State of the School 2016-17: 100 Years on University Lines

In his annual state of the school address, Dean Christian Stohler reflected on the College of Dental Medicine’s rich history as well as the school’s future at the forefront cutting-edge research and education.

“We are defined as the oral specialty of medicine,” Dean Stohler said before explaining that the college, currently celebrating its centennial year, has worked hard to uphold the founding principle that oral health is inseparable from overall health.

Thanks to a community of devoted faculty, staff, students, and supporters, CDM made critical advancements at the end of its first hundred years. And although there are many reasons to celebrate—successful accreditation, significant expansions in the school’s National Institutes of Health research portfolio, and key new spaces like the Roy and Diana Vagelos Education Center—Dean Stohler did not shy away from the work ahead. He spoke extensively of the forthcoming clinical center for digital dentistry and simulation learning on VC-5 as well as the new center for bioinformatics and data analytics in oral health, both of which will expand research and teaching, but also strengthen patient-centered dental care.

“This year has been filled with hard work,” said Dean Stohler, “and we achieved many successes that have given us the opportunity to move forward.”