The Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS) will take over the operations of the Forsyth School for Dental Hygienists, the MCPHS and The Forsyth Institute announced today. The Forsyth Institute will continue as an independent institution dedicated to research and education in the field of oral and craniofacial health.
�The Forsyth dental hygiene program will expand the College�s range of health sciences degree programs,� said MCPHS President Charles F. Monahan, Jr. �The agreement brings together two historic institutions -- the oldest college in the city of Boston and the oldest continually operating school of dental hygiene in the country.�
The change is scheduled to take effect July 1, 2002, when the dental hygiene program becomes an administrative unit of the college. Students will begin taking courses at MCPHS in the fall of 2002. MCPHS will retain the Forsyth name for the dental hygiene program. The full transition, including the physical relocation of the program�s dental hygiene clinic, will occur over a three-to-four year period.
�The School for Dental Hygienists will greatly benefit from the MCPHS acquisition,� according to Dominick P. DePaola, DDS, PhD, Forsyth�s president and CEO. �Students and faculty will gain the advantage of interaction with students and faculty in other health professions, a broader academic environment, and a national recruitment effort.�
The Forsyth School for Dental Hygienists was founded in 1916 as part of what was then called the Forsyth Dental Infirmary for Children. The School was one of the first programs in the US to educate dental hygienists and served as a national model. The School has been previously affiliated with Tufts and Northeastern Universities. The School for Dental Hygienists will now permanently join MCPHS�s growing health-related degree programs, which include physician assistant studies, radiologic sciences, health psychology, and pre-medical and health studies as well as its traditional programs in pharmacy.
President Monahan and President DePaola foresee opportunities for joint projects between the two institutions such as student clinical rotations and collaborative research.
The Forsyth Institute, founded in 1910, is an international scientific organization focused on oral and craniofacial research and education. It has operated the Forsyth School for Dental Hygienists since 1916.
Founded in 1823, The Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, with campuses in Boston and Worcester, Massachusetts, is the largest college of pharmacy in the US. It is one of the fastest-growing health sciences degree institutions in the world.
###
