The School of Dentistry was created in 1893 when the University College of Medicine opened with a dental department as one of its original divisions. The Medical College of Virginia inaugurated a dental education program in 1897, and in 1913 the two schools were merged to form the MCV School of Dentistry. The school provides opportunities for selected, qualified individuals to study dentistry under the most favorable conditions and in accordance with the standards established by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association. The degree of Doctor of Dental Surgery (D.D.S.) is awarded to graduates of the school’s professional program and the Bachelor of Science degree to graduates of the Dental Hygiene Program within the Department of Oral Health Promotion and Community Outreach. Graduates of the advanced dental education programs in endodontics, orthodontics, pediatric dentistry and periodontics are awarded the Master of Science in Dentistry degree.