Marquette University School of Dentistry

The Marquette University School of Dentistry is the dental school of Marquette University. It is located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. Formerly the Dental Department of the Milwaukee Medical College (MMC), the school opened on September 26, 1894. It is the only dental school in Wisconsin.HistoryOn September 26, 1894, when the Dental Department of the Milwaukee Medical College commenced, there were nine faculty members for the 30 entering freshmen. Dean of the school was professor of oral surgery Benjamin G. Maercklein. The dental clinic consisted of 16 chairs and a technique laboratory. In 1897 the Dental Department of the Milwaukee Medical College was recognized by the National Association of Dental Faculties.In 1899 the Wisconsin College of Physicians and Surgeons added a dental department. Because both schools competed for students and faculty, they merged in 1913.Henry L. Banzhaf of Wisconsin was named dean of the Dental Department in 1902, and remain in that position for 42 years.In 1907 Milwaukee Medical College became affiliated with Marquette College, a liberal arts college in Milwaukee, which added combined dentistry, medicine, nursing, and pharmacy departments, and became a university.In 1921 Dean Banzhaf was granted permission to build a new dental building, which would be ready in 1923. It featured 167 chairs, gaining the reputation for being the “largest dental clinic under one roof”. It contained one of the first labs to be established in connection with a dental clinic.