The West Virginia University (WVU) School of Dentistry has secured $12.6 million in funding to launch an ambitious expansion and renovation project. Construction, set to begin in early 2025, will modernize approximately 50,000 ft2 of the Health Sciences Center, much of which has remained unchanged since the school was established in 1957.
WVU Facilities Management, in partnership with architectural design firm SmithGroup, has envisioned a cutting-edge facility tailored to meet the demands of contemporary oral health education and care. Officials emphasized that the upgraded space will elevate both learning experiences and patient care, helping to address the oral health needs of West Virginians now and in the future.
The project will unfold in two phases. Phase one will revamp the Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics clinics, Faculty Group Practice, and the Dr. W. Robert Biddington Center for Dental Innovation—relocating them back to the Health Sciences Center from their current site at Suncrest Town Centre. Alongside these upgrades, major enhancements to sanitary, HVAC, mechanical, and electrical systems are planned, with completion targeted before the start of the fall 2026 semester.
Phase two will center on additional critical spaces, including a surgical suite, specialty clinics, and administrative and academic offices.
The $12.6 million funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is supplemented by the school’s capital campaign, “Transforming Oral Health: The Campaign for Facilities.” This initiative invites alumni and supporters to contribute to advancing the school’s facilities and oral health education.
“We are incredibly grateful for those who have helped bring this project to fruition, including our generous donors and Sens. Shelley Moore Capito and Joe Manchin, President Gordon Gee, and Dr. Clay Marsh,” said Dr. Stephen Pachuta, Dean of the WVU School of Dentistry. “This support allows us to create a state-of-the-art environment that facilitates excellence in education, patient care, and research to help meet the University’s land-grant mission to improve the lives and livelihoods of those we serve.”
WVU School of Dentistry is the only dental school in West Virginia and offers programs such as Doctor of Dental Surgery, Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene, and advanced education pathways that address dental workforce needs both within the state and nationally.
