About the College of Dental Medicine
Established in 1967, the James B. Edwards College of Dental Medicine began its journey as South Carolina’s only college of dental medicine. But MUSC’s College of Dental Medicine doesn’t rest on that legacy - it continues to lead with innovation, discovery, and impact. Join us as we advance the future of oral health through education, research, clinical excellence, and community outreach.
Dean, College of Dental Medicine
Sarandeep S. Huja, DDS, Ph.D.
Dean, James B. Edwards College of Dental Medicine
Professor, College of Dental Medicine
Professor, College of Dental Medicine
Sarandeep S. Huja, D.D.S., Ph.D., has served as professor of the Department of Orthodontics and dean of the James B. Edwards College of Dental Medicine at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) since October 2017.
Dr. Huja initially received his dental (1987) and orthodontic (1992) training from the Government Dental College and Hospital, Bombay. From 1993 to 2001, he was associated with three U.S. institutions, receiving his Master of Science (1995) from Marquette University, his Doctor of Philosophy in Dental Science (1999) and Orthodontic Certificate (1999) from Indiana University, and his Doctor of Dental Surgery (2001) from the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Dentistry. His Ph.D. was conducted under the mentorship of Dr. David Burr from the Department of Anatomy and Dr. W. Eugene Roberts in Orthodontics from Indiana University. From 2001 to 2011, he served as faculty at the Ohio State University, working under the mentorship of Dr. Katherine Vig, a world-renowned orthodontist and educator. In 2011, he joined the University of Kentucky as chief of the Division of Orthodontics. In 2016, he was appointed the program director of Orthodontics and associate dean for Faculty and Student Development and Graduate Studies at the University of Kentucky.
Dr. Huja has served as advisor for both the Ph.D. and Master's graduate students and taught Orthodontics and Bone Biology to dental and graduate students. His research seeks to understand bone remodeling, osteoclast biology, and adaptation to physical forces, including tooth movement. His students have been recognized with national awards for projects related to tooth movement and implant adaptation biology. He also served as the president of the Craniofacial Biology Group of the International Association of Dental Research.
At MUSC, Dr. Huja has worked on the expansion of off-peninsula oral and dental clinics at Ryan White and in West Ashley and Summerville. He also recently moved the college to an integrated electronic health record system, Epic Wisdom, and is focusing the college's attention on rural expansion throughout the state and integration into MUSC Health facilities.
Dr. Huja is a member of the Midwest component of the E.H. Angle Society and is a Diplomate of the American Board of Orthodontics. He also maintains an intramural faculty practice.
Message from the Dean
Welcome to the James B. Edwards College of Dental Medicine at the Medical University of South Carolina!
As the state’s only dental school, we hold our calling to be of public service in the highest regard. We are changing what’s possible in oral health, by reimagining dental education, leading in digital dentistry and technology, and furthering the integration of oral and systemic health.
In alignment with the OneMUSC vision, we are exploring new frontiers of dental education, strengthening our research, and reinventing patient care to enrich the communities of South Carolina and beyond. This is our contribution to MUSC’s aspirational goals of becoming a top-20 academic health system and raising South Carolina to the top 20 for health outcomes.
It is our expressed vision to innovate the future of oral health and wellness. Our commitment to education, research, and patient care is driven by a collaborative and entrepreneurial approach that will result in global impact on the profession. This begins with addressing one of the biggest challenges in dental education today – student debt. While we have not raised tuition for seven years, we must do, and have done, more. In addition to a slight decrease in fees in recent years, our Pay It Forward campaign and other generously donated scholarships make a world of difference to our students. We remain grateful to our amazing alums and friends.
Our mission is to develop transformative leaders, and oral health providers to improve wellness. Our commitment to education, research, service, and patient care is driven by a collaborative and entrepreneurial approach that will result in global impact on the profession.
The Innovation Laboratory, opened in 2024, is one of our many recent game-changing initiatives. MUSC is one of the only dental schools in the US to offer students dedicated lab space and dedicated faculty guidance with the opportunity to participate in the entire digital dentistry workflow, from treatment planning to the final restoration.
We are also working toward growing programs for allied oral health professions in partnership with other institutions, integrating new technologies, completing our current accreditation cycle, and bringing providers to underserved rural communities. And when I say “we,” I refer to the best of the best – the CDM Family. The college’s faculty and staff are deeply dedicated to our students and patients. Many of our faculty members are recipients of competitive grants and awards. They pursue opportunities in research, appointments to committees and boards, and continuing education, among many other stellar accolades. Our staff members deliver ongoing clinical and administrative excellence, and the Staff Leadership Council continues to be a voice for staff at all levels of the college. We continue to recruit outstanding predoctoral students who will be future health care leaders. We remain very proud of their accomplishments.
In September 2025, we will receive an accreditation team from CODA. By the end of the year, we hope to have completed the construction of a new general practice residency (GPR) clinic in Florence, SC, as part of our rural expansion, which is an opportunity and imperative.
It is an exciting time at the James B. Edwards College of Dental Medicine. I wholeheartedly invite you to join us on this journey to change what’s possible.
Respectfully,
Dr. Sarandeep Huja
Dean, James B. Edwards College of Dental Medicine
Faculty & Staff Resources
Current College of Dental Medicine employees can find resources by logging in to the college's section of the Horseshoe intranet.