The University of Illinois at Chicago College of Dentistry evolved from the Columbian Dental College, founded in Chicago in 1891. The college informally affiliated with the

University of Illinois The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (U of I, Illinois, University of Illinois, or UIUC) is a public land-grant research university in Illinois in the twin cities of Champaign and Urbana. It is the flagship institution of the University ...

in 1901, and was chartered as an official college of the university in 1913.

Programs

The college offers a four-year DMD degree, a two and a half year DMD-Advanced Standing, PhD and MS degrees in oral sciences, and six advanced education/residency certificate programs. The college provides community oral health outreach service and to serving the under-served, providing nearly $1 million in uncompensated care to indigent dental patients annually. It also provides dental services for senior citizens and children in collaboration with the Chicago Department of Public Health. Faculty and students participate in health fairs and clinics in elementary schools, long-term care facilities, churches, and Head Start programs. More than 100,000 patients are treated each year in its clinics.

Research

The college has research and treatment centers in various specialties:

endodontics Endodontics (from the Greek roots ''endo-'' "inside" and ''odont-'' "tooth") is the dental specialty concerned with the study and treatment of the dental pulp. Overview Endodontics encompasses the study (practice) of the basic and clinical ...

, oral and maxillofacial surgery, oral biology, oral medicine and diagnostic sciences,

orthodontics Orthodontics is a dentistry specialty that addresses the diagnosis, prevention, management, and correction of mal-positioned teeth and jaws, and misaligned bite patterns. It may also address the modification of facial growth, known as dentofacial ...

pediatric dentistry Pediatric dentistry (formerly pedodontics in American English or paedodontics in Commonwealth English) is the branch of dentistry dealing with children from birth through adolescence. The specialty of pediatric dentistry is recognized by the Ameri ...

periodontics Periodontology or periodontics (from Ancient Greek , – 'around'; and , – 'tooth', genitive , ) is the specialty of dentistry that studies supporting structures of teeth, as well as diseases and conditions that affect them. The supporting ...

, and restorative dentistry. The college is home to the Center for Wound Healing and the Brodie Lab for Craniofacial Genetics.

Notable faculty of the past

The college was the top dental school in the United States in the 1930s and 1940s, as several members of dentistry's "Vienna Group," top dental faculty with European backgrounds, including Dr. Harry Sicher and Dr. Joseph-Peter Weinmann, joined its faculty. Dr. John V. Borden, a 1939 alumnus, was the inventor of the Borden Airotor, a high-speed

dental handpiece A dental drill or handpiece is a hand-held, mechanical instrument used to perform a variety of common dental procedures, including removing decay, polishing fillings, performing cosmetic dentistry, and altering prostheses. The handpiece itsel ...

, the basic tool of modern dentistry. The research of Dr. Bernard G. Sarnat, a 1940 alumnus, head of the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at the college from 1946 to 1956, is considered the basis for the modern understanding of craniofacial surgery. Dr.

Isaac Schour Isaac Schour (1900, :ru:Плющевка, Efingar Ukraine – 1964) was a dental scholar, educator, researcher, and administrator. He is best known for his Human tooth development, tooth development chart. By studying the histolotgic sections of the ...

, dean of the college from 1956 to 1964, was the discoverer of "growth rings" in teeth. He and Dr. Maury Massler, who established the college's Department of Pediatric Dentistry and served as its head from 1946 to 1965, created a seminal chart of tooth development. Faculty members Dr. Earl W. Renfroe, a 1931 alumnus, and Dr. Thomas K. Barber, a 1949 alumnus, wrote what is considered the seminal article originating the concepts of preventive and interceptive orthodontics for the ''Journal of the

American Dental Association The American Dental Association (ADA) is an American professional association established in 1859 which has more than 161,000 members. Based in the American Dental Association Building in the Near North Side of Chicago, the ADA is the world's ...

'' in 1957. Dr. E. Lloyd Du Brul taught oral anatomy at the college for 50 years. The college's Du Brul Archives Room houses his collection of human, animal, and prehistoric skulls and jawbones. Dr.

Allan G. Brodie Allan Gibson Brodie (October 31, 1897 in New York City – January 2, 1976) was an American dentist and orthodonist. An orthodontics teacher, writer, and researcher, Brodie served in a variety of professional positions, such as President of th ...

Sr., who earned two degrees from the University of Illinois, established the college's postgraduate program in orthodontics in his 1929 book, ''The Dentofacial Complex'', which was considered so important that it was republished nearly 30 years after his death.

Notable alumni

* Bernard J. Cigrand, dean, 1903–06 and Father of Flag Day in the United States *

, dean, 1943–56 * G. Walter Dittmar, first president of the Illinois State Dental Society. *

William B. Downs William B. Downs (1899–January 13, 1966) was an American orthodontics, orthodontist who is known for developing the first cephalometric analysis for orthodontics, cephalometric analysis#Downs analysis, the Downs analysis. Life He was born in 1899 ...

, part of first graduating class of Department of Orthodontics * E. Lloyd Du Brul, developer of the science of biomechanics of the head and neck *

Elsie Gerlach Dr. Elsie Gerlach (1900-1967) was named the first superintendent of the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Dentistry Children's Clinic in 1927 after having served as an instructor at the University of Pennsylvania. Gerlach stayed for 38 ye ...

, first superintendent of the college's Children's Clinic *

Daniel Laskin Daniel M. Laskin (September 3, 1924 – December 8, 2021) was an American oral and maxillofacial surgeon and educator who contributed to his field for over fifty years. He excelled as an educator, a researcher and a clinician. He served as AAOM ...

, director of Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, 1953–1984 * Maury Massler, established College's Department of Pediatric Dentistry * Charles G. Maurice, established College's Department of Endodontics * Frederick B. Moorehead, dean, 1913–24 *

Dean Harold Noyes Harold Judd Noyes (1898–1968), often called "Dean Noyes", was an American orthodontist who graduated from Angle School of Orthodontia. He was the Chairman of the Orthodontic Department of the Northwestern University Dental School. He also served ...

, dean of Oregon Dental School *

Frederick Bogue Noyes Frederick Bogue Noyes (1872–1961) was an American dentist. His dental career began before the age of ten when he worked as an assistant to his dentist father. Noyes began dental practice before entering dental school (legal at the time), a ...

, dean, 1924–40 * Earl W. Renfroe, first African-American to head a department at the college *

, dean, 1956–64 * Stanley D. Tylman, wrote ''Theory and Practice of Crown and Bridge Prosthesis'' *

Thaddeus Weclew Dentist Dr. Thaddeus V. Weclew (1906–1992) was one of the creators of the Academy of General Dentistry in 1952. He also was the founder and first chancellor of the Academy of Continuing Dental Education. Dr. Weclew served on the faculty of the Uni ...

, helped found the Academy of General Dentistry

Selected research faculty

Xiaofeng Zhou Dr. Xiaofeng Zhou, (周晓峰) Associate Professor, Center for Molecular Biology of Oral Diseases, University of Illinois at Chicago College of Dentistry The University of Illinois at Chicago College of Dentistry evolved from the Columbian Dental C ...

, Center for Molecular Biology of Oral Diseases

Recent faculty appointments

Ana Bedran-Russo Ana Bedran-Russo (née Ana Karina Bedran de Castro) is Associate Dean for Research and Professor and Department Head of the Department of Oral Biology and at the University of Illinois Chicago College of Dentistry. Life Originally from Brazil ...

, restorative dentistry *

Luisa DiPietro Luisa DiPietro is a faculty member at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Dentistry. She is Director of the Center for Wound Repair and Tissue Regeneration and a Professor of Periodontics for the College. DiPietro's interests in wou ...

, Center for Wound Repair and Tissue Regeneration

References

External links

University of Illinois at Chicago College of Dentistry
{{DEFAULTSORT:Illinois At Chicago Dentistry, University Of Dental schools in Illinois

Dentistry Dentistry, also known as dental medicine and oral medicine, is the branch of medicine focused on the teeth, gums, and mouth. It consists of the study, diagnosis, prevention, management, and treatment of diseases, disorders, and conditions o ...

Educational institutions established in 1891 1891 establishments in Illinois