UT School of Dentistry moving to new address May 21

The University of Texas School Dentistry, a part of UT Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth), will soon have a new home after nearly 60 years in its current location at 6516 MD Anderson Blvd. On Monday, May 21, the school will open in its new, $155-million building at 7500 Cambridge St. and East Road in UT Research Park on the South Campus of the Texas Medical Center. The new address is 1 mile south of the old location. SEE MAP.

Nearly 500 students attend UT School of Dentistry, which offers programs in dentistry, dental hygiene, six dental specialties (endodontics, orthodontics, pediatric dentistry, periodontics, prosthodontics and oral and maxillofacial surgery), and two general practice dental residency programs. Approximately 175 employees work at the school.

UT School of Dentistry’s faculty practice, UT Dentists, will also move to the new building, taking up new quarters in Suite 1210. Most of the school’s phone numbers are changing, with “486” replacing “500” in current numbers. Email addresses will remain the same.

On May 9, Hensel Phelps Construction Co. turned over keys to the new six-story, 300,000-square-foot dental school upon reaching substantial completion of a construction project that began in December 2009.

More than 1,700 jobs were created along the way, including some from construction of the Denton A. Cooley, MD and Ralph C. Cooley, DDS University Life Center at 7440 Cambridge St. – a new 14,000 square foot conference center adjacent and attached to the new dental school. The Cooley Center provides state-of-the-art classroom and conference space for UTHealth schools and activities.

Surface parking for visitors and the public will be available across from the new school at the maximum

rate of $10/day. Metro’s Bus 87 stops nearby on Cambridge Street, and after June 10, Metro’s Bus 297 will also begin serving the area.  Both the 87 and 297 will connect riders to the TMC Transit Center.

The new dental school was funded with UT System and UTHealth funds, as well as tuition revenue bonds authorized by the Texas Legislature. Major funding also came from the school’s Open to Health initiative -- one of the most successful fundraising drives in UTHealth history.  School of Dentistry alumni and supporters contributed $9.4 million toward the new building, plus another $7.3 million for scholarships, faculty endowments and community outreach activities.

The new dental school is the latest development in UT Research Park, which is also home to UT MD Anderson Cancer Center research facilities and the UT Behavioral and Biomedical Sciences Building. The School of Dentistry’s last day at its old location, 6516 MD Anderson Blvd, will be Friday, May 18.

Direct questions about the move to UTSD@uth.tmc.edu.