Donors

Donations make an impact

"Philanthropy is almost the only virtue which is sufficiently appreciated by mankind."
-- Henry David Thoreau

Since the School of Dentistry was founded in 1888, there have always been supporters of the School who realize that we cannot successfully educate tomorrow’s dental professionals without new ideas and innovations. Throughout the years, those individuals have stepped forward and made a donation to ensure the continued success of the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry.

This generous support from alumni and friends was codified in the late 1960's by Erwin Schaffer, then dean, when he formed the Century Club. The history of giving to the School of Dentistry created a momentum which resulted in thousands of our supporters joining the Century Club, some on an annual basis, others making long term pledges and becoming life members. Giving to the dental school was becoming a tradition.

That tradition continued in 2005 when the School of Dentistry began its $11.3 million campaign to build a state-of-the-art simulation clinic, needing $3.6 million in private support. Equipped with the latest in teaching technology and designed for students raised in the digital age, the contemporary learning environment resembles the dental clinics students will encounter as clinicians. Phase 1 was completed in May 2007 and the 3M Foundation Dental Simulation Clinic was named in honor of the foundation’s $1 million gift. By the grand opening in November 2007, the campaign had raised more than $11.7 million, including all of the necessary private support. The unmatched educational benefits that are now available to our students are made possible by hundreds of donations from alumni, friends, and local and national corporations and foundations.

Giving to the School of Dentistry has led to many advancements in our field that were unforeseen and unimaginable a century ago. From the early days of 1888 to today, the School of Dentistry continues to be a leader in dental education, and with your help, we will continue that tradition.