the Malcolm Moos Health Sciences Tower in the "Health" area of the East Bank section of the campus in Minneapolis.
The School of Dentistry is the only dental school in the state accredited to teach dentistry procedures, and the only dental school between Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Seattle, Washington. It is the only oral-hygiene program in Minnesota that grants a bachelor's degree and is affiliated with a dental school.
Students pursuing advanced training can choose 13 clinical-specialty or special-focus areas. It is accredited to educate dental hygienists and dental specialists in areas such as endodontics, oral and maxillofacial surgery, orthodontics, pediatric dentistry, periodontics, and prosthodontics. Further, the school offers many options for general dentists, specialists and dental hygienists pursuing academic, research and administrative careers, master's and Ph.D. degree programs in conjunction with the University's Graduate School.

Notable alumni