Baylor College of Dentistry

Two St. Louis dentists, Dr. David E. Morrow and Dr. Thomas G. Bradford, began seeking a site in Texas for a dental college in the early 1900s. Although most Dallas dentists opposed a local dental school, others viewed the growing commercial center as an ideal location for what was called State Dental College, chartered in February 1905. Classes began on October 3 of that year. In its first years, the school faced many challenges, including a national economic downturn in 1907. In 1915, however, members of the Dallas County Dental Society became involved with the college, agreeing to serve on an advisory board that oversaw operations and instruction. The school affiliated with Baylor University in 1918. Renamed Baylor University College of Dentistry, it shared resources with Baylor University College of Medicine, also located in Dallas. With a strengthened basic sciences program, the school gained national recognition and "Class A" accreditation. In the 1940s, the college accelerated its program to graduate more dentists to aid U.S. troops in World War II. In 1943, the medical school relocated to Houston, taking with it many faculty members. The dental college chose to remain but struggled to maintain its academic footing. It eventually expanded its clinical services and established a school of dental hygiene and specialized graduate-level curricula. The college separated from Baylor University in 1971 and became Baylor College of Dentistry. In the 1990s, it joined the Texas A&M University System as a charter member of its Health Science Center. Today, it is nationally recognized for oral health education, research, specialized patient care and continuing education. (2005)

Baylor College of Dentistry is a historical marker in Dallas, Dallas County, dedicated in 2004. It is one of 352 historical markers documented in Dallas County in the Texas Historical Commission Atlas, among 574 historic sites cataloged across the county.

The site sits at 32.7895, -96.7818 near Dallas. The nearest cataloged historic site is East Dallas (historical marker), about under a tenth of a mile away. Others within a short drive include Baylor University Medical Center, Wilson Block, and Continental Gin Company Showroom Building.

This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #5113013293. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.