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History of the School of Dentistry
The School of Dentistry was created in 1893 when the University College of
Medicine opened with a dental department as one of its original divisions. The
Medical College of Virginia inaugurated a dental education program in 1897,
and in 1913 the two schools were merged to form the MCV School of Dentistry.
In 1968, by an act of the Virginia General Assembly, the Medical College
of Virginia was merged with Richmond Professional Institute to form Virginia
Commonwealth University. The School of Dentistry is located on the Medical
College of Virginia campus.
Consistent with the University's mission, the School of Dentistry's
programs are guided by the following Mission Statement:
The VCU School of Dentistry is a public, urban, research dental school,
supported by Virginia to serve the people of the state and the nation. The
school's mission is to provide educational programs that prepare graduates
who are competent to provide dental care services; generate new knowledge
through research and other scholarly activity; and provide quality oral
health care to the public and service to the community.