Mississippi’s only dental school celebrates 50 years

Fourth-year dental student, Adriana Ivy, prepares to place crowns for Mike Armstrong of Pearl.

Mississippi's only dental school celebrates 50 years

Published on Monday, September 22, 2025

By: Rachel Vanderford, [email protected]

In the early 1970s, access to oral health care in Mississippi was scarce. Aspiring dentists of the state were leaving Mississippi for school and building careers elsewhere, leaving many communities without providers.

In 1972, Mississippi had one dentist for nearly every 4,000 residents, more than twice the national average at the time. That story began to change when the University of Mississippi Medical Center's School of Dentistry welcomed its first class of students in 1975.

Now celebrating its 50th anniversary, the School of Dentistry looks back on a half-century of training dental professionals, advancing research and serving Mississippians through outreach that stretches from elementary classrooms to free dental clinics.

Kirk

"We want to build on the foundation from the last 50 years of the School of Dentistry and continue our commitment to prepare competent, ethical dental health professionals for the state of Mississippi who work to eliminate health disparities and improve health outcomes," said Dr. Pia Chatterjee Kirk, interim dean of the school.

The effort to establish a dental school began in 1971, when advocates pressed lawmakers to create one. Legislation passed two years later, and in 1974, Dr. Wallace V. Mann became the school's first dean. That same year, the dental hygiene program- already one of the first three programs offered by the School of Allied Health (now the School of Health Related Professions)- graduated its first class of eight women. By 1975, the School of Dentistry was accredited, enrolled its inaugural students and broke ground on a permanent facility.

When the school's original building was completed in 1977 and dedicated the following year, it was more than just bricks and mortar. It represented Mississippi's commitment to educating its own dental workforce rather than relying on neighboring states. The first class graduated in 1979, marking the beginning of a new era for oral health in the state.

Dr. Norman C. Nelson, former UMMC vice chancellor, speaks at School of Dentistry dedication ceremony in 1978.

In the decades that followed, the schoolquickly distinguished itself through research and clinical advancements. In 1987, the Department of Dental Hygiene awarded its first bachelor's degree, while faculty member Dr. Gary Reeves placed the school's first porcelain veneer, teaching future dentists how to master the procedure.

Residency programs expanded opportunities for graduates to specialize, with general practice, pediatric dentistry, and oral and maxillofacial surgery programs. By the 1990s, the school was awarding research achievement honors, participating in international competitions and breaking new ground in the use of saliva as a diagnostic tool for detecting breast cancer. In 1997, Dr. Tracy Dellinger became the school's first postdoctoral fellow in dental research.

Dellinger

"I had recently graduated from an out-of-state dental school to be a part of the General Practice Residency program," Dellinger said. "At that time, there was not any residencies for dental specialties in Mississippi. As a general dentist resident, I was able to dentally treat patients with a wide range of ages and complexity. At that time, Dr. Charles Streckfus was researching the capability of detecting certain cancers through studying saliva, and he was right.

"As a research fellow, I was given the opportunity to work closely with the breast cancer clinic, where our team found evidence of breast cancer markers in saliva. My experiences as a research fellow led me to join the dental school's faculty, including becoming director of the dental school's Advanced Education in General Dentistry residency, chair of the dental school's Department of Care Planning and Restorative Services, and even the vice chair of the UMMC's Intuitional Review Board."

The school reached another proud milestone in 2003 when, for the first time, every presidential officer of the Mississippi Dental Association was a UMMC School of Dentistry graduate.

The following year, the Department of Biomedical Materials Science was officially granted department status within the school, chaired by Dr. Lyle Zardiackas. Over the last two decades, the department has become a model of excellence in education, research and service missions. With its distinguished faculty, internationally accredited laboratory and groundbreaking contributions to research standards, it is among the most elite of its kind.

Some of the school's first dental students treat patients in its brand new clinical classroom.

Technology and clinical training also advanced rapidly. In 2013, UMMC became the first dental school in the nation to design, mill,and invest in patients' restorations using the CEREC Omnicam system. The Regions CRET Innovation Suite opened in 2019, giving students access to simulation labs, digital impression systems, 3D printers, and even a laser room, replicating the experience of modern private practice.

From its earliest days, the School of Dentistry has made service an integral part of education. Students and faculty created oral hygiene guides for children and special needs populations, offered instruction for the visually and hearing impaired, and surveyed communities across the state to better understand barriers to care.

That same spirit of service continues today. Each February, Dental Mission Week brings hundreds of Mississippians to campus for free cleanings, fillings, extractions, root canals and oral cancer screenings-care many otherwise would not be able to afford. In 2024, the school expanded its outreach with "Free Care Friday"pediatric clinics, ensuring children receive the dental care they need early in life. Students also volunteer at the Jackson Free Clinic on select Saturdays and regularly travel to schools and community centers to provide cleanings and oral health education.

New studies, like the one taking placein the South Delta School District, demonstrate the school's role in addressing disparities in oral health across the state. In addition to clinic services and research, the school's outreach also includes hosting a summer camp for middle school students called "S.M.I.L.E. U."Short for Shaping Minds to Inspire, Lead and Explore, the week-long event was created to expose students to careers in dentistry through exploration of career options in the dental profession.

As the School of Dentistry's leadership has changed hands over the years, each leader has built on the foundation of those before them, ensuring that Mississippi's only dental school not only educates the next generation of oral health providers, but also equips them to meet the state's evolving needs.

"Dental school taught me far more than clinical skills," said Dr. Stephanie Tullos, owner of Tullos Family Dentistry in Raleigh, Mississippi. "It taught me how to restore confidence, relieve pain, and improve overall health through oral care. It gave me the tools not only to craft beautiful smiles but to truly change lives.

"After graduating, I returned to my home county to serve my community. I now run a local clinic where I treat patients from ages 2 to 92-and sometimes even older. Each day, I have the privilege of helping people from all walks of life."

On March 6, 2025, the school broke ground on a new clinical building - a fitting symbol of its commitment to the next fifty years. As it celebrates its golden anniversary, the School of Dentistry continues to embody its mission of improving the health of Mississippians by training dentists and hygienists to treat not just teeth, but people.

Breaking ground on the new UMMC School of Dentistry are, from left, architect Jim Eley, principal of Eley Guild Hardy Architects; Rep. Clay Deweese, chairman, House Appropriations C; Sen. Josh Harkins, chairman, Senate Finance; Malon Stratton, a fourth-year dental student; Higher Education Commissioner Dr. Alfred Rankins Jr.; Dr. Scott Rodgers, associate vice chancellor for academic affairs; Hosemann; Woodward; Kirk; Rep. John Read, chairman, House Appropriations A; Gee Ogletree, IHL board member; Dr. Sarah Carlisle, School of Dentistry alumna and Alumni Board president-elect; Sen. Briggs Hopson, chairman, Senate Appropriations; and Secretary of State Michael Watson.