Table of Contents
Special Section
Dental Branch Through the Years
Dental students - all male - treated patients in crowded conditions.
February 11, 1905 Founded as the first dental school in Texas.
1927 More than a high school education became required to enter the Texas Dental College.
1932 Frederick C. Elliott, D.D.S, whose vision birthed the Texas Medical Center - now the largest medical center in the world - became dean of the Dental Branch.
1941 The school established departments. Prior to this, faculty members wore a variety of hats in different educational areas.
August 31, 1943 By legislative act the Dental Branch was incorporated into The University of Texas System and renamed The University of Texas School of Dentistry.
1945 The UT System Board of Regents authorized the creation of the School of Dental Hygiene as part of the Dental Branch.
June 6, 1955 The construction of a building in the Texas Medical Center was completed in time for the 50-year anniversary.
1955 The first dental hygiene class was admitted. The Dental Branch received the first educational television license in the nation.
1956 The Dental Branch graduated its first black student, Zeb Poindexter Jr., D.D.S. He became the first black faculty member in 1972.
1958 The school was renamed The University of Texas Dental Branch.
February 1964 The Dental Science Institute was established as a research arm of the Dental Branch focusing on microbiology of oral diseases, calcification, aging, oral malignancies and soft-tissue diseases.
August 27, 1988 A 100,000 squarefoot addition to the Dental Branch was dedicated.
1990s The Dental Branch continued to keep its doors open as seven dental schools in the nation closed under a perceived overabundance of dental graduates flooding the market.
1991 The school's Dental Assisting program was phased out.
1995 The Dental Science Institute was phased out, with its emphasis being replicated and strengthened within other areas of the school.
1996 Ronald Johnson, D.D.S., was appointed the first black dean of the school.
1998 The White Coat Ceremony, a tradition commonly seen at medical schools, was introduced at the Dental Branch. The ceremonial event symbolizes students' entrance into their new profession.
2000s The new millennium brought the introduction of computer simulators to replace the traditional mannequins on which students practiced their dentistry skills.
July 2004 Catherine M. Flaitz, D.D.S., became the first female dean of the Dental Branch after serving as interim dean for two years.