The Ohio State University College of Dentistry - History

History

In 1825, John Harris, a physician in the Ohio town of Bainbridge, provided medical and dental care for the community. He decided to share his dental experiences with other physicians in southern Ohio. His “school” for dental training yielded two colleagues, each of whom was a co-founder of one of the first two formal dental colleges in the world: The Baltimore College of Dental Surgery in 1840 and the Ohio College of Dental Surgery in Cincinnati in 1845.

The Ohio Medical University (OMU), founded in 1890 in Columbus, opened its doors on September 7, 1892. It was located on Park Street across from Goodale Park. It was a venture to bring health care to people in the north side of the city.

Starling Ohio Medical College OMU flourished and in 1907 it merged with the Starling Medical College to become the STARLING OHIO MEDICAL COLLEGE (SOMC). The "colleges" became "departments" again. In 1912, the Ohio General Assembly passed Senate Bill 120. This authorized the Ohio State University to "create, establish, provide for, and maintain in said University a College of Medicine and a College of Dentistry".

The Ohio State University College of Dentistry on Park Street In 1913, a proposal was made to merge the Starling Ohio Medical College with The Ohio State University. On July 1 of 1914, the OSU Board of Trustees officially acquired the properties of the SOMC. Classes for the OSU College of Dentistry began on September 21, 1914 and graduation of its first class was held in the spring of 1915.

The Theta Chapter of Omicron Kappa Upsilon, the national dental honorary society, was chartered at Ohio State in May 1916. When The Ohio State University acquired its dental school in 1914, four years of high school and a diploma were the only requirements for admission and the dental curriculum lasted just three years. For the entering class of 1916, the curriculum was expanded to four years. By 1921, one year of college was required for admission, and in 1928 a minimum of two years was imposed.

The Ohio State University College of Dentistry in Hamilton Hall In 1925, the Colleges of Medicine and Dentistry moved on campus to Hamilton Hall. Dentistry was located on the third and fourth floors in the north wing. The fourth floor held the main clinic and was two stories high. The roof contained skylights to enhance the light in the clinic. (When the sun is directed to the roof, one can still see a difference in the roof tiles indicating where the skylights were once positioned.)

The Ohio State University College of Dentistry in Postle Hall

In 1951, the College moved to a new building north of Hamilton Hall.

College of Dentistry Leadership

  • Dr. Harry M. Semans 1906 - 1938
  • Dr. Wendell D. Postle 1938 - 1964
  • Dr. John Wilson 1965 - 1974
  • Dr. Charles Howell 1975 - 1980
  • Dr. William Wallace 1980 - 1990
  • Dr. Henry Fields 1991 - 2001
  • Dr. Jan Kronmiller 2001 - 2006
  • Dr. Carole Anderson 2006 – 2011
  • Dr. Patrick Lloyd 2011 - present

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