Overview
History
Indiana University School of Dentistry (IUSD) is one of the oldest dental schools in the nation. It was established as the Indiana Dental College in 1879 and became part of Indiana University in 1925. In 1933, IU built a facility to house the school at its current site on what is now known as the Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis campus. It is the only dental school in the Hoosier state.
The school's reputation for excellence took firm root in the 1940s, when several key teachers and researchers began long and prolific careers as members of the dental faculty. It was during this era, for example, that three IU scientists, including dental professor Joseph Muhler, created the first stannous fluoride formula that became the active decay-preventing agent in Crest toothpaste.
Dr. Muhler and other pioneering teachers at the dental school contributed a body of groundbreaking work that drew worldwide attention to Indiana University, and each left a legacy of knowledge that helped build the foundation for contemporary dental science.
Currently, more than 350 faculty members contribute to the dental school's teaching and research programs, including 115 in full-time positions. About 40,000 square feet of space divided into more than a dozen facilities is now devoted to dental research opportunities at IU, including the Oral Health Research Institute, whose researchers have gained prominence for their studies of such subjects as fluoride and dental caries prevention.
More than 12,000 alumni of the school pursue a variety of careers in private practice, education, research, and public health throughout the United States and in more than 30 other countries.
Last updated: November 2011.