Established | 1840 |
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Dean | Mark A. Reynolds, DDS, PhD |
Location |
Baltimore, MD, U.S. 39°17′22″N 76°37′31″W / 39.28944°N 76.62528°WCoordinates: 39°17′22″N 76°37′31″W / 39.28944°N 76.62528°W |
Website | dental.umaryland.edu |
The University of Maryland School of Dentistry is the dental school of the University System of Maryland. It was founded as an independent institution, the Baltimore College of Dental Surgery, in 1840 and was the birthplace of the Doctor of Dental Surgery (D.D.S.) degree. It is known as the first dental college in the world. It is headquartered at the University of Maryland, Baltimore campus. It is the only dental school in Maryland.
The Baltimore College of Dental Surgery (BCDS) was chartered by an act of the Maryland General Assembly in 1840. Its co-founders, Drs. Horace H. Hayden and Chapin A. Harris have been both inducted in the Pierre Fauchard Academy Hall of Fame. Dr. Harris was the school's first dean and a professor of practical dentistry. Following the death of Dr. Hayden on January 25, 1844, he became the school second president. The College is still in existence today and is part of the University of Maryland, Baltimore.
The establishment of the Baltimore College of Dental Surgery is seen as one of the three crucial steps in the foundation of the dental profession in the United States.
Today, the University of Maryland School of Dentistry enjoys one of the most advanced dental education facilities in the world. The new 12-story building in downtown Baltimore was completed in October 2006. The total cost for the establishment amounted to over $140 million, the highest spent on an academic building by the State of Maryland.