Tufts University School of Dental Medicine

Tufts University School of Dental Medicine
Name	Tufts University School of Dental Medicine
Established	1868
Type	Private
Parent	Tufts University
Dean	Nadeem Karimbux
City	Boston
State	Massachusetts
Country	United States
Campus	Urban
Affiliations	Tufts Medical Center

Tufts University School of Dental Medicine. It is the second oldest dental school in Boston and a founding member of the Forsyth Institute. The school is renowned for its rigorous clinical training, extensive research portfolio, and commitment to community service. As a graduate school of Tufts University, it operates within the university's health sciences campus in Boston's Chinatown.

History

The school was founded in 1868 as the Boston Dental College, initially operating in the basement of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In 1899, it affiliated with Tufts College, becoming the Tufts College Dental School, a move championed by university president Elmer Hewitt Capen. A significant early partnership was formed with the Forsyth Dental Infirmary for Children in 1914, which later evolved into the independent Forsyth Institute. The school moved to its current location on Harrison Avenue in 1961, consolidating its presence within the burgeoning Tufts Medical Center complex. Throughout the 20th century, it expanded its programs and facilities, including the establishment of the Tufts Dental Facilities for Persons with Special Needs in the 1970s.

Academics and programs

The school offers the Doctor of Dental Medicine degree through a comprehensive four-year program integrating biomedical sciences with extensive clinical experience. It also provides advanced graduate programs in various dental specialties, including orthodontics, periodontology, oral and maxillofacial surgery, pediatric dentistry, and endodontics. Postgraduate programs are offered in conjunction with major teaching hospitals like Tufts Medical Center and Boston Children's Hospital. The curriculum emphasizes interprofessional education, often involving collaboration with other schools within Tufts University, such as the Tufts University School of Medicine and the Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy.

Research

Research is conducted across several key centers, notably the Division of Craniofacial and Molecular Genetics and the Center for Integrative Global Oral Health. Faculty and students engage in significant studies on biofilm-related diseases, temporomandibular joint disorder, craniofacial development, and the oral-systemic health connection. The school maintains a strong research alliance with the Forsyth Institute, focusing on microbiology and immunology. Its investigators frequently receive funding from the National Institutes of Health, the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, and private foundations like the Delta Dental Plan.

Clinical services

The primary clinical facility is the Tufts Dental Clinic, which provides over 200,000 patient visits annually. It operates several community-based programs, most prominently the Tufts Dental Facilities for Persons with Special Needs, a network of clinics across Massachusetts. The school also runs the Tufts University Dental Associates faculty practice and participates in international outreach programs. Clinical training emphasizes comprehensive care within a group practice model, treating a diverse patient population from Boston and the greater New England region.

Campus and facilities

The school is housed in the Arnold S. Goldstein, D.M.D., D.Sc.D. Building at One Kneeland Street, part of the Tufts University Health Sciences Campus in Boston's Chinatown. The facility includes modern simulation laboratories, extensive clinical operatories, and dedicated research laboratories. It is physically connected to Tufts Medical Center, facilitating close collaboration. The campus is also home to the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging and is adjacent to the Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center.

Notable alumni and faculty

Prominent alumni include former American Dental Association president William R. Calnon and pioneering orthodontist Harold Kesling. Notable faculty have included Paul Goldhaber, a former dean influential in periodontal research, and Dominick P. DePaola, a former president of the Forsyth Institute. Other distinguished figures associated with the school are Hubert J. Bell, an early leader in dental public health, and Nadeem Karimbux, the current dean and a noted educator in periodontology.

Category:Dental schools in the United States Category:Tufts University Category:Universities and colleges in Boston Category:Educational institutions established in 1868