Marquette School of Dentistry to graduate 10,000th dentist May 21

May 20, 2022

Marquette School of DentistryMILWAUKEE — The Marquette University School of Dentistry will graduate its 10,000th dentist at its 2022 Commencement and hooding ceremony on Saturday, May 21, at 1:15 p.m.

While the ceremony is closed to media, the event will be livestreamed and media are welcome to record portions of the program for b-roll.

“The Marquette School of Dentistry has a long and proud history of training Wisconsin’s dentists by providing a patient-centered curriculum and serving our community,” said Dr. William Lobb, dean of the School of Dentistry. “Our school has seen many changes and endured trying times in the over 128 years it has been opened. One constant throughout the years has been our mission to prepare dentists to provide exceptional care and service to others. That has remained unchanged since day one and is evident in the quality of dental care provided by Marquette dentists throughout Wisconsin, the Midwest and across the country.”

Marquette’s School of Dentistry main campus allows for the provision of direct oral health care services to Wisconsin citizens and educating and training the state’s future dental workforce. In addition to extensive dental education and training to students from Wisconsin and beyond, Marquette also provides over $15 million of dental services to the Milwaukee community annually. Nearly two-thirds of its patients live in Milwaukee County, many from high-poverty neighborhoods with 43% of those falling below the federal poverty level. Throughout the state, its dental clinics treat patients from 66 of Wisconsin’s 72 counties and serve nearly 30,000 patients with over 110,000 patient visits annually.

The School of Dentistry opened its doors on Sept. 26, 1894, with an enrollment of 30 students when it began as part of the Milwaukee Medical College inside Trinity Hospital at Wells and 9th Streets. Five years later, the Wisconsin College of Physicians and Surgeons began enrolling dental students — the schools merged and joined Marquette University on Feb. 1, 1913.

The Summer 2019 issue of Dental Images magazine offers a comprehensive look at the history of Marquette School of Dentistry.

About Kevin Conway

Kevin Conway

Kevin is the associate director for university communication in the Office of University Relations. Contact Kevin at (414) 288-4745 or kevin.m.conway@marquette.edu.