As a distinguished resource for dental education in Texas for more than 100 years, Texas A&M School of Dentistry in Dallas is dedicated to combining higher education and research with community service. The college opened its doors in 1905, was affiliated with Baylor University from 1918 to 1971 and spent the next 25 years as an independent, private institution. In 1996, the College of Dentistry entered an entirely new era as a member of The Texas A&M University System. In 1999, the college became a founding college of the Texas A&M Health Science Center. Students at the College of Dentistry learn life lessons -- in addition to dental medicine -- from a diverse patient population, which prepares them for the real-life challenges and opportunities awaiting them upon graduation. Since its founding, the College of Dentistry has graduated more than 8,000 dentists and dental hygienists, and is known internationally for producing excellent clinicians. More than half of all the dentists in the Dallas/Fort Worth area received their dental education at the college, and nearly one-third of all dentists in Texas are College of Dentistry graduates. The college also graduates the largest number of dental hygienists with bachelor's degrees in the state. To provide opportunities for graduates to enter a post-graduate experience prior to licensure, the college also offers a variety of postdoctoral certificate and degree programs.