MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The West Virginia University School of Dentistry is set to receive a multi-million dollar expansion.
The United States Department of Health and Human Services has awarded the school $12.6 million for a 50,000-square-foot renovation and expansion project. Dean of the Dentistry School Dr. Stephen Pachuta is excited for the start of the project that will bring several aspects of the WVU Dental School into a single facility while being able to modernize and expand on their offerings ranging from urgent care to.
“Now we’re able to expand those spaces and modernize those spaces, and what it does is bring pediatric dentistry and orthodontics back into the (WVU) Medical Center,” said Pachuta on his anticipation for the renovations.
The multiphase project will take place at the WVU Health Sciences Center and will include an overhaul of the WVU School of Dentistry facilities and a relocation of the orthodontic and pediatric facilities firmly on the WVU campus. WVU Facilities Management will work in collaboration with international architectural design company the SmithGroup to modernize and upgrade the over 50,000 square foot facilities. With the first phase of the two-phase expansion aimed at improvements towards pediatric dentistry and orthodontics clinics, Pachuta feels the WVU School of Dentistry will have a chance to address a serious statewide need.
“If you look at the needs for access to care across the state, and quite candidly, across the nation, pediatric dentistry is a really important specialty, or a need, for our West Virginia families,” said Pachuta.
The first phase of the project will involve the relocation of the Faculty Group Practice and the Dr. W. Robert Biddington Center for Dental Innovation from the Suncrest Town Center over to the WVU Health Sciences Center. Significant upgrades to sanitary, heating, ventilation, air conditioning, mechanical, and electrical systems will also be included in phase one, which is scheduled to be completed in 2026. With a combination of expanded facilities for the WVU School of Dentistry that haven’t been seen since its inception, located at the WVU Health Sciences Center, and a $1.5 million renovation made in 2021, it will allow for opportunities for collaboration and patient care that haven’t been possible for a long time.
“We have spaces available now that we didn’t have five years ago,” said Pachuta. “So what we’re trying to do is capitalize on that and modernize and stay current with the education process,” he said.
Phase two will focus on areas that include a surgical suite, specialty clinics, and administrative and academic offices.
The improvements at the WVU School of Dentistry will be the first large-scale improvements seen since the school was established in 1957. The awarding of the funds was done with a combination of federal support from United States Senators Joe Manchin and Shelley Moore Capito as well as advocation from WVU officials, with the $1.5 million renovation project advocated by them in 2021 a major catalyst for the $12.6 million renovation. With construction planned to be completed in the next five years, Pachuta is excited about what the future may bring for dentistry in the Mountain State.
“The grant comes to us through an HRRS grant, and I will say that without the University President (E. Gordon Gee) and the Chancellor of (WVU) Health Sciences support, and Senator Capito’s and Senator Manchin’s support, we would not have this opportunity in front of us,” Pachuta said.
The WVU School of Dentistry is the only dental school in West Virginia.