Investing in Minnesota Dentistry

It’s my pleasure to provide an update on our School of Dentistry philanthropic priorities.

In 2021, we set forth a new fundraising campaign called Learners to Leaders. Our goal was to increase support for students through scholarships. We worked with many alumni, donors and community partners to build a pathway toward lowering students’ dental school debt. I am happy to report that since our campaign began, we have raised more than $6 million! Due to the support of many, we have effectively increased scholarship amounts, as well as the number of scholarships we offer. This is remarkable progress, but our work in this space is far from complete. We will continue to seek donations to help tomorrow’s students by creating new scholarships and adding to existing funds.

Great educators are at the heart of what we do in the dental school every day. Our strategic plan recognizes that endowed chairs and professorships are vital to the recruitment and retention of faculty, and that they elevate our program on a national level. Under Dean Mays’ leadership, we have elevated the Robert J Isaacson Professorship in Orthodontics to a Chair, and the Richard and Nancy Christiansen Visiting Professorship to a permanent Professorship in Craniofacial Research and Education. It is our goal to have an endowed faculty position in every specialty program within the school, as well as in other strategic areas.

Our aging facilities are top of mind most days, with an ever present need to ensure advancements in dental education are incorporated both in the curriculum and in our surroundings. Through the generosity of our donors and community partners, we unveiled the country’s first dentaldedicated MRI with the opening of the Orofacial MRI Center this past September. We continue to upgrade technology in our clinics through the procurement of 3D scanners, cone beam CTs and digital design and workflow software—just to name a few. We are working with the University, and our stakeholders, to plan for the future of Minnesota’s only dental school.

The impact of our donors and alumni is present every day here in the School of Dentistry. Thank you for your continued support!

Emily Best
Chief Development Officer