WVU School of Dentistry Phase 2 Renovation - This grant will support Phase 2 renovations at the West Virginia University School of Dentistry, located on the Health Sciences Campus of West Virginia University in Morgantown, West Virginia. The renovations include expansion, construction, and consolidation of the specialty clinics and advanced education programs at the Health Sciences Center. The clinics included in this renovation support the clinical practice and advanced residency programs for oral and maxillofacial surgery, endodontics, periodontics, prosthodontics, and the general practice residency program. Oral health is our priority and our mission. Defined by innovation in education, patient care, research, and service, the School of Dentistry fosters the development of highly skilled graduates committed to clinical excellence. West Virginia University School of Dentistry is the only dental school in West Virginia. The school opened in 1957 and graduated the first class of dentists in 1961. Graduates from the School of Dentistry programs provide oral health care in rural communities across West Virginia. Approximately 83% of the dentists practicing within the state are graduates of the School of Dentistry. At the very center of advancing oral health and improving access to care to build a healthier West Virginia, the School of Dentistry offers a predoctoral (DDS) program, a BS in Dental Hygiene program, and seven advanced education and postdoctoral residency programs. These include oral and maxillofacial surgery, orthodontics, endodontics, periodontics, prosthodontics, pediatric dentistry, and a general practice residency. This transformational initiative marks a pivotal chapter in the history of the WVU School of Dentistry. The project will expand, renovate, and modernize existing dental clinic spaces while consolidating all educational programs and student, resident, and faculty practice clinics on the Health Sciences Center campus. This renovation will transform dental education and clinical practice to meet the oral health needs of West Virginia families and provide excellence in training for new generations of dental professionals. It will enable the school to compete for and retain well-qualified faculty, and to support dental research to enhance further patient care, education, and community outreach programming. The comprehensive renovation of the academic and clinical facility will provide state-of-the-art dental equipment and technologies for patient treatment, student education, community outreach, and research. Phase one renovations are complete and included renovation of the orthodontic, pediatric dentistry, Innovation Center, and Dental Group Practice clinics. The modernization of our educational and clinical facilities, along with the incorporation of state-of-the-art digital dentistry equipment, is integral to the future of our School of Dentistry and meeting the oral healthcare needs of our West Virginia families. This will also help enhance the recruitment of the best and brightest faculty, students, and staff. The renovation and modernization of our School of Dentistry will prepare our graduates to enter the healthcare workforce, confident in their skills, abilities, and clinical practice, and to provide the highest-quality care our patients deserve and expect. We are committed to improving the oral health of West Virginia families entrusted to our care.
