The University of Washington School of Dentistry, one of only two dental schools in the Pacific Northwest, is a worldwide leader in dental education and research, consistently ranking in the top tier of U.S. dental schools for National Institutes of Health funding. The school furnishes comprehensive clinical care, including all dental specialties and unique programs such as DECOD for people with disabilities; the Dental Fears Research Clinic; and Advanced General Dentistry, whose students treat medically compromised patients.
The School's primary mission, through educational, research, and service programs, is to prepare students to be excellent clinicians and leaders in oral health care. The School´s research programs contribute to the fundamental understanding of biologic processes and to the behavioral, biomedical, and clinical aspects of oral health. The service mission is to improve the health and well-being of the people of the community and the region through outreach programs that are especially attentive to minority and under served populations. The School values diversity in its students, staff, faculty, and patient populations. It seeks to foster an environment of mutual respect where objectivity, imaginative inquiry, and the free exchange of ideas can flourish to facilitate personal development, professionalism, and a strong sense of self-worth.
General dental care plus all dental specialties, plus unique services such as maxillofacial prosthetics, therapeutic care for fearful patients, and dental care for adults and children with special needs. The school's clinics also welcome patients requiring complex care and treat patients requiring dental clearance for other medical treatment, such as cancer surgery or organ transplantation.
