University of Rochester Will Open New Dental School
The addition of a dentistry program will impact healthcare staffing pipelines and local clinical service providers in Rochester.
Updated on Oct. 10, 2026 in Openings & Closings
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The University of Rochester plans to launch the Eastman School of Dentistry by January 2027, fulfilling a century-old institutional goal. This expansion marks the first new school opened by the university in 50 years and will award the Doctor of Dental Medicine degree.
Why it matters
The new school will disrupt the current regional dental education landscape, which has been served solely by the University at Buffalo in Upstate New York. This shift is expected to alter the long-term supply of dental professionals available to local practices and clinics.
The institution is marking 100 years since the original funding of dental plans by George Eastman and 50 years since the establishment of the university's last new school. The project now awaits state and accreditation approval within a one- to two-year window.
The players
University of Rochester
A major research institution and large employer that serves as a cornerstone of the regional economy and healthcare ecosystem.
George Eastman
The historical founder of Kodak who provided the original funding for the university's dental school project in the 1920s.
University at Buffalo
A public research university that currently operates the only existing dental school in the Upstate New York region.
The details
The university will execute this transition by renaming its existing School of Medicine and Dentistry to the School of Medicine in January. The newly formed Eastman School of Dentistry will then assume the institution's dental education mission, finally realizing plans that were originally abandoned in 1928.
Timeline
1920s: George Eastman funded initial plans for a dental school.
1928: The university abandoned its initial dental school plan.
January: The School of Medicine and Dentistry will be renamed.
1 to 2 years: Expected duration for state and accreditation approval.
Market Landscape
The new school reverses the 1928 abandonment of the university dental school plan, ending a century of absence. This move challenges the regional monopoly held by the University at Buffalo, the only other institution currently providing dental education in Upstate New York.
Operators in the dental and healthcare sectors should monitor the accreditation timeline, as the influx of graduates will shift local labor supply within two years. Local practices should prepare for potential changes in recruitment competition as a new pipeline of talent enters the regional market.
The takeaway
The university's return to its century-old dental mission signals a significant expansion of the regional professional education market. Owners should track the accreditation process over the next two years to anticipate changes in entry-level labor costs and talent availability.
Further reading
For broader trends in regional business developments, view Openings & Closings.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Syracuse.
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