Baylor College of Dentistry

Overview
Baylor College of Dentistry (BCD), located in east Dallas, Texas (USA), is the dental education unit of the Texas A&M University System, and a component of the Texas A&M Health Science Center. Almost two-thirds of all the dentists in the Metroplex received their education at BCD, and more than one-third of all dentists in Texas are graduates of the college. It is the largest single provider of oral health care services in the Dallas/Fort Worth metropolitan area.

Baylor College of Dentistry in Dallas opened its doors with 45 students 100 years ago as the State Dental College. Today, with an enrollment of approximately 520 and more than 8,000 graduates, the college is internationally recognized for its oral health sciences education, research, specialized patient care, and community service programs. The school provides the Doctor of Dental Surgery (D.D.S.), Master of Science (M.S.) and Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Dental Hygiene degrees, and graduate training in dental specialties.

Baylor College of Dentistry was named one of the top four dental institutions nationwide for periodontology, endodontics, and geriatric dentistry by American Health Magazine. In 1997, through its Center for TeleHealth, BCD became the nation's first dental school to successfully demonstrate the use of telecommunications technology for dental medicine through a long-distance patient consultation between dentists at the BCD campus and 175 dental professionals convened in Orlando, Florida.

Each year, the college completes more than 103,500 patient care visits, 45 percent of which benefit low-income individuals. Of the care it provides, the college donates $3.3 million in services to the community. The college produces the nation's only syndicated, weekly dental health news program, Dental Health Check.

Academics
BCD offers a four-year program leading to a doctor of dental surgery degree; a bachelor's degree in dental hygiene; several master's degree programs and a Ph.D. program in biomedical sciences; and post-doctoral degrees in the dental specialties. An M.D. program is offered in conjunction with Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center at Lubbock. Dental professionals from around the world have the opportunity to continue their education and access the latest dental technology through BCD's Department of Continuing Education.

Research
Although BCD is a nationally recognized center for oral health education as well as basic and clinical research, many of the college's scientific endeavors transcend dental medicine. Faculty members are opening new doors in a wide range of areas including laser technology, computer-aided dental restorations, dental material improvement, craniofacial deformity, and salivary dysfunction treatment. Faculty also are conducting research that may impact the prevention and treatment of diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, cancer, and diabetes.

Location
BCD is centrally located in Dallas, one mile east of the downtown business district, adjacent to Baylor University Medical Center. Faculty also direct dental clinics at two local children's hospitals and provide oral health care services to the Parkland Health & Hospital System, the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Dallas, Baylor University Medical Center, and Denton State School.