Closed Dental Schools

[Yah-E]

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A little history of closed U.S. dental schools in the last two decades:

School/Year Closed/State

Emory Univ./1988/GA
Fairleigh Dickinson Univ./1990/NJ
Georgetown Univ./1990/DC
Loyola Univ./1993/IL
Northwestern Univ./2001/IL

This IS NOT a post to discourage our awesome profession, OK? So don't take it the wrong way. This is simply an informative thread so you all know that there was a dental school at these Universities. A bit of history, that's all!

There might be more, but this is all I can find. If any of you know other schools that was phased out in the last two decades (1982-2002), feel free to add.

 

[Beagle]

I'm not sure when, but Washington University, St. Louis use to have a dental school.
It closed.....~10-15 years ago??
Or so I hear from my professors at this school
<img border="0" title="" alt="[Frown]" src="frown.gif" />

 

[DesiDentist]

Just a note: It costs more to educate a dentist than a physician. The government pays only so much to these schools. Not only are we taking the same classes as (M.D's/D.O.'s) but are also focusing more on the mouth which M.D.'s/D.O.'s don't focus on. Most of these schools probably didn't receive enough aid from the government to keep on running. Also, there is no correlation here about the profession of dentistry. Even though oral health awarness is rising some states/politicians are still ignorant for this reason some of these schools could not make it.

 

[ske5]

I heard a rumor that Oregon Health Sciences Dental program might be closing sometime down the road due to a loss of state funds, can anybody confirm or deny this?

 

[JonR]

Actually, the closing of these schools had nothing to do with government funding. These were all private schools, which count on high tuition and donations to pay for the same things for which state schools receive subsidies. When times get hard, the first to go are the private schools. One other to add to the list is Oral Roberts Univ. in Oklahoma (once again, lack of funds from private sources).

 

[groundhog]

US dental schools put out about 6000 graduates per year at the peak. They now put out about 4000 per year. Life is dynamic. Maybe effeciencies in procedures have enabled dentists and the allied professions to handle more patients per treatment unit. On the other hand, new dental schools are arising in Nevada and Arizona due to population gains (retirees) in those states. In about ten years, the leading edge of the post WWII baby boom generation will reach 65 years of age. Those folks are going to need a lot of re-restoration and periodontal work until they pass on. There will likely be at least 30 years of strong demand for dental services from that generation alone.

 

[JonR]

Right on, groundhog. Many consider the next 50 years the "golden age" of dentistry. There was an article last year in Dental Economics that addressed that very issue in a way that would make all the recently retired dentists wish that they were starting from where we are today thanks to the upcoming patient need, technology, and widespread availablity of dentistry. The volume and type of care needed in the next 50 years will mean we will have nearly unlimited earning potential.

 

[dental]

•••quote:•••Originally posted by ske5:
•I heard a rumor that Oregon Health Sciences Dental program might be closing sometime down the road due to a loss of state funds, can anybody confirm or deny this?•••••I've heard this rumor also and asked a predental counselor. NO! They are not closing the school down. It's just a rumor

 

[groundhog]

It is true that dental education is expensive. The concerns at this point are two. One is finding the necessary funds (private donations, public appropriations, tuition, and school clinc revenues) to maintain the schools. Two is the increasing debt load incurred by graduates of the schools. In the end, dentistry will remain a separate profession or will become a specialty that one persues after graduation from medical school. In my opinion, either scenario is viable. However, for those in the profession who prefer to see it remain a separate entity , I say take charge of the situation. Be generous in donating to your alma maters in order to create large endowments that will permanantly support dental school faculty and facilities.

 

[Kiluminati]

bump

kind of hard to justify donating money to a university that ripped you off for 4 years when you have 250k+ of loans, a house payment, a practice, and a family to feed. I say screw dental schools. They rob the crap out of you and ask for donations afterwards. Isn't that an oxymoron?

 

[FUTDR]

Just out of curiousity, where are these schools located-nicer part of the city or in the inner city? I know Northwestern was in a richer area. But what about the rest? Hopefully those in poor part of the cities do not close because the community depends on them for their dental care...

 

[mtabibian]

Just out of curiousity, where are these schools located-nicer part of the city or in the inner city? I know Northwestern was in a richer area. But what about the rest? Hopefully those in poor part of the cities do not close because the community depends on them for their dental care...

George town univ is located in the richest part of DC. In George Town a decent 1 bed room starts at about 800K.

 

[billiken10]

St. Louis used to have two dental programs: one at Washington University and the other at Saint Louis University. SLU now has a post-dental program including an outstanding Ortho school.

 

[EMORYswim]

Just out of curiousity, where are these schools located-nicer part of the city or in the inner city? I know Northwestern was in a richer area. But what about the rest? Hopefully those in poor part of the cities do not close because the community depends on them for their dental care...

Emory is in a very nice part of Atlanta, but it is not cut off from urban centers like northwestern or georgetown. If the dental school were still open, it would be the only one in atlanta, and it would serve the whole metro atlanta area.

 

[Yah-E]

Digging up old posts, huh? Did you do a search under my Username or did you do a search on "closed dental schools"? If y'all use my Username for a search, you'll find many interesting threads and posts. Have fun browsing! 👍

 

[gryffindor]

Just out of curiousity, where are these schools located-nicer part of the city or in the inner city? I know Northwestern was in a richer area. But what about the rest? Hopefully those in poor part of the cities do not close because the community depends on them for their dental care...

I thought the Northwestern dental school was in the actual city of Chicago, not it Evanston where the undergrad campus is. Of course, it may have been the nicer part of the city, but that shouldn't have mattered too much. People will travel if they have to - we saw that at my dental school a lot and I see it at my residency all the time.

 

[Comet208]

I'm not sure when, but Washington University, St. Louis use to have a dental school.
It closed.....~10-15 years ago??
Or so I hear from my professors at this school

Washington University in St. Louis, MO closed in 1991. I was told by the insiders that it was mostly to bad management of the dean. In mid-late 80's part time adjunct faculty (who taught the clinics for FREE) were laid off and full-time faculty were forced to carry out more extensive research despite the added responsibility of teaching the clinics. Eventually the whole thing fell apart structurally and financially.
Right now, the Washington University Medical School is at the forefront of genomic research. I think the dean wanted to keep up or maybe compete with all the research being done at the med school but it just didnt work out well.

 

[Jone]

i believe you are correct. from what i heard, the vacant dental facilities were given to the medical school, which is not located in evanston.

I thought the Northwestern dental school was in the actual city of Chicago, not it Evanston where the undergrad campus is. Of course, it may have been the nicer part of the city, but that shouldn't have mattered too much. People will travel if they have to - we saw that at my dental school a lot and I see it at my residency all the time.

 

[Dr. Steve Brule]

Emory is in a very nice part of Atlanta, but it is not cut off from urban centers like northwestern or georgetown. If the dental school were still open, it would be the only one in atlanta, and it would serve the whole metro atlanta area.

yeah it's really a shame that the emory dental school shut down, georgia really needs another dental school..don't you agree?

 

[DrTacoElf]

yeah it's really a shame that the emory dental school shut down, georgia really needs another dental school..don't you agree?

Yeah it wouldn't hurt but from a business standpoint its a plus since saturation is most likely lower 🙂

 

[TeddieBelle]

St. Louis used to have two dental programs: one at Washington University and the other at Saint Louis University. SLU now has a post-dental program including an outstanding Ortho school.

I have heard rumors at CADE (the post-dental program) that they are thinking about eventually opening up another dental school at SLU. I have no idea if this is true though.

 

[Pikeyman]

As surprising as it might sound, I've been thinkin'.

Medical schools abuse their students with no pay or below-the-minimum-wage salaries in their mother-hospitals under the title of internships or fellowships. This has been like this forever. Hospitals collect an unbelievable amt of money from patients, and get to keep, I'd assume, over 60% after paying their renown specialities with big fat checks.

More money for the hospitals = more money for the schools.

Dental schools do not have the same system.

This might be one of the reasons why so many dental schools have gone shot to hell.

But, hey, what the hell do I know?

 

[Pikeyman]

Barry (Adam Sandler from "Punch-Drunk Love"): I wanted to ask you something because you are a doctor...I don't like myself sometimes...Can you help me?

Barry's Brother-in-law: Barry, I'm a dentist. I...What kind of help do you think I can give you?

 

[organichemistry]

hmmm. i'd rather them be closing dental schools than opening lots of new ones. that means fewer dentists which means there will be more patients for you and I to see.

also, about the closing of schools.

what do they do to the people currently enrolled there. would a school that closed in 1988 stop enrolling people in 1984, or would the people who went there for 2 years not be able to finish???

 

[sidewalkman]

They graduate all classes currently enrolled at the school, and then when the last class graduates, they close.

 

[TravisP]

http://becker.wustl.edu/ARB/Exhibits/mowihsp/health/MOdentaled.htm

For the last several decades rising costs and declining enrollments have plagued dental schools across the country, forcing many to close. The St. Louis University School of Dentistry closed in 1970. The Washington University School of Dental Medicine closed after 125 years of existence in 1991. The University of Missouri - Kansas City School of Dentistry is now the only accredited dental school in Missouri.

 

[DROCKINDAHOUSE]

bump...dental school history lesson

 

[Plopper]

i took a read...scary stuff

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpa...7C0A96F948260&sec=health&spon=&pagewanted=all

 

[kag930]

I go to Northwestern, and am really sad that they no longer have a dental school. I would have loved to have gone. Rumor has it that our president thought that dental school was more of a "trade school" and would rather allocate the money to the med school. Lame!

 

[DROCKINDAHOUSE]

i took a read...scary stuff

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpa...7C0A96F948260&sec=health&spon=&pagewanted=all

Wow. I can't even imagine having to live through that...

 

[DiNoZeRo2o9]

eh when I dug this thread up and posted the link in the other thread I didn't think it was necessary to bump it....but I guess others are curious about this topic like me.

 

[somethinpositiv]

It makes me sad that Emory and Northwestern don't have dental schools anymore 🙁 *tear*

 

[gryffindor]

Having posting on this thread three years ago, I have since learned that once upon a time, Vanderbilt University also had a dental school. It closed in the 1920s. While at dinner at Maggiano's, I spotted a group picture of "Vanderbilt Dental School class of 1918" framed on a wall of "random black and white photos to Maggiano's look old-world authenic" and asked our chairman what was up with the picture.

A friend who graduated from the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry told me that Eastman had the desire to start a med school and dental school at the University of Rochester, but died before the dental school could start hence the med school is still stuck with the name "Medicine and Dentistry." Maybe a predent could dig up a source of whether this is true.

 

[yayforcoffee]

crazy stuff man. looks like a lot of people were googling this and not just me. no wonder dental tuition is so expensive (that article from the 2002 post)... makes you wonder how big of a push new schools like western are working for and the risk involved in opening a new school

 

[USCbiograd]

I shadowed a dentist for quite some time that actually graduated from Emory. He told me that schools that close usually have a bad relationship with their students. Apparently schools rely heavily on donations from their alumni, and if that income is not received then it makes balancing the budget much more difficult. I am not sure if this is completely true but I thought I would throw in my 2 cents.

 

[GunnerDMD617]

I shadowed a dentist for quite some time that actually graduated from Emory. He told me that schools that close usually have a bad relationship with their students. Apparently schools rely heavily on donations from their alumni, and if that income is not received then it makes balancing the budget much more difficult. I am not sure if this is completely true but I thought I would throw in my 2 cents.

Sounds like a person who didnt like his school.

 

[youngmc27]

I love these old threads that people dig up they make me laugh.

 

[djeffreyt]

I shadowed a dentist for quite some time that actually graduated from Emory. He told me that schools that close usually have a bad relationship with their students. Apparently schools rely heavily on donations from their alumni, and if that income is not received then it makes balancing the budget much more difficult. I am not sure if this is completely true but I thought I would throw in my 2 cents.

As much as 20% and as low as 0% of the operational costs of the school may come from alumni. That depends on the school.