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History

Celebrating 10 years

A timeline of the last decade at the University of Utah School of Dentistry

The School of Dentistry has long history of pioneering advances in dental health research, education, and training.

1980: Regional Dental Education Program (RDEP)

  • The RDEP was a cooperative dental education program in collaboration with the University of Washington School of Dentistry (1980 - 1982) and Creighton University School of Dentistry (1983 - 2012). It provided ten Utah students with their first year of professional dental training at the University of Utah. 
  • The program was developed and administered by Dr. G. Lynn Powell, Assistant Dean for Dental Education in the University of Utah School of Medicine. With the inauguration of the new School of Dentistry, the RDEP program was retired when the program's last students completed their education and training in 2016. 

1983: General Practice Residency (GPR) at the University of Utah 

In 1983, the GPR program was inaugurated at the University of Utah Hospital. The program initially had two one-year residents practicing under the direction of Dr. Jay A. Aldous. 

2012 UUSOD

2012: University of Utah School of Dentistry

The School of Dentistry received its initial accreditation from the American Dental Association (ADA), and University approval, in 2012 with Dr. G. Lynn Powell as the school's honorary founding dean. The inaugural class of 20 students began their four-year program in August 2013. 

Under the direction of Dr. Powell, the initial accreditation was accomplished without any ADA-recommended changes. Ultimately, the funding of the Ray and Tye Noorda Oral Health Sciences Building was secured through Dr. Powell's efforts. 

2012 UUSOD

2015: Ray and Tye Noorda Oral Health Sciences Building 

A generous gift from the Ray and Tye Noorda Foundation built the school's home at Wakara Way in Research Park on the University of Utah Health Sciences campus. The Ray and Tye Noorda Oral Health Sciences Building houses an 80-chair dental clinic and now serves as the flagship clinic for the University of Utah School of Dentistry. 

2012 UUSOD

2017: School of Dentistry graduates its first class

The School of Dentistry graduated its first class of 20 DDS-degreed students and admitted its first full class of 50 students, 25 of whom joined the school from out-of-state. 

2012 UUSOD

2020 - Present

  • Despite the challenges associated with a global pandemic, the school expanded its footprint across the state to eight clinical locations offering comprehensive dental care. From St. George to Ogden, the school has the largest clinical network of any dental school in the nation.  
  • The school added a mobile dentistry capability with a focus on increasing outreach and access to oral healthcare services for rural communities across Utah.