News > HPU Dental School Achieves Accreditation Milestone
Aug 30th, 2023
Nearly 1,000 People Have Already Applied as Anticipation Grows
HIGH POINT, N.C., Aug. 30, 2023 – High Point University’s Workman School of Dental Medicine, the state’s only private dental school, achieved a milestone by receiving its initial accreditation from the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) on Aug. 24.
“Being awarded initial accreditation from the nation’s sole agency to accredit dental education programs supports HPU’s distinctive approach to prepare health care professionals for the world as it is going to be,” said HPU President Dr. Nido R. Qubein. “Our faculty, innovative labs and classroom facilities already are preparing nurses, physician assistants, physical therapists, athletic trainers and pharmacists as part of our legacy of health care education. The dental school and our future optometry school will continue that legacy.”
HPU’s Workman School of Dental Medicine is positioned to provide innovative curriculum and clinical training for its students. Nearly 1,000 people have already applied for HPU’s first doctor of dental medicine class. The first cohort of students will arrive in the fall of 2024 as HPU celebrates its 100th anniversary.
HPU’s Dental School Distinction
One of the hallmarks of HPU’s approach to dental education is HPU Health LLC, a network of dental practices owned and operated by the university with locations across the state, including Chapel Hill, Greensboro and High Point. These practices are already fully operational and treating patients, with additional practices to open in the future. Each of these practices is treating patients and, in the future, will connect dental students with real-world learning opportunities under the guidance of trusted dentists with decades of experience.
In addition to those state-of-the-art practices offering the latest in clinical technology, the Workman School of Dental Medicine’s educational facility in High Point has the world’s largest installation of SIMtoCARE haptic simulators. Students will train on those high-tech simulators to achieve competency prior to performing treatment with a goal of giving patients dental care calibrated at the highest quality.
About the Accreditation Process:
For new dental schools applying for CODA accreditation, it is standard process to complete a comprehensive self-analysis and self-study report detailing its resources, curriculum, policies and operational standards. The next step is an on-site review conducted by CODA team members selected for their expertise in the program area. They conduct interviews with administrators, instructors and staff to verify information in the self-study and ensure that the program meets minimum accreditation standards. CODA team members then write a detailed site visit report based on their findings and share it with both the sponsoring institution and CODA officials. If the school meets the high standards set for by the commission, initial accreditation is provided.
