History

Penn's School of Dental Medicine is among the oldest university-affiliated dental institutions in the nation. It was created in 1878 as the Dental Department of the University of Pennsylvania, and its first facilities were housed in Medical Hall (now Logan Hall). The following year it moved into its own building, Dental Hall, which was designed and constructed for its particular needs.

In 1897, Thomas W. Evans, cosmopolitan, brilliant, and innovative dentist to the courts of Europe during France's Second Empire and confidant of Napoleon III, left his estate to create and maintain a dental school that would be "second to none." Evans' generosity made possible the construction of the Evans Building (officially called the Thomas W. Evans Museum and Dental Institute) which opened in 1915, the best-equipped dental building in the nation at that time. His boldness and spirit of leadership have continued to guide the School throughout its history of expansion and innovation both in curriculum and in clinical and scientific facilities.

During its 130-year history, Penn's School of Dental Medicine has grown in size and has consistently been at the forefront of dramatic changes that have characterized the profession of dentistry during that time. Nevertheless, Penn's School of Dental Medicine has remained faithful to its original mission: "to prepare students for qualification for dental practice, to provide graduate training for qualified practitioners and to create the opportunity and facilities for scientific research in dentistry."

Philosophy of Education
Since its founding in 1878, the dental education program has maintained its leadership role in dental education and research by preparing distinguished graduates capable of functioning in the many roles the profession demands: scientist, diagnostician, clinician, artist, engineer, teacher, and business manager. The School is committed to offering an education that advances both the art and science of dentistry, and prepares its students for leadership in the profession.

Penn's dental education program has always had close relationships with medicine. For example, it has offered courses in internal medicine to dental students since 1930. As the profession has shifted its emphasis from dental surgery to the promotion of dental health and control of dental disease, Penn has expanded its curriculum to stress the biochemistry of cells, tissue reactions, human genetics, chemotherapy, and other aspects of general medicine. Penn's commitment to total patient care is the practical result of this expanded study of human biology as well as the behavioral sciences.

In view of the expanding scope and responsibilities of its graduates, and in appreciation of the One Medicine concept at Penn (integrating the philosophies of the schools of medicine, veterinary medicine, and dentistry), the name of the School of Dentistry was officially changed to the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine in 1964.

For similar reasons, the name of the degree has also been changed. The degree of Doctor of Dental Surgery, in its literal meaning, fails to indicate the evolving scope of preparation in dental medicine at Penn. The new degree title, Dentariae Medicinae Doctoris, D.M.D., or Doctor of Dental Medicine, better reflects the intention of the School to serve the causes of prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of dental diseases without limitation.