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 operationalized by leading with our MUSC values of compassion, respect, innovation, collaboration, and integrity. Whether you are engaging with the college on a professional or personal level, you should expect to receive no less than these lived values.

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

Medical University of South Carolina