University of New England

College of Dental Medicine
2693, 716 Stevens Ave
Portland ME 04103
207-283-0171
www.une.edu/dentalmedicine

Upon welcoming an inaugural class of 64 students in August 2013, the University of New England College of Dental Medicine became the first dental college in Northern New England. Shortly thereafter, the College dedicated its gleaming new Oral Health Center on UNE's Portland Campus.

In filling a glaring educational need for Maine and New England, the College of Dental Medicine is proud to serve students from Maine and its surrounding states, but also recognizes the national impact its program can have. Indeed, the inaugural class reflected a balance of students from New England and also from points well beyond. Of the initial 64 students, 24 hailed from Maine, representing more than 20 different towns. The rest found their way to UNE from 16 different U.S. states and Canada.

As one of the few private universities in the nation with a comprehensive health education mission that also includes programs in medicine, pharmacy, nursing and an array of allied health professions, UNE is uniquely positioned to play a transformative role in Dental Medicine education. Our program also gives us the opportunity to apply our existing expertise in clinical simulation, clinical education, and interprofessional education to a whole new discipline.

Our program offers a blend of time-tested methods and new innovations in Dental Medicine education. Our students are treated as members of the profession from the moment they arrive on campus, and are given opportunities to make real impacts in the lives of patients, in both urban and rural settings, who receive dental services through them.

The extensive practical experience built into our program allows students to provide care to simulated patients in their first year, and then to provide direct patient care in the Oral Health Center in their second and third years, before ultimately pursuing clinical experiences in communities throughout Northern New England and beyond in their fourth year.

The University of New England (UNE) is a private university in Biddeford, Maine. It has additional campuses in Portland, Maine and Tangier, Morocco. During the 2016–2017 academic year, 13,743 students were enrolled in UNE's campus-based and online programs.

UNE's institutional history dates to 1831, when Westbrook Seminary opened on what is now the UNE Portland Campus. The UNE Biddeford Campus was founded in 1939 when College Séraphique opened as a high school and junior college for boys of Quebecois descent. In 1952, that institution became a four-year liberal arts college named St. Francis College. In 1978, St. Francis College merged with the New England Foundation for Osteopathic Medicine to become the University of New England. In 1996, the University of New England merged with Westbrook College.

UNE is the largest private university in the state of Maine and the largest educator of healthcare professionals for Maine. It is organized into six colleges that combine to offer more than 70 undergraduate, graduate, online, and professional degrees. Known predominantly for its programs in the sciences and health sciences, UNE also offers degrees in the marine sciences, data science, environmental science, mathematics, business, education, the humanities, and many other subjects. Its College of Osteopathic Medicine is the only medical school in Maine and its College of Dental Medicine is the only dental college in northern New England.

In 1939, a boys-only high school and junior college called the College Séraphique was founded in Biddeford by Father Decary and the Franciscan friar of St. Andre's parish.

In 1952, the school changed its name to St. Francis College and began granting bachelor's degrees with state approval in 1953. The high school program was phased out by 1961, and the college was first accredited in 1966.

The school became co-educational for the first time in 1967, and the Franciscans withdrew from the administration of the college in 1974.

To survive dropping enrollment, St. Francis College entered into an agreement with the New England Foundation for Osteopathic Medicine to establish the New England College of Osteopathic Medicine on the same campus, and in 1978 the two became the "University of New England", although the merger would not be fully complete until a 1987 vote by the College of Osteopathic Medicine corporation. In 1996, Westbrook College merged with the University of New England. The merger took place under the terms of the original 1831 Westbrook charter, and the combined institutions became Westbrook College before changing the name back to the University of New England. The campus of the former Westbrook College is now known as the UNE Portland Campus.

In December 2010, the university received the largest gift in its history—$10 million from the Harold Alfond Foundation to build the Harold Alfond Forum on the Biddeford Campus, and to support interprofessional healthcare workforce education.

The Alfond Forum, which opened fall 2012, includes a 105,000-square-foot (9,800 m2) athletics complex featuring an ice hockey rink with 900 seats; a basketball court with 1,200 seats; classroom space; a fitness center; and multi-purpose indoor practice courts that can also be used for performances and other events, with a combined seating capacity of 3,000. This provides the largest gathering space on both the Biddeford and Portland campuses. The complex is located between UNE's new synthetic blue turf field and Sokokis Hall.

In March 2014, UNE launched its $60M "Moving Forward Campaign," the largest in UNE history.

James D. Herbert, Ph.D., serves as UNE's sixth president. His tenure began on July 1, 2017, immediately following the 11-year tenure of Danielle N. Ripich.

Map of University of New England College of Dental Medicine, 2693, 716 Stevens Ave, Portland ME 04103

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