Skip to content
About Us

News & Events

Dr. Thomas Dodson appointed as first-ever Worthington Chair

Dr. Dodson accepts the Worthington Chair appointment, presented by Dr. Guillermo Chacon

February 28, 2024 - The Philip Worthington Endowed Lectureship in Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery (OMS) was established in 2003 by generous alumni and friends from the Department of OMS to honor the life and career of Dr. Philip Worthington, who served as the OMS Department Chair from 1977 to 1998. Read more about Worthington Chair.

Graduate and Predoctoral students shine at Research Day 2024

Nine students were presented with awards at this year’s Research Day.

February 5, 2024 - Dr. Claire Mills and Sydney Kim each took first place in the Graduate Trainee and Dental Predoctoral Oral Presentation competitions respectively at the School of Dentistry Research Day this past Wednesday. Read more about Research Day 2024.

UW periodontal study receives FDA approval for anti-aging drug use

Periodontal Study banner

January 29, 2024 - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Dr. Jonathan An from the UW Department of Oral Health Sciences to lead the first-ever study to evaluate rapamycin in older adults with periodontal disease. Read more about periodontal study.

Dr. Alvin Wee to take over as Chair of Restorative Department

Dr. Alvin Wee

January 24, 2024 - Dr. Alvin Wee of the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry has been appointed as the new Chair of the Department of Restorative Dentistry and Professor within the department, effective July 16. Read more about Dr. Wee.

Dental student Jennifer Tang receives Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Service Award

Jennifer Tang outside bus

January 12, 2024 - Fourth-year dental student Jennifer Tang has been selected as the School of Dentistry’s 2024 recipient of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Service Award. Read more about Jennifer Tang.

The School of Dentistry’s Strategic Plan is here!

December 18, 2023 - Advancing Oral Health for All, is an ambitious and bold plan that looks directly and optimistically to the future, building on the outstanding accomplishments of our history, in addition to the new knowledge of today. Read more about the strategic plan.

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Thomas Vilsack visits School of Dentistry, RIDE program

Vilsack visit to the University of Washington School of Dentistry

December 5, 2023 - On Monday, Nov. 13, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Thomas Vilsack visited the University of Washington School of Dentistry where he took a tour of the facilities and hosted a Rural Health Discussion Panel. Read more about Vilsack visit to UWSOD.

UW periodontal researchers discover mirrored shift in oral microbiome caused by inflammation

Dr. McLean and Dr. Kerns

November 28, 2023 - A team of UW researchers have made a discovery that inflammation in one area of the mouth can cause a shift in the body’s immune responses in other healthy parts of the mouth, subsequently resulting in a shift in the microbiome. Read more about periodontal research.

Learning on location: dental students provide care, boost skills during service trip to Jamacia

Students in Jamaica

October 30, 2023 - Last month, students from the University of Washington School of Dentistry were able to take part in an impactful volunteer outreach trip, sending 28 dental students to Jamaica to treat over 700 patients in need. Read more about Volunteer Outreach.

Third-year student Teddy Dong wins AAOMS Presentation Award

Teddy Dong

October 23, 2023 - Third-year student Teddy Dong received the 2023 Oral Abstract Scientific Presentation Award at the 105th American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (AAOMS) annual meeting held last month in San Diego, California. Dong, a predoctoral student, won the award while competing against residents. Read more about Teddy Dong.

Rothwell Award Winners for 2022 and 2023 honored at Faculty Retreat

Molly Rothwell, Kevin Rivera, Dr. Mark Drangsholt and Dr. James Johnson.

October 12, 2023 - On Tuesday, Sep. 26, at the annual all-faculty retreat, four UW School of Dentistry faculty members were presented with the Bruce R. Rothwell Teaching Awards, the School of Dentistry’s highest faculty honor. Recipients of the 2022 and 2023 awards were both honored at the retreat. Read more about Rothwell Awards.

SURF: Enhancing Research Skills for a Comprehensive Dental Career

Dong and Student with posterboard

October 9, 2023 - The Summer Research Fellowship program, commonly known as SURF, is the School of Dentistry’s gateway research opportunity for predoctoral students. Over the past 25 years, the program has connected students interested in developing research skills with the School’s strongest research faculty members. Read more about SURF.

Dr. Ludovic de Carle honored as the 2023 Wands Fellow

Dr. de Carle in lab

August 2, 2023 - Dr. Ludovic de Carle, a second-year prosthodontics resident, is the 15th recipient of the David H. Wands Fellowship in Graduate Prosthodontics at the UW School of Dentistry. This fellowship is one of the School’s top academic awards, encouraging recipients to devote part of their time teaching prosthodontics upon completion of the three-year residency.
Read more about Dr. Ludovic de Carle.

UW-developed dental lozenge could provide permanent treatment for tooth sensitivity 

July 12, 2023 - By Alden Woods,  UW News

Over 30 years of dentistry, Sami Dogan has treated just about every kind of tooth ailment. Cavities are simple to fill. Dental implants have become routine. But there’s one problem, he said, that annoys even the most experienced dentists: hypersensitivity, the painful sensation sparked by contact with hot, cold or acidic food. Read more about enamel building lozenge.

Dr. Beatrice Gandara to retire from School of Dentistry

Dr. Gandara and student at clinic

June 13, 2023 - 2019 Washington State Dental Association Citizen of the Year, Dr. Beatrice Gandara, has announced she will retire at the end of June, capping off 40 years of positive impact and leadership within the UW School of Dentistry and surrounding community. Read more about Dr. Beatrice Gandara.

Dr. Alice Ko named Magnuson Scholar

Dr. Alice Ko

June 5, 2023 - Dr. Alice Ko, a general dentist pursuing a PhD degree in dental public health at the School of Dentistry, has been selected as the School’s Magnuson Scholar for the 2023-24 academic year. Read more about Dr. Alice Ko.

Dr. Thomas Tanbonliong Selected as Graduate Program Director for Department of Pediatric Dentistry

May 23, 2023 - Dr. Thomas Tanbonliong has been selected as the new Pediatric Dentistry Graduate Program Director, the Department announced last week. Dr. Tanbonliong brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the position, coming to the UW from the University of California San Francisco School of Dentistry. Read more about Dr. Thomas Tanbonliong.

Dental student Jennifer Tang named to Husky 100

Jennifer Tang

April 24, 2023 - Jennifer Tang, a third-year student at the UW School of Dentistry, has been named to the 2023 cohort of the University of Washington’s Husky 100, the university announced. Read more about Jennifer Tang.

Why do some parents reject fluoride for their kids? Study has answers

Young buy with parent

March 30, 2023 - Why are some parents reluctant to let their child receive fluoride treatments from a dental provider? A new study, led by Dr. Donald Chi of the Department of Oral Health Sciences, has some answers. Read more about Fluoride study.

School maintains high standing in global rankings

UW School of Dentistry sign.

March 22, 2023 - The UW School of Dentistry continued to maintain a place among the world’s leading dental schools in the annual rankings released Wednesday by Britain’s Quacquarelli-Symonds (QS) educational organization. Read more about Rankings.

Behavioral and social scientists extend efforts to support oral health

Tooth with tools

February 23, 2023 - Dr. Cameron Randall of the University of Washington School of Dentistry and his colleague, Dr. Daniel McNeil of the University of Florida, are continuing to illuminate the ways in which multidisciplinary research can benefit oral health. Read more about Dr. Randall.

Research Day returns to in-person format, hosts national dental research leader

Dr. Walczak on Research Day

February 3, 2023 - Dr. Philip Walczak and Teddy Dong took first place in the Graduate Trainee and Summer Research Fellowship (SURF) Oral Presentation competition respectively this year at the School of Dentistry’s first in-person Research Day since the pandemic began. Read more about Research Day 2023.

School mourns former Dean Paul Robertson

Dr. Paul Robertson

January 12, 2023 - The University of Washington School of Dentistry community has noted with great sadness the passing of Dr. Paul Robertson, who served as Dean from 1992 to 2001, on Dec. 24 at his home on Camano Island. He was 82. Read more about Dr. Paul Robertson.

Dental alums invent safer lining for implant channels

FirstPlug product

December 14, 2022 - Two School of Dentistry alumni have created the first medical-grade screw channel barrier material for dental implants. Frustrated by the lack of a dedicated material, Dr. Alexander Shor (Graduate Prosthodontics Class of 2001) and Dr. Jim Janakievski (Graduate Periodontics Class of 2004) created their award-winning product FirstPlug®. Read more about Alumni Inventors.

Dr. Dolphine Oda to retire from faculty

Dr. Oda at podium speaking

November 30, 2022 - Dr. Dolphine Oda, one of the UW School of Dentistry’s most acclaimed and respected teachers in the course of her 37 years on the faculty, has announced that she will retire at the end of this calendar year. Dr. Oda is Professor of Oral Pathology in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and director of the UW’s Oral Pathology Biopsy Service. Read more about Dr. Oda.