University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine
The University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine is the dental school of the University of Pittsburgh (Pitt). It is located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. It is one of Pitt's six schools of the health sciences and one of several dental schools in Pennsylvania. It is closely affiliated with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. The School of Dental Medicine accepted 3.6% of applicants for the class of 2016, a record low for the school's entire history. It is located in Salk Hall on Pitt's campus. Each year, between  70 and 80 students graduate from Pitt's D.M.D. program. Admission into the School of Dental Medicine is highly competitive. Eighty incoming students were accepted out of 2,200 applications submitted. Total mean college GPA of incoming students in 2017 was 3.74 (science 3.67); academic average DAT score was 21.6. Dr. Bernard J. Costello is the School of Dental Medicine's current dean as of 2018. History. Founded as the Pittsburgh Dental College, the school was organized and chartered simultaneously with its establishment as a department of dentistry at the Western University of Pennsylvania, the former name of the University of  Pittsburgh. The School of Dental Medicine welcomed its first class of 119 freshmen that September. The school grew quickly and moved into increasingly larger facilities. Under the leadership of Dean H. Edmund Friesell, the Dental College was renamed the School of Dentistry when it became an integral part of the university when the university assumed charge of the Dental Department and property following the implementation of an agreement on October 5, 1905. By the 1920s, the dental school was reported to be, for at least a time, the largest in the world. The School of Dental Medicine has occupied its  current space in Salk Hall, which was converted from a former municipal hospital facility to house Pitt's dental and pharmacy schools, since 1967. "Noteworthy events in School of Dental Medicine history:" Education. The University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine offers the following educational programs: First Professional DMD Residency Training Programs in: Dental Hygiene International/Advanced Standing Program Interschool Collaborative Programs Dental Informatics Postgraduate Program The School of Dental Medicine also offers a variety of continuing education courses, which are held both on-campus locations and at 13 off-site locations. Research. The School of Dental Medicine is committed  to conducting groundbreaking research that advances scientific knowledge and leads to novel approaches to dental care. For fiscal year 2019, the school is ranked 4th in research funding by the National Institute for Dental and Craniofacial Research, one of the National Institutes of Health. School of Dental Medicine faculty members are involved in the following research centers: Additional research is ongoing in the following departments: The school offers numerous opportunities for students interested in pursuing scientific research as well. The Dean's Summer Research Scholarship supports a three-month summer research experience to three incoming first professional dental students each  year. Also, the school's annual research symposium showcases student work in scientific investigation. School Facilities. "Educational" The School of Dental Medicine facility occupies Salk Hall and the adjoining Salk Hall Dental Annex and is located on the University's upper campus near UPMC hospitals and the School of Medicine. "Clinical" The School of Dental Medicine treats many patients in its clinical facilities, offering the full range of dental services. Treatment is provided by dental hygiene students, third- and fourth-year dental students or by specialty residents and is supervised by faculty members. Patients who prefer treatment by faculty members  rather than students may choose University Dental Health Services, the School of Dental Medicine's faculty practice. UDHS dentists also offer comprehensive services, ranging from routine dental care to various specialty areas. A number of the School of Dental Medicine's clinical offerings are specialized for certain groups of patients. "Other" The School of Dental Medicine's Dental Museum is now closed, at one time it featured a host of dental artifacts used by early 20th century practitioners. It also included works of fine art by alumnus Dr. Frederick Franck (DDS ’42) and Mr. Virgil Cantini. Publications. The School of  Dental Medicine publishes Pitt Dental Magazine biannually to inform the school's alumni and friends about its activities and initiatives. It also distributes an electronic alumni newsletter a number of times throughout the year and a monthly e-newsletter to faculty, staff, and students at the school. The school also publishes a Facts and Figures brochure, which is updated annually.