Message from the Dean

Welcome to the College of Dental Medicine at Western University of Health Sciences– one of the newest dental education programs in the nation.  The College of Dental Medicine enrolled our inaugural class in the fall of 2009 and we are midway through implementation of our four-year Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) curriculum.  At this stage in the College’s development, every day represents growth, change, and a new level of excitement that is palpable from the moment you set foot on our campus.

The excitement at WesternU starts at the very top.  Our Founding President, Dr. Philip Pumerantz, continually reinforces a campus culture that is supportive of adaptation and change so that WesternU remains a successful, high-performing organization.  As a result, although the College of Dental Medicine is very early in our development, we are supported by a University that cultivates a mature approach that will ensure a bright future. 

We continue to build the College on a solid foundation.  We possess a clear vision and mission, have recruited an exceptional core of faculty and staff, and have constructed new educational facilities and clinics outfitted with state-of-the-art technology.  Our education is focused on contemporary dental practice delivered by compassionate, well-prepared professionals, who communicate effectively with patients and the entire healthcare team.  Our curriculum promotes learning, utilizing best educational practices and sound pedagogical approaches.   We continually seek ways to provide seamless transitions from the classroom (both virtual and real) to our simulation laboratory to patient care in our Dental Center and finally to community practice. 

When you review our mission and vision statements, you will discover that we have lofty aspirations. Our aspirations, combined with a solid strategic plan, will help us to realize our goal of becoming a premier dental education program.   We are already showing signs of maturation toward a full-scope dental academic institution; providing education; engaging in research; and providing patient care in a unique, caring, and progressive environment.

I invite you to explore our website to learn more about our program.  Please feel free to contact us through one of the many links to our admissions and recruitment staff.  We are a unique program with an exceptionally bright future.  Hopefully, you will find that you want to be a part of our future, as well.

Steven W. Friedrichsen, DDS

Dean