WVU welcomes Sen. Capito to usher in phase one of extensive dental school renovation
The West Virginia University School of Dentistry welcomed Sen. Shelley Moore Capito to campus today (March 18) to celebrate a $12.6 million award from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for its extensive expansion and renovation project. Her visit included a ceremony and tour and provided the opportunity to meet with WVU leadership.
“We are thankful for Sen. Capito’s leadership and her support and commitment to our School of Dentistry to help make today possible,” Dr. Stephen Pachuta, dean of the WVU School of Dentistry, said. “These renovations are critical to providing student-centered education and patient-centered care, ensuring we are able to meet the current and future oral healthcare needs across West Virginia.”
The award, announced in November, is part of a funding effort that includes support from generous donors through the school’s capital campaign — Transforming Oral Health: The Campaign for Facilities.
“As West Virginia’s only dental school, WVU plays a critical role in training the next generation of dentists and expanding access to oral healthcare across our state,” Capito said. “That’s why I was proud to support these renovations through the Congressionally Directed Spending process—because investing in this program means investing in the health and well-being of West Virginians. I was proud to celebrate these renovations at WVU today, and I look forward to seeing all the great work that will come from this facility in the years ahead.”
Once completed, the state-of-the-art facility will provide an enhanced learning and patient care environment to meet the current and future oral health needs of the state and beyond.
Construction on the multiphase project, which encompasses approximately 50,000 square feet in the Health Sciences Center on the Morgantown Campus, began in early March with the Manheim Corporation team. The space has been reimagined by SmithGroup, an international architectural design company, working in collaboration with WVU Facilities Management, to meet the needs of today’s students and patients and beyond. The current footprint has largely remained unchanged since the school’s founding in 1957.
The first phase of the project will focus on modernizing and integrating key areas back onto the academic medical center campus from their current location at Suncrest Towne Centre, including the Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics clinics, Faculty Group Practice and Dr. W. Robert Biddington Center for Dental Innovation. Phase one also includes significant upgrades to sanitary, heating, ventilation, air conditioning, mechanical and electrical systems. This work is expected to be completed at the start of the Fall 2026 semester.
Phase two will focus on areas that include a surgical suite, specialty clinics and administrative and academic offices.
WVU offers a Doctor of Dental Surgery, a Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene and advanced education programs that help address workforce shortages in West Virginia and across the country. The school is fully integrated with WVU Dental, a comprehensive oral healthcare system offering general and specialized dentistry care performed by faculty, resident and student providers.
Individuals and businesses interested in supporting the WVU School of Dentistry’s capital campaign should contact Director of Development Dee O’Palko at 304-413-5049 or dopalko@wvuf.org. Gifts to the WVU School of Dentistry Facilities Fund (2W686) can also be made online at give.wvu.edu/dentistry. Naming opportunities are available for those who wish to honor a loved one’s legacy or explore other options.
All gifts to support the WVU School of Dentistry are made through the WVU Foundation, the nonprofit organization that receives and administers private donations on behalf of the University.
Photo at Top: Dr. Clay Marsh, chancellor and executive dean for WVU Health Sciences, Dr. Stephen Pachuta, dean of the WVU School of Dentistry, and Sen. Shelley Moore Capito tour the WVU School of Dentistry renovation area following a ceremony to celebrate the start of the extensive project supported by a $12.6 million award from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (WVU Photo/Davidson Chan)
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