The School of Dental Medicine at Case Western Reserve University is a diverse and vibrant community and a private dental school located in Cleveland, Ohio. Students select our school because of our reputation for excellence in predoctoral and postdoctoral dental education programs that include our preceptor model of clinical instruction and our strong commitment to patient care, research, interprofessional education and community service and outreach.

Brief History

The School of Dental Medicine was organized June 21, 1892, as the Dental Department of Western Reserve University. For the first 25 years of its existence, the school was located in downtown Cleveland. In 1917, the School of Dental Medicine became an integral part of the university, with a building on Adelbert Road. In 2003, the name of the school officially changed from the School of Dental Surgery to the School of Dental Medicine, and the degree offered changed from Doctor of Dental Surgery to Doctor of Dental Medicine. 

In 2019, the School moved to the Sheila and Eric Samson Pavilion and the Dental Clinic Building at the Health Education Campus of Case Western Reserve University and Cleveland Clinic. The 477,000-square-foot Samson Pavilion is home to dental, nursing, medical, and physician assistant students. Being under one roof, and having some classes that they’ll all take together, encourages the communication and collaboration that’s required in the fast-paced field of health care. The new 132,000 square-foot Dental Clinic features state-of-the-art patient care facilities, equipment and digital technology, including an ambulatory oral and maxillofacial surgery center. 

The Profession of Dentistry

The mission of dentistry is the protection and improvement of the health of individuals and society with a concentration on oral health. Professional activities encompass a wide variety of endeavors including the clinical care of individuals, the prevention of disease, the discovery of new knowledge, and the development of procedures and policies that protect and improve health, especially for those populations at risk for disease.

Because oral health is an important concern of society, the role of the dentist continues to be essential and rewarding. Men and women who are interested in scientific studies directly related to the welfare of people should find a strong appeal in dentistry as a life work. It offers an unusual opportunity for public service, community respect, and the use of originality, compassion, and substantial skill and independent judgment on a daily basis.

Mission Statement

The mission of the Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine is to:

Educate the next generation of diverse oral health professionals and future leaders of the profession to meet the challenges of a complex and rapidly changing world.
Innovate and push the boundaries of our understanding of oral health and its relationship to overall health and wellness through focused research, scholarship and collaboration.
Improve oral and overall health in our Ohio communities by providing outstanding programs, services and access to oral healthcare.
Serve our Ohio communities, nation and world by promoting and delivering excellence in patient care in an environment of integrity, mutual respect, compassion and professionalism.
We do all these things for the purpose of serving humanity.

The School of Dental Medicine's core values are:

• Promoting professionalism, integrity, high ethical standards and compassion
• Committed to academic excellence and high-impact performance in all of our programs and activities
• Advocating collegiality, teamwork, collaboration and accountability
• Encompassing diversity and inclusiveness
• Delivering person-centered compassionate and comprehensive oral health care
• Growing and promoting scientific and technological discovery and advancements in oral and craniofacial research
• Serving our profession and our community
• Maintaining a humanistic and student-centered environment
• Expanding and developing the use of new technologies throughout dental education and patient care
• Emphasizing leadership in interprofessional education, teamwork & practice
• Preparing our students and residents to become competent, caring and highly capable clinicians ready to succeed in practice upon graduation
• Exercising responsible stewardship operating in a fiscally responsible and sustainable manner, making sound and strategic budgetary decisions, controlling expenses and allocating resources
• Pursuing sound clinical, research and business opportunities to generate and increase revenue
• Engaging with our Alumni for their feedback on practice trends and concerns        

Dental Education Program

The School of Dental Medicine's Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) program provides students the opportunity to become successful dentists who make a positive difference in the health and well-being of the people and communities they serve. The full-time four year DMD degree program's competency-based curriculum involves integrated systems-based biomedical sciences, preclinical and clinical dental sciences, preclinical simulation, comprehensive patient care, interprofessional collaborative practice, behavioral sciences, ethics and professionalism, practice management and community service. Students are taught and mentored by skilled and experienced faculty in a humanistic environment that emphasizes professionalism, personal and professional responsibility, mutual respect, teamwork, critical-thinking skills and extensive hands-on preclinical and clinical general dentistry experience. Graduates are well prepared for licensure and to pursue general dental practice as well as advanced education residency programs. As lifelong learners, graduates must continue their dental education throughout their professional careers in order to stay current in their field, make decisions based on scientific evidence and deliver high quality patient-centered care. While in dental school, students grow as professionals with a commitment to and responsibility for their patient's best interests and welfare, to provide patients with optimal dental care. 

License to Practice Dentistry in Ohio

Specific information about licensure in Ohio and other states should be obtained from the individual state boards of dentistry.

Accreditation

The School of Dental Medicine is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) on a seven year cycle. The School's most recent site visit was November 5-7, 2024.