The University of Washington School of Dentistry rose to No. 3 in the United States and No. 10 in the world in the newest Quacquarelli-Symonds (QS) World University Rankings, which were released Feb. 27.
The school, which was ranked fourth in the United States and 14th in the world in 2018, has risen in the QS standings for four consecutive years. The dental schools at the University of Michigan and Harvard University were ranked first and second in the United States, while Sweden’s Karolinska Institutet was named the top dental school in the world.
“It is so gratifying to see that the University of Washington School of Dentistry is ranked No. 3 in the U.S. and No. 10 in the world,” said Interim Dean Gary Chiodo. “I believe that our stellar pre-doctoral and graduate programs are primary reasons for these rankings. Our world-class research programs also contribute substantially to our successes. We are fortunate to have outstanding, accomplished, and dedicated faculty and staff who make all of this happen.”
In 2014, the School of Dentistry began installing a new curriculum to incorporate changes in dental science and technology, new modes of dental practice, biomedical advances, and other elements. It has also instituted third-year clinical rotations to give students a more concentrated exposure to the core skills of general dentistry. The school has also added fourth-year community clinical rotations throughout Washington state to give students more real-world experience before graduating.
The school’s curriculum innovations have been recognized by the American Dental Education Association (ADEA). The organization also gave the school its 2017 William J. Gies Award for Vision, ADEA’s top honor, for the school’s Regional initiatives in Dental Education program.
“As this ranking reflects, our School of Dentistry’s outstanding faculty and staff, cutting-edge instruction and innovative programs are attracting well-deserved recognition for the impact they have on our dental students and the patients and public they serve,” said UW President Ana Mari Cauce.
“These rankings demonstrate the School of Dentistry’s commitment to research and the vital work its faculty, staff and students are doing to serve our state, our residents and the dental community at-large,” said UW Provost Mark Richards.
QS, a British educational organization, bases its rankings on its global surveys of academics and employers, which it uses to determine a school’s international reputation. QS also factors in research impact along with a metric that assesses productivity and citation impact of a scientist’s or scholar’s publications.