West China School of Stomatology/West China Hospital of Stomatology (WCSS/WCHS), renowned as the birthplace of China’s modern dental education, was originated from Ren-Ji Dental Clinic founded in 1907. In 1912, the clinic was expanded into the first dental hospital in China, serving the needs for dental care of local community since then. In 1917, the first dental school of Dentistry in China, the School of Dentistry of West China Union University, was founded. Many graduates from the school eventually became the founders of many other prestigious schools of stomatology around China. After the merge of West China Medical University and Sichuan University in 2001, the school/hospital was renamed as West China School of Stomatology/ West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University. Now, WCSS/WCHS becomes a leading higher education institution and hospital of stomatology with worldwide recognition in China.
In 2020, the National Health Commission of the People’s Republic of China has approved the establishment of the National Center for Stomatology in the West China School/ Hospital of Stomatology (WCSS). The National Center for Stomatology represents the highest level in China in terms of the diagnosis and treatment of complicated and serious oral illnesses, training of dental personnel, and hospital management. It also serves as a national think-tank, providing critical feedback on dental legislation, public health policy-making, standard and protocol development, and quality control, as well as forming an integrated system of innovation that spans basic research, clinical research, clinical quality assessment and monitoring, and popular science education.
As the National Center for Stomatology, WCHS consists of more than 20 clinical departments. Among them, the departments of endodontics, periodontics, oral and maxillofacial surgery, prosthodontics, orthodontics, oral implantology, pediatric dentistry, and oral mucosal disease, are national key clinical specialty departments. WCHS provides service for more than 1 million patients in the outpatient and emergency departments every year. WCHS has also pioneered new models for oral health management, such as the Family Oral Health Service, offering more convenient access of oral health care service to the general public. Foreign dental aid is also an important part of WCHS global health system, through which the health workers from WCHS have provided dental assistance in Africa, and are always at the forefront of major global health events and natural disasters.
Entitled with the National Demonstration Center for Experimental West China Stomatology Education (Sichuan University) and the National Virtual Simulation Experimental Teaching Center, WCSS provides excellent undergraduate and post-graduate programs with comprehensive coverage on all dental, oral and maxillofacial specialties. The faculty members have been awarded the National Teaching Achievement Awards, International Association for Dental Research (IADR) William J. Gies Award, etc. WCSS has been rated the first place for 4 consecutive times (20 years) in the National Discipline Assessment by the Ministry of Education of China.
WCSS is devoted to creating the world’s leading research institution with advanced research facilities and platforms. WCSS owns the State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, the National Clinical Research Center of Stomatology, and other 4 national research institutes, where the college’s distinguished faculties conduct cutting-edge research in various fields of dental, oral, and maxillofacial health. WCSS also publishes two leading English journals, Bone Research and International Journal of Oral Science (IJOS).
WCSS has also established and maintained a long-lasting and stable partnership with many esteemed overseas dental schools and academic institutions. Students participate actively in international cooperative programs such as the university immersion program for undergraduate students, joint training for postgraduate students, the international dental clinical skills competition, and academic exchanges.
As the first school/ hospital to offer dental education and clinical service in China, WCSS/WCHS has always been a pioneer in leading the profession with a model of academic innovation. In the future, WCSS/WCHS is committed to pursuing its professional prominence and achieving higher standards for the ultimate well-being of all mankind.
