February 11, 1905 - Founded as
the first dental school in Texas.
1927 - More than a high school
education became required to enter the Texas Dental
College.
1932 - Frederick C. Elliott,
D.D.S, whose vision birthed the Texas Medical Center
(the largest medical center in the world), became
dean of the Dental Branch.
1941 - The school established
departments.
(Prior to this faculty members wore a variety of hats
in different educational areas.)
August 31, 1943 - By legislative
act the Dental Branch was incorporated into the University
of Texas System.
(The school was renamed the University of Texas School
of Dentistry.)
1945 - The UT Board of Regents
authorized the creation of the School of Dental Hygiene
as part of the Dental Branch.
June 6, 1955 - The construction
of a building in the Texas Medical Center was completed
in time for the 50-year anniversary.
1955 - The first dental hygiene
class was admitted.
1955 - The Dental Branch received
the first educational television license in the nation.
1956 - The Dental Branch graduated
its first black student, Zeb Poindexter Jr., D.D.S.
(Dr. Poindexter would become the first black faculty
member in 1972.)
1958 - The school was renamed
The University of Texas Dental Branch.
February 1964 - The Dental Science
Institute, a research arm of the Dental Branch that
focused on microbiology of oral diseases, calcification,
aging, oral malignancies and soft-tissue diseases,
was established.
August 27, 1988 - A 100,000 square-foot
addition to the Dental Branch was dedicated.
1990’s - The Dental Branch
continued to keep its doors open as seven dental schools
in the nation closed under a perceived overabundance
of dental graduates flooding the market.
1991 - The school’s Dental
Assisting program was phased out.
1995 - The Dental Science Institute
was phased out, with its emphasis being replicated
and strengthened within other areas of the school.
1996 - Ronald Johnson, D.D.S.,
the first black dean in the school, was appointed.
1998 - The White Coat Ceremony,
a tradition commonly seen at medical schools, was
introduced at the Dental Branch. The ceremonial event
symbolizes students’ entrance into their new
profession.
2000’s - The new Millennium
brought the introduction of computer simulators to
replace the traditional mannequins on which students
practiced their dentistry skills.
2002-2004 - Catherine M. Flaitz,
D.D.S., becomes interim dean of the Dental Branch.
July 2004 - Catherine M. Flaitz,
D.D.S., became the first female dean of the Dental
Branch after serving as interim dean for two years.
She received a whole-hearted appointment from James
T. Willerson, M.D., president of the UT Health Science
Center at Houston and world renowned cardiologist,
who said "her experience in private practice
and in academia is superb.”
