Designing Dental Schools from the Inside Out, Part One

Reading time: 5 minutes

Dental education is evolving at a rapid pace. With rising patient expectations, advancing technology and increasing competition among universities, dental schools are under pressure to modernize their facilities in ways that are not only functional but also flexible enough to support the future of the profession. At the same time, schools must balance cost-effectiveness, regulatory compliance and operational efficiency.

One of the most important (and often underestimated) factors in this evolution is equipment planning. More than simply choosing lights or sterilizers, equipment planning is the deliberate process of aligning technology, space and curriculum into a cohesive framework. It shapes how patients experience care, how students prepare for practice and how faculty conduct teaching and research. When addressed early and carried through consistently, equipment planning helps form the backbone of a truly future-ready dental facility.

This article is the first in a two-part series: part one looks at why equipment planning matters and how early involvement shapes successful facilities; part two will examine how digital tools, simulation labs and hybrid learning environments are changing what’s possible — and what’s required — in the design of future-ready dental schools.

Why Equipment Planning Matters

Dental equipment planning is the process of ensuring a facility has the right instruments, technology and infrastructure to support patient care, student learning and faculty research. It’s not just about what’s needed today, but rather about planning for tomorrow. By carefully selecting and placing equipment, schools can create environments that elevate the patient experience, help students master essential skills and give faculty the resources to teach and innovate. The result is graduates who are confident, capable and ready to step into practice.

For universities, equipment planners serve as trusted guides through this process. Whether the project is a renovation or a brand-new facility, planners help academic health science institutions align space, technology and curriculum to train the next generation of dentists and dental educators. They bring insight into the latest industry advancements and lessons learned from peer institutions, helping schools avoid pitfalls and stay ahead of the curve.

While internal university procurement personnel play an important role, dental education requires a level of specialization that goes beyond restocking traditional, everyday supplies. That’s where equipment planners add real value: working hand-in-hand with the school’s procurement and leadership teams. They provide confidence that every piece of equipment is thoughtfully chosen and strategically placed. They also collaborate with a school’s relationships with existing vendors and suppliers while introducing new options, ensuring decisions are based on a broad and unbiased understanding of what’s available. Because they understand how products integrate with building systems, equipment planners are essential to opening a fully functioning clinic, lab or research facility — on time, on budget and ready to serve.

Planning the Equipment Selections

Having an equipment planner on board is only the first step. The real value comes from bringing them into the process early because in dental education, space and equipment are inseparable. Operatories, labs and research areas aren’t defined by walls first and filled in later; they’re shaped around the tools and technology they house. Space to accommodate equipment, space to work around it and space to oversee care all need to be considered from the start. These conversations are most effective during the programming phase, when the design is still flexible enough to adapt.

Curriculum plays an equally important role in shaping equipment needs. Factors such as student enrollment, patient caseloads and the overall configuration of clinical spaces all influence what a facility requires. The types of services offered (imaging, pediatrics or other specialties) add another layer of complexity. Even the everyday routines of a dental school — from sterilization and housekeeping to the way patients move through check-in and discharge — affect how and where equipment should be placed. When equipment planners are involved throughout the design process, these operational realities become part of the facility’s DNA rather than afterthoughts. 

This level of attention is critical because assumptions often result in spaces that don’t function as intended, layouts that feel outdated before they open or equipment that simply doesn’t fit. Careful documentation provides the necessary safeguard, outlining each selection along with its infrastructure and installation requirements. In turn, this creates clarity across teams, prevents budget overlaps and ensures accountability between the university, its purchasing and facilities management departments and contractors.

That same precision extends beyond programming and operations into the building’s infrastructure itself. Most dental equipment relies on a carefully coordinated network of power, plumbing, data connections and even structural reinforcement. These requirements need to be identified and embedded in construction drawings well before installation begins. When that level of coordination is in place, schools avoid costly errors, minimize disruptive field adjustments and keep projects on schedule. The stakes are even higher when acute care procedures are part of the curriculum; for instance, preparing a facility for deep sedation means designing systems that meet Category I and/or II life safety standards. Anticipating these needs early is essential, and it’s where equipment planners provide irreplaceable expertise.

As Louis Sullivan famously observed, form follows function. In dental education, it’s also true that form follows equipment; in other words, designing from the inside out, allowing tools and technology to shape the spaces they occupy and create facilities that work the way they’re intended. While the exterior of a building may reflect a variety of architectural styles or campus standards, a dental facility’s true measure of success lies in how well it supports the curriculum and enhances the patient experience. In this way, equipment planning becomes more than a technical exercise — establishing the foundation for design excellence.

Equipment planning forms the backbone of successful dental facility design. When curriculum, operations and infrastructure are aligned from the very beginning, schools reduce risk, control costs and create spaces that work exactly as intended. But thoughtful planning doesn’t stop there. As technology continues to reshape how dentistry is taught and practiced, facilities must adapt in step. 

In part two of this series, we’ll explore how digital tools, simulation labs and hybrid learning environments are redefining space needs, and how equipment planners help schools prepare for the future of dental education.