Designing a new college of dental medicine gave the Medical University of South Carolina the opportunity to go well beyond traditional training of tomorrow’s dentists. In the new facility, students are offered a state-of-the-art clinical experience, a building in which to care for the area’s typically underserved community and a place to learn alongside instructors, researchers and care providers.

The Clinical Education Center was designed with both student and patient experiences in mind. Flooded with natural light, with large windows removing the perceived barriers between the outside and interior, the building offers community residents an easy, welcoming, transition into the reception and waiting areas. The facility houses clinics supporting orthodontics, pediatrics, oral surgery, prosthodontics, periodontics, endodontics, central imaging, and general oral medicine programs. An off-stage lounge offers a space for students and staff. With the goal of attracting and retaining the best faculty, the University also provides dedicated space for faculty practitioners, enabling them to teach and sustain private practices. The Clinical Education Center offers the latest technology in patient/student education and is considered an international benchmark for clinical dental education.

Kahler Slater served as the dental education architect and designer in partnership with LS3P Associates, Ltd.