History of VCU Dental Care
VCU Dental Care and its subsidiaries—formerly known as Dentistry@VCU, the VCU Dental Faculty Practice Association (VCU DFPA), and the Faculty Practice—operate as an independent corporation in partnership with the VCU School of Dentistry.
The Faculty Practice began in 1972 following an amendment to Virginia’s Higher Education Act, which allowed School of Dentistry faculty to treat private patients. At that time, six faculty members participated. Through the 1970s, the practice expanded gradually as student enrollment and the number of full-time faculty increased.
The 1980s marked a period of significant growth for the Faculty Practice, accompanied by major operational and facility improvements. In May 1991, the VCU Board of Visitors approved the transition of the Faculty Practice into an independent association, and the IRS granted tax-exempt status later that year. On January 1, 1992, VCU DFPA hired its first full-time employees, offering existing staff the option to remain with the state or transfer to the association. All new employees hired thereafter joined the association directly.
Beginning in the late 1990s, VCU DFPA expanded into VCU’s graduate programs, adding Orthodontics, Pediatric Dentistry, Advanced Education in General Dentistry, Periodontics, Endodontics, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Oral Pathology, and Prosthodontics as part of its continued growth. As the clinical enterprise evolved, the association later rebranded as Dentistry@VCU to better reflect its expanded services and also established Dentistry@VCU Continuing Education LLC as a subsidiary, while offering VCU clinical employees the opportunity to join.
In early 2014, as part of a broader marketing initiative, Dentistry@VCU officially became VCU Dental Care. Today, the organization provides both general and specialty private dental services and offers management oversight to all pre-doctoral and post-graduate clinical programs.
Over the years, the corporation has continued to grow to meet the needs of its patients, the School of Dentistry, and the surrounding community. VCU Dental Care remains committed to expanding its services and enhancing the quality of care provided to those it serves.