The Faculty of Dentistry: Background and History

The School of Dentistry (now the Faculty of Dentistry of the University of Toronto) was founded by the Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario in 1875. Seven years earlier, in 1868, the College had been given the dual responsibilities of licensing and dental education when the Province of Ontario, in one of its first legislative actions, passed the "Act Respecting Dentistry".

The School began its affiliation with the University of Toronto in 1888 when it established the degree of Doctor of Dental Surgery (D.D.S.). It was not until 1925, however, that the Royal College of Dental Surgeons formally relinquished its teaching function in order to permit the School to become a Faculty of the University of Toronto. At that time the College agreed that the University should conduct all examinations and forward to the College annually the list of those candidates for the Ontario Licence who had met the conditions prescribed for the degree of Doctor of Dental Surgery.

The Faculty is now the largest dental school in Canada. Not only does it graduate approximately 95 qualified dentists each year, but it also educates specialists in Orthodontics, Paediatric Dentistry, Periodontology, Endodontics, Prosthodontics, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and Anaesthesia, Dental Anaesthesia, Oral Pathology and Medicine, Oral Radiology, and Dental Public Health. It also provides future teachers of dentistry to universities across Canada through its M.Sc. and Ph.D programs.

The training of dental auxiliaries was for many years an important aspect of the Faculty's activities. A program in Dental Nursing existed from the 1920's until 1960, and a diploma in Dental Hygiene was awarded from 1952 until 1977, when it was transferred to the community colleges. Beginning in 1976/77 the Faculty has offered a special degree program, the B.Sc.D. (Dental Hygiene), for a limited number of dental hygienists who wish to prepare themselves for academic positions or administrative responsibilities in the community colleges.

In addition to its teaching function, the Faculty of Dentistry has a major commitment to dental research. In this connection, it is important to realize that dental research is carried out only in the Faculties of Dentistry at a few large universities; there is virtually no research by private industry or government bodies. The Faculty has a long tradition of research and is now not only the foremost dental research centre in Canada but also has established a well-earned international reputation. It currently attracts over $9,000,000 annually in research funds and some of the staff have earned international distinction. Major research areas in the Faculty include multidisciplinary approaches in the field of biomaterials and bioengineering, dental implantology, neuroscience and facial pain, growth and development, microbiology oral pathology and periodontal physiology. Most, if not all, teachers in the Faculty are also involved in research. Each year, with the support of the Canadian Institutes for Health Research and other organizations, a limited number of research scholarships are available to enable students to work through the summer months in the research laboratories.