UCSF School of Dentistry

12/17/2025

Big news for the future of oral health education and patient care at UCSF.

UCSF has announced a new home for the School of Dentistry at Mission Bay, with plans to transform 409 Illinois Street into a modern, collaborative hub for education, research, and state-of-the-art dental care. The new facility will deepen dentistry's integration with other health professions, while expanding access to high-quality, patient-centered dental services for San Francisco and the Bay Area.

This investment marks a significant step forward in reimagining health professions education and designing care environments tailored to the needs of patients and communities.

Read the full story here: https://www.ucsf.edu/news/2025/12/431231/ucsf-announces-new-home-school-dentistry-mission-bay

12/12/2025

Can we prevent cleft lip and palate before a baby is born?

New research from UCSF professor Jeffrey Bush, PhD, is uncovering the cellular and genetic mechanisms behind how facial tissues fuse during early development. Using advanced live-imaging and gene-editing tools, his team identified key processes that, when disrupted, can lead to the development of cleft lip and palate.

This discovery could pave the way for non-surgical, preventive approaches to craniofacial birth defects, and may have implications far beyond facial development, including cancer and regenerative medicine.

Read the full story:

UCSF’s Program in Craniofacial Biology (PCB) brings together researchers to study the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying craniofacial development and birth defects, such as cleft lip and palate. The program is one of the strongest in the U.S., with faculty conducting cutting-edge researc...

11/03/2025

On October 8, the UCSF School of Dentistry held its annual Research and Clinical Excellence Day, showcasing its dedication to basic research and clinical innovation.

More than 300 members of the School of Dentistry community attended the event, which featured oral presentations and a poster session, highlighting the work of dental students and research fellows in collaboration with their mentors.

Diana Nguyen, DDS, Health Sciences associate clinical professor and speaker at the event, said, "Seeing our learners share the research they’re conducting with their P*s and hearing them present gave me an even greater appreciation for the important work they’re doing outside of patient care, work that directly advances our profession and expands the treatment possibilities we can offer our patients."

Read the full story here ➡️ https://dentistry.ucsf.edu/about/news/22nd-annual-research-and-clinical-excellence-day

10/21/2025

The UCSF School of Dentistry has been awarded a $1.8 million grant to launch DDS-ASPIRE—a new Doctor of Dental Surgery program designed to train leaders who will expand access to care in the state’s underserved communities.

Modeled after the successful UC PRIME initiative in medicine, DDS-ASPIRE integrates leadership development, public health advocacy, and research training throughout all four years of dental education.

Led by Dean Michael Reddy, DMD, DMSc, Jack Gormley, Ed.D., Assistant Dean for Learner Success and Belonging, and Danielle Castillo Tiopo, Coordinator of Outreach and Belonging, DDS-ASPIRE will prepare ten students in the Class of 2030 to lead change where it’s needed most—by improving oral health outcomes and strengthening California’s dental workforce.

🔗 Read the full story: https://dentistry.ucsf.edu/about/news/dds-aspire-new-generation-dental-leaders-californias-underserved-communities

10/01/2025

93 learners from the DDS Class of 2029 and IDP Class of 2028 officially began their dental journeys at UCSF’s 27th annual White Coat Ceremony on September 19 at San Francisco’s Presidio Theatre.

Dean Michael Reddy encouraged students to stay agile in a rapidly changing profession, while keynote speaker Dr. Ted Wong emphasized the importance of competence, commitment, and character—stressing that trust is the cornerstone of dentistry.

Surrounded by faculty, family, and friends, the students donned their first white coats and pledged to uphold the highest standards of care. Congratulations to UCSF’s newest dental professionals!

Read the full story here: https://dentistry.ucsf.edu/about/news/ucsf-dentistry-welcomes-future-dentists-white-coat-2025

09/09/2025

Meet Belle Lao-Ngo, UCSF dental student and recipient of the 2025 Founders Day Award for Public Service.

Lao-Ngo has turned her passion for oral health into meaningful action. Inspired by her family’s immigrant journey, she partnered with San Francisco’s Chinatown YMCA to teach families everyday dental care habits that build confidence and improve health.

Her work not only supports the Chinatown community—it also strengthens UCSF’s connection to those we serve, creating opportunities for lasting partnerships in public health.

▶️ Watch Belle Lao-Ngo’s story in our 2025 Founders Day video profile: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rr_8B0bGws

✏️ Story by Eric Brooks
📹 Video by Gillian Grisman

Community is everything to Belle Lao-Ngo, a second-year student in the UCSF School of Dentistry. As a daughter and granddaughter of Asian immigrants, Belle’s...

08/26/2025

The University of California is the source of:
🔎 4 inventions per day
🖊️ 70 Nobel laureates
💡 13,810 patents

Behind every breakthrough or cure, University of California ingenuity is driving the economy and helping people live longer, healthier lives.

Stand up for UC: https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/get-involved/stand-up-for-uc

08/04/2025

UCSF Chancellor Sam Hawgood has reappointed Michael Reddy as Dean of the School of Dentistry from February 2025 until February 2030.

The Chancellor's decision was based on the results of a stewardship committee's review. The committee recommended that Dean Reddy's appointment be renewed without restriction.

We spoke with Dean Reddy after his reappointment was announced to discuss the challenges he and his team faced during his time at the school and what he thinks the future holds for patient care, research, and dental education.

Read the interview here > https://tiny.ucsf.edu/ET2hUC

07/30/2025

📣 UCSF Health ranks No. 1 in California and SF and is recognized as one of the nation's best providers of specialty care! 👏

"These rankings are a testament to the contributions of every single person across our organization. Their work is what makes me confident in our continued ability to treat the most challenging conditions, and ensure that such compassionate, effective care is accessible to everyone."

—Suresh Gunasekaran, president and CEO of UCSF Health

U.S. News & World Report ranked UCSF No. 1 in CA & Top 20 in the nation.

07/29/2025

At the UCSF School of Dentistry, dedicated staff like David Gonzalez are essential to the learner experience and help elevate patient care behind the scenes. As the clinic administrative services coordinator, Gonzalez manages clinical schedules, coordinates high-stakes ADEX licensure exams, and supports learners throughout their training.

A third-generation UCSF employee, Gonzalez continues a proud family legacy of service to the university. His work shapes nearly every aspect of the dental student experience—quietly making an extraordinary impact.

Read more about Gonzalez in this profile: https://www.ucsf.edu/news/2025/06/430221/meet-unsung-hero-playing-small-part-dental-students-success

07/24/2025

🗓️ Join us next week on Thursday, July 31 at 12 p.m. PT for a systemwide panel discussion with UCSF School of Dentistry's Jennifer Perkins, DDS, MD, and Jean Marie Star, DDS, MPH, along with Yvonne L Hernandez-Kapila, DDS, PhD, of the UCLA School of Dentistry.

The panelists will discuss how UC’s dental schools are improving health outcomes across California—and why oral health is essential to overall well-being. Learn more about the current educational model for dentistry, innovations in pediatric and special needs care (including autism), and the broader public health implications of dental access.

➡️ Register here: https://tiny.ucsf.edu/7U2qO8

07/22/2025

For 27 years, Ronni Brown, DDS, MPH, provided emergency dental services to thousands of incarcerated individuals. In case after case, a troubling pattern emerged: the devastating oral effects of methamphetamine use. This discovery led her to pursue a dental public health residency at UCSF where her groundbreaking research on what she’d observed became an essential resource.

Brown received the 2025 UCSF Alumni Practitioner Award for her contributions toward improving the health of vulnerable populations worldwide. Read more about her work in this profile: https://alumni.ucsf.edu/stories/ronni-brown.

Illustration: John Jay Cabuay