Founded in 1896 as the College of Physicians and Surgeons, University of the Pacific, Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry has served the San Francisco Bay Area for more than a century. The dental school joined the University of the Pacific in 1962, and in 2004 was named after long-time dean and renowned dental educator Dr. Arthur A. Dugoni. Pacific became the first and only university in the United States or Canada to name its dental school after a current dean.
1896
The College of Physicians and Surgeons (P&S) is founded in San Francisco, and takes up residency at 818 Howard Street, between Fourth and Fifth Streets.
1899
P&S outgrows the building on Howard Street and moves to a building on Fourteenth Street between Mission and Valencia Streets.
1918
The College eliminates its medical and pharmacy schools, and chooses to focus on dentistry.
1920
The number of American dentists has increased by 40 percent since 1910, responding to the country's high demand for dental care.
1923
The school reorganizes to adapt to American Dental Association (ADA) dental school stipulations.
1942
The school converts to a four-quarter, year-round, three-year program with new classes entering in July instead of September to supply the American military with the dentists needed to fight in WWII.
1945
To accommodate the still-growing demand for dentists, the school purchases a lot behind the building on Fourteenth Street in San Francisco and brings in portable clinic units and offices to accommodate more students.
1958
The school has outgrown its building on Fourteenth Street and begins raising funds and searching for a new building in San Francisco.
1962
The College of Physicians and Surgeons becomes a part of University of the Pacific and is renamed the University of the Pacific School of Dentistry.
1965
Ground is broken for the dental school's new building at 2155 Webster Street in San Francisco's Pacific Heights neighborhood.
1967
The school moves into its new building at 2155 Webster Street.
1970
The dental school's new dean, Dr. Dale Redig, calls for a remodel of the clinics, resulting in three large group practices administered on a comprehensive patient care model.
1983
Student Housing, a recently purchased and renovated building on Post Street, opens.
1987
International Dental Studies program launches.
1994
Student Community Outreach for Public Education (SCOPE) is founded by students to provide dental health education to children, adults and the elderly.
1996
State-of-the-art Simulation Laboratory opens.
1999
School holds first White Coat Ceremony, becoming first dental school in the United States to hold such an event to formally welcome students into clinical practice.
2004
The school is renamed the Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry in honor of its then current dean, Dr. Arthur A. Dugoni, who served as the dean for 28 years.
2006
School completes largest dental school capital fundraising campaign in the U.S. ($65.7 million).
2011
The Dugoni School wins the 2011 William J. Gies Award for "Outstanding Vision - Academic Dental Institution" from American Dental Education Association's ADEAGies Foundation.
The University closes the sale of the building at 155 Fifth Street and publicly announces the purchase.
2012
Major renovation and construction takes place on the 155 Fifth Street new campus structure.
2013
Construction and interior renovations continue on 155 Fifth Street campus. Equipment and technology vendors selected.
2014
Official dedication ceremony of 155 Fifth Street takes place on March 7, 2014.
155 Fifth Street campus earns Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold Certification in November.
2015
Dugoni School students become first students in the nation to take a portfolio licensure exam, offered for the first time in California.
2016
Dr. Nader A. Nadershahi, DDS, MBA, EdD named the ninth Dean of the school.
2017
Pacific Center for Special Care wins William J. Gies Award for “Innovation — Academic Dental Institution” from American Dental Education Association’s ADEAGies Foundation.
2018
Dugoni School establishes partnership with Stanford University on new interprofessional education, clinical and research opportunities.
Dr. David W. Chambers, professor of dental education, wins William J. Gies Award for “Achievement — Dental Educator” from American Dental Education Association’s ADEAGies Foundation.
2020
Dugoni School students become first in the nation to complete simulation-based licensure exam.
2021
Dugoni School students among first in nation to administer COVID-19 vaccines as part of expanded scope of practice.
Celebration of 125th anniversary of school’s founding in 1896 in San Francisco.
2022
Launch of Center for Innovation and Translation to build clinical research partnerships.
Dugoni School completes historic fundraising campaign, raising nearly $70 million to support people, programs and facilities.
2023
National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research at the National Institutes of Health awards a $3.8 million, five-year grant to support the Pacific-Stanford PRIMED program to train the next generation of clinical oral health researchers.
2024
Dean Nader A. Nadershahi receives a William J. Gies Award for Vision and Leadership from American Dental Education Association’s ADEAGies Foundation.
