Fast Facts

The mission of the James B. Edwards College of Dental Medicine is to develop transformative leaders and oral health providers to improve wellness. Our commitment to education, research and patient care will be driven by a collaborative and entrepreneurial approach that will result in global impact on the profession.

Student Information

• 312 students in the Doctor of Dental Medicine (D.M.D.) degree program
  • 1,750 applicants for 78 seats in the Class of 2028
  • 74% of enrolled first-year students come from in-state; 26% out-of-state
  • First-time pass rate is 98% for the Integrated National Board Dental Exam (INBDE)
• 4 students in the dual-degree Dental Scientist Training Program (D.M.D./Ph.D.)

 

Innovation in Education

• D.M.D. student curriculum incorporates digital dentistry, including:
  • Instruction in a CAD/CAM lab, including hands-on use of 3D scanners, beginning in the fall of freshman year.
  • A hands-on CAD/CAM course in fixed prosthodontics in the third year.
  • Faculty guidance in our unique Innovation Lab, where students can take part in the entire digital workflow, from the initial treatment plan to the final restoration.
  • Student-faculty ratio of 2:1 in CAD/CAM-equipped clinic for single-visit ceramic restorations.
• Tradition of exploring new teaching methods through scientific research
  • Recent faculty and graduate research have explored innovative simulators that incorporate augmented reality as supplemental training tools.
  • First dental school in the Americas to install interactive Dentaroid robot for study of its potential effectiveness in patient simulations.

 

Facilities

On Campus:

• State-of-the-art clinical education center with 189 operatories
• Renovated Basic Science facility and entry lobby
• Two tiered classrooms exclusively for CDM
• Collaborative Learning Environment classroom
• Pre-clinical Simulation Laboratory
• Two student lounges

Off Campus:

• Two satellite clinical locations, in Charleston and Summerville
• Center for Rural Oral Health Research and Community Engagement, in Mullins

 

Research

• The college ranked #34 in research funding from NIDCR in 2021 with $1,278,442.
• Grants awarded for 2022 total $4,394,582.
• Center for Oral Health Research supports investigational clinical and basic translational research

 

Patient Care, Service and Outreach

• 56,800 patient visits in 2024 fiscal year 
• Over 40 providers representing every specialized field of dentistry
• Expansion to Summerville and Charleston’s West Ashley community
• Planned opening of additional care locations throughout South Carolina, to bring providers to underserved communities
• As part of their fourth-year clinical curriculum, D.M.D students complete two weeks of community-based care rotations throughout the state, including in Greenville, Myrtle Beach, Mount Pleasant, Summerville, Johns Island, Ladson, and Charleston
• Over 50 students participate in international and domestic volunteer mission trips annually
• Dedicated clinic for patients with special health care needs

 

Partners in Education and Service

• We collaborate with state health-related agencies on a variety of oral health improvement initiatives
• We work with industry leaders to advance innovations in dental materials, clinical care, and care delivery models
• We partner with safety net and community-based providers in rural and underserved areas to address oral health care access, continuing education, and advocacy
• We partner with community-based coalitions and advocacy groups to support their oral health promotion outreach and education initiatives
• The resources made available through our philanthropic and federal partners make it possible to provide collaborative leadership, integrated care and interprofessional practice.

 

Philanthropy

• The college has graduated over 2,800 alumni since its first class in 1971.
• Since its founding, more than $60 million has been contributed or pledged to the college from its alumni and friends.
• Over $23 million of generous and sustained private support to capital projects has:
  • Helped build state-of-the-art facilities for the college’s pre-clinical curriculum and clinical educational areas
  • Provided leading-edge equipment and technologies for discovery and innovation.
• The college embarked on a $10 million Pay It Forward scholarship campaign in 2018, to help reduce student debt load.
  • Nearly $5 million has been committed to the campaign as of mid-2024.
• Generous alumni and friends have provided the college with $13.3 million in endowment commitments that will provide perpetual, annual funding. Endowment is a top priority to help us build an even stronger future through student scholarships and reserves for faculty recruitment and retention.

 

Economic Impact

• Faculty: 57 full-time, 28 part-time, 14 emeriti, and 163 volunteer affiliates

• Staff: 152 full-time, 2 part-time, and 7 contractors