In May 1892 the University of Buffalo Dental Department was created as part of the Medical School (founded in 1846). Dr. William Barrett, first Dean, headed the Dental Department’s founding. From 1892 to 1898 the Dental Department occupied a wing of the Medical School’s building in downtown Buffalo. By 1898 the School of Dentistry was an independent entity and had erected its own building.

In 1952 the School of Dentistry moved to the Main Street Campus sharing a health sciences complex with Medicine, Pharmacy and Biology. In the early 1980’s the School’s name was changed to the School of Dental Medicine. In 1986 a separate, state of the art clinical facility, Squire Hall (named after Dr. Daniel Squire, third dean and member of the first graduating class, 1893) opened.

1892 – Department of Dentistry (part of School of Medicine) University of Buffalo is the first dental education program in New York State outside New York City. The founding of the Dental Department had to overcome significant opposition from some members of the local dental community in Western New York.

1895 – Dr. A.P. Southwick, one of the original faculty members, invents the electric chair.

1904 – Dr. George B. Snow became second dean. He was an inventor with several dental instrument patents, including the “Snow Bow” facebow. He quit practice and founded Buffalo Dental Manufacturing Co. prior to becoming dean.

1950 – A unique year because there was no graduating dental class. The reason: a switch had been made increasing the length of the DDS program to four years. The class that entered in 1947 was the first to progress through the newest version of a four-year curriculum. The program maintained the four-year program thereafter.

1958 – The School of Dentistry becomes the first dental school in the country to be fully equipped with high-speed handpieces in both clinics and laboratories thanks to the efforts of Dr. Richard Powell.

1965 – The Department of Oral Biology was created though the efforts of Dr. James English, seventh dean and Dr. S.A. Ellison. The Oral Biology Department blossomed into one of the foremost research departments at SUNY Buffalo. The Oral Biology Department has attained national prominence in dental research through the years and its PhD program was a pioneering achievement. Oral Biology currently houses several research centers.