History
Dental education was instituted at the University of Alberta in 1917 in the School of Dentistry under the Faculty of Medicine. The first full degree program was offered in 1923 and the first class graduated in 1927. When the school’s first dean, Dr. H.E. Bulyea, came here from Harvard University in 1917, he patterned this school’s curriculum after that of Harvard.
The school became the Faculty of Dentistry in 1944, and until 1958, this was the only dental school in Western Canada. The U of A dental faculty trained practitioners for all the western provinces to promote dental health in the community and schools. They conducted research into the prevention of dental diseases, which led to the fluoridation of water in Edmonton.
In the 1960s, the dental hygiene diploma program was created through agreements and multi-province collaboration between dental hygiene associations, community leaders and the government. Ms. Margaret Berry MacLean was the program's first director. The bachelor of science in dental hygiene program began in 2000.
In 1996, the faculty of dentistry merged with the faculty of medicine to become the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, which has achieved national and international prominence for the high quality of its teaching, research and clinical programs.
The newest undergraduate program at the school came in 2024 - the dental assisting program.
Milestones
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1917 |
Dental education was first instituted as a Department of Dentistry under the aegis of the Faculty of Medicine. Dr. Harry E. Bulyea provided the first three students with lectures in operative dentistry. |
|
1927 |
The first seven DDS degrees were granted at the U of A. |
|
1930 |
The Department became a school with Dr. Bulyea as Director. |
|
1944 |
Faculty status was achieved. Dr. W. Scott Hamilton was appointed Dean, a post he retained until 1958. |
|
1948 |
New facilities for the Faculty included 48 completely equipped cubicles in the main clinic which were said to be "second to none in this dominion." |
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1958 |
Dr. Hector R. MacLean, a graduate of 1928, became Dean. His tenure, which continued until 1970, brought another series of enhancements to the Faculty. |
|
1961 |
A new clinic was opened, accommodating 50 students per year, and incorporating new technologies such as high-speed air turbine cutting instruments. |
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1961 |
Dental Auxiliary training was instituted under the directorship of Margaret Berry MacLean, and one year later, the School of Dental Hygiene came into being. |
|
1962 |
Graduate Studies were approved with diplomas awarded in clinical specialties of pedodontics, prosthodontics and orthodontics as well as the MSc degree in these fields and oral biology. |
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1970 |
Dr. James McCutcheon was appointed Dean, an office he held until 1976. |
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1974 |
The Mobile Dental Clinic program was developed to provide comprehensive dental care to underserviced areas of Northern Alberta. |
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1976 |
Dr. Donald M. Collinson assumed the role of acting Dean. |
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1976 |
U of A starts General Practice Residency program based at the University of Alberta Hospital Dental Clinic. |
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1978 |
Dr. Gordon W. Thompson was appointed Dean. |
|
1979 |
New satellite clinic facilities were developed for Northern Alberta. |
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1982 |
The undergraduate dentistry program was accredited without any recommendations for change, an unprecedented move by the Council on Education of the Canadian Dental Association. |
|
1982 |
Alberta is selected by P.I. Branemark, a Swedish orthopaedic surgeon as a replication study site for 20 dental implant patients. |
|
1983 |
New clinical research programs were developed, raising the Faculty's profile at national and international meetings. |
|
1985 |
A computerized patient management system was developed to accommodate the change to comprehensive patient care in the Faculty. |
|
1986 |
The Branemark research team puts on a 3-day course for surgeons and prosthodontists only at the University of Alberta, Faculty of Dentistry. Results of a clinical replication study by Alberta dental faculty members are presented with hands-on examination and interview of numerous Branemark implant patients. |
|
1988 |
The Faculty's Outreach Program was expanded to include development of the Geriatric Dentistry Clinic at the Edmonton General Hospital, acknowledged to be one of the best clinics of its kind on the continent. |
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1989 |
Dr. Norman K. Wood was appointed Dean of the Faculty of Dentistry. |
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1990 |
The Fund for Dentistry launched. First appeal in history to private sector dental community. |
|
1991 |
Dental Hygiene celebrates 30 years. |
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1992 |
75th Anniversary. Dental student enrolment reduced to 30 from 50 and dental hygiene enrolment increased to 50 from 40. |
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1994 |
Dr. Henry Dick was appointed Acting Dean of the Faculty of Dentistry. |
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1995 |
Dr. G. Wayne Raborn was appointed Acting Dean of the Faculty of Dentistry. |
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1996 |
Dr. G. Wayne Raborn was appointed Acting Dean for the Department of Oral Health Sciences. |
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1996 |
University of Alberta Faculty of Dentistry nearly closes and is reduced to a "Department of Dentistry" within the renamed Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry - the same name it had in its inception in 1917. |
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1997 |
Dr. G. Wayne Raborn was appointed Associate Dean and chair of the Department of Dentistry, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry. |
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2000 |
The BSc (Dental Hygiene Specialization) Degree and Post Diploma Degree Completion was instituted at the University of Alberta. |
|
2001 |
The Canadian-German Academic Cooperation in Dentistry, also known as the Dresden Exchange Program, sees the first visit of four German dental students to the U of A. The exchange program is established mainly through the personal efforts of Dr. John Woronuk. |
|
2002 |
A Memorandum of Understanding is signed between representatives of the University of Alberta and Technical University Dresden, formally recognizing the benefits and establishment of the exchange program. |
|
2003 |
Dr. Nadine Milos was appointed Acting Chair and Associate Dean of the Department of Dentistry, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry. |
|
2003 |
Professor Dr. Michael H. Walter, Associate Dean for Student Affairs at the Dresden Technical University takes a 6-month sabbatical to come to the U of A dental school, establishing the first significant exchange of dental faculty. |
|
2004 |
Dr. Kenneth Zakariasen was appointed Chair and Associate Dean of Department of Dentistry, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry. |
|
2005 |
The CDAC (Commission on Dental Accreditation in Canada) produces the "Competencies for a Beginning Dental Practitioner in Canada". Implant dentistry is listed under item #42. |
|
2006 |
Dr. Douglas Dederich was appointed Acting Chair and Associate Dean for the Department of Dentistry, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry. |
|
2007 |
Dr. Nadine Milos was appointed Acting Chair and Acting Associate Dean for the Department of Dentistry, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry. |
|
2007 |
Intersession begins at the U of A Department of Dentistry with undergraduate and GPR students placing their first dental implants. The 10 step protocol previously developed by Dr. Cable was modified and updated by Drs. Kucey and Lung to include implant placement by students. |
|
2009 |
Department of Dentistry established as one of the eight Schools within a new Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry structure, a status it previously enjoyed in the 1930's. |
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2010 |
Dr. Paul Major was appointed Lead of the School of Dentistry and Chair of the Department of Dentistry, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry. |
|
2010 |
A celebration of 10 years of the Dresden Exchange Program is held in Dresden, Germany. More than 130 Canadian and German dental students and faculty have participated in the exchange since its inception. |
|
2011 |
The Dental Hygiene program celebrates 50 years (since the first students enrolled). |
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2011 |
Department of Dentistry Administration moves out of Dentistry/Pharmacy Centre into the Edmonton Clinic Health Academy (ECHA). |
|
2012 |
School of Dentistry Patient Clinics move out of Dentistry/Pharmacy Centre into the Kaye Edmonton Clinic. |
|
2014 |
Masters of Science, Dental Hygiene admits first students. |
|
2015 |
Masters of Science, Oral Medicine admits first students. |
|
2017 |
School of Dentistry celebrates its Centennial. |
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2017 |
Bachelor of Science, Dental Hygiene admits first students. (Graduated 2020) |
|
2017 |
Masters of Science, Periodontics program admits first students. |
|
2019 |
First students begin the Doctor of Dental Surgery new curriculum. |
|
2020 |
The Masters of Science, Orthodontics graduate program celebrates 50 years (since the first students enrolled). |
|
2024 |
The inaugural dental assisting class began their 10-month certificate program in the spring. A second cohort would be introduced in the fall. |