Trinity College Dublin School of Dental Science

The School of Dental Science is located in the Dublin Dental Hospital Lincoln Place at the south eastern corner of the Trinity College campus. The decision to establish the School was made in 1882 and its first Professor of Dentistry, Theodore Stack, was appointed in 1884.
Background
The original institution "The Incorporated Dental Hospital of Ireland" was established in 1884 and moved into a new purpose-built dental hospital 100 years ago in 1899. The Dublin Dental Hospital Board, established in 1963 was responsible to collaborate with the three dental school in Dublin, clinical training for three separate dental schools in Dublin: Trinity College, Dublin; University College, Dublin; and the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland in the provision of clinical training. In the 1970s these three dental schools were amalgamated into one School of Dental Science, Trinity College, Dublin. A new clinical building was completed in 1997 and the old hospital's refurbishment was completed in 1998. This followed a long and difficult period of uncertainty during which it became difficult to recruit staff due to rumours of closure and prior to 1980 little if any original research. The decision to retain and rebuild the Dublin Dental Hospital was announced in 1994, thereby ending 50 years of uncertainty.
The Dublin Dental Hospital is governed by the Dublin Dental Hospital Board. This is a Statutory Body appointed by, and answerable to, the Department of Health and Children. It is funded by the Department of Education and Science (50%) as well as the Department of Health and Children (25%) and the remaining 25% of the total income is self generated. The Dublin Dental Hospital Board is the employing authority for all staff including the clinical academic staff who also hold full academic appointments with the University of Dublin, Trinity College, which bears academic responsibility for the standards of education and research.
It was originally intended to transfer the Dublin Dental Hospital into Trinity College following the amalgamation of the three dental schools. This plan was abandoned when:
(a) it was decided that the Department of Education could not justify the expenditure for a new building on the basis of the relatively small number of student being trained.
(b) because the Dental Hospital Board had managed the Dental Hospital in an effective way with the ability to make expedient decisions in the management of a hospital.
(c) because of the significant service commitment in the delivery of oral health services.
Because of its significant funding from the Department of Health there is perhaps a greater service role than would normally be the case for most other dental schools. The School of Dental Science, Trinity College and Dublin Dental Hospital are theoretically and legally separate entities with a seamless boundary.