Press Release

For Immediate Release
Contact: Kaylyn Kendall Dines
973-972-7276
www.umdnj.edu

The UMDNJ-New Jersey Dental School Holds a
Groundbreaking Ceremony for a $45 Million Expansion and Renovation Project

Students, faculty, administrators and alumni of the New Jersey Dental School attended a ground-breaking ceremony recently on the Newark campus of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ) for a new academic and clinical care building. This is one facet of a $45 million expansion and renovation project of the state's only dental school and part of the University's $518 million capital construction program

The University and the State of New Jersey have provided $26 million to build the Oral Health Pavilion and complete renovations in the dental school itself. Philanthropic support totaling $19 million is expected to cover the remainder of the costs.

Dr. Cecile Feldman, dean of the UMDNJ-New Jersey Dental School, said, "This is an exciting time in our history. This project will enable the school to continue to improve and expand activities in education, patient care and research that are critical to furthering New Jersey Dental School's success as a leader in oral health, both regionally and nationwide."

Dr. Robert Saporito, senior vice president of academic affairs at UMDNJ and a former dean of the UMDNJ-New Jersey Dental School, said, "The development of the new Oral Health Pavilion will contribute to New Jersey Dental School's long-term commitment to excellence."

Also speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony were Dr. Stuart D. Cook, president of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ); Dr. Munr Kazmir, a member of the UMDNJ-New Jersey Dental School Board of Advisors; and Mr. Ben Sutter, president of the UMDNJ-New Jersey Dental School Class of 2005.

The state-of-the-art Oral Health Pavilion, which will be built adjacent to the current facility, is a three story, 78,000 square-foot building that will house a new main entrance and lobby, an educational conference center, a student lounge, patient waiting areas, pre-doctoral clinics and administrative offices. The Oral Health Pavilion is scheduled to open February 2004.

A gallery, located just beyond the reception area in the lobby of the main entrance, will lead to the 10,000 square-foot Educational Conference Center and a 3,000 square-foot school lounge. A beautifully landscaped, glass-enclosed atrium called "Alumni Plaza" will be located near the entrance to welcome patients and visitors.

The Educational Conference Center will house four lecture halls where students will have access to advanced computer and audiovisual technology, Internet access and individual electrical outlets for laptop computers. The students will be able to conduct their clinical training using new equipment and technology that provides easy access to patient records and educational resources. Three executive-style conference rooms, also located in the Educational Conference Center, will be built for use by faculty, students, administration and the UMDNJ Center for Continuing Education.

The University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ) comprises New Jersey's only three medical schools, the state's only dental school, the school of health related professions, the school of nursing, the school of public health and the school of biomedical sciences on campuses in Newark, Piscataway/New Brunswick, Stratford, Camden and Scotch Plains. UMDNJ also operates University Behavioral HealthCare in Newark and Piscataway. It is affiliated with more than 200 health care and educational institutions throughout the state.

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