An important goal of Baylor College of Dentistry has been to establish the North Texas region’s first Center for Maxillofacial Prosthodontics.  It has become a $1.5 million center of excellence for the primary purpose of assisting in the reconstruction of oral and facial deformities.  With the completion of the Foundation’s successful capital campaign, construction was completed in early 2001. The foundation gave a $750,000 matching challenge grant to assist in the capital campaign. 

The center creates a multidisciplinary approach to the complex facial problems involving plastic surgeons, head and neck surgeons, oncologists, nurses and other health professionals.  Most importantly, the program will provide an opportunity for integrating clinical patient care for this group of patients with research and education.  The net result of this integrative and team management approach will be vastly improved access to care; professional and enlightened patient care utilizing advances in science and technology; expanded educational opportunities for health care professionals and care givers in a unique multidisciplinary center; better understanding of the causes of the acquired and/or congenital craniofacial disfigurement; and the opportunity to use the data generated through this center to develop innovative approaches to prevent future occurrences. 

The Center for Maxillofacial Prosthodontics is an outstanding addition to theBaylor College of Dentistry.  The center is unique among dental schools and provides new technology to improve esthetics and the quality of life for many unfortunate victims of disease, trauma and birth defects.  The center also focuses on educating dental graduate students in the fields of prosthodontics, periodontics, oral and maxillofacial surgery and general dentistry side-by-side with medical residents, nurses and pharmacy students. 

The center is under the direction of Dr. David Grogan and operates in conjunction with the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery/Pharmacology, which is chaired by Dr. David Grogan.