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Administration / Offices / Dean
The number one priority of the UMDNJ-New Jersey Dental School is to ensure that each and every student receives an outstanding education in an environment of opportunity-the opportunity to learn, to practice and to serve. Up until the last 50 years, dentistry was mainly a profession in which teeth were either repaired or extracted. Little was known about the scientific basis for diseases of the oral cavity or of the materials that could be used for restorations. Knowledge of preventive dentistry was limited, and cosmetic dentistry was a dream. Dental students were taught by faculty who were skilled practitioners in what was basically still an art form. Dentistry has experienced remarkable progress since that time. Here at the New Jersey Dental School we take enormous pride in being able to shape the future of dentistry through our excellent educational and patient care programs, our progressive research, and our commitment to serving the public regardless of age or socioeconomic position. We've developed into one of the state's major resources for predoctoral and postdoctoral specialty dental education, and are foremost in providing outstanding continuing education programs for our state's oral health care practitioners. Our understanding of the anatomy, embryology, microbiology, and molecular biology of oral diseases is translated to our students and provides the foundation for treating our patients with the newest techniques and materials. Our advanced biomedical research programs continue to improve the quality of life for our diverse populations throughout the state -- and even the entire nation. In 2004, our School was awarded grants totaling more than $3.5 million to support studies such as tooth decay in African-American children, juvenile aggressive periodontal disease, oral cancer and human genome research. Research also brings us closer to the still-elusive vaccines against caries and periodontal disease. All these areas of growth speak to our school's valuable role in supporting the health of the people of New Jersey, but perhaps the growth I'm most excited about is our beautiful new building. With this expansion we can increase our existing facilities in keeping with our mission of patient care, education, research and community service. Be assured that as we begin the next 50 years of our journey, the New Jersey Dental School will continue to be a strong and vibrant school, one that is recognized for its excellence in education and patient care, one that is dedicated to improving the lives of all we serve. Cecile A. Feldman, D.M.D., M.B.A. |
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