“Another filling needed.” Does this sound familiar? Here at Ankara Üniversitesi Diş Hekimliği Fakültesi, the future dentists of Turkey learn to prevent that very sentence from becoming your reality.
Ankara Üniversitesi Diş Hekimliği Fakültesi stands as a pillar of dental education. It is located on Ankara University’s Beşevler Campus. The faculty offers a comprehensive five-year undergraduate program. The instruction is in both Turkish and English.
But let’s step back to understand how this esteemed faculty came to be. The seeds of Ankara Üniversitesi Diş Hekimliği Fakültesi were sown in 1959. Zafer Paykoç then dean of the Ankara University Faculty of Medicine spearheaded the initiative. He convened a board of professors to explore establishing a school of dentistry. A commission was formed. It drafted a law based on their report. The board approved this draft and sent it to the Ankara University Senate.
However the 1960 Turkish coup d’état put progress on hold. Imagine the files gathering dust and the dreams deferred.
But the vision for a dental faculty did not fade. In September 1963 the Ankara University Faculty of Medicine Board of Professors requested a new report. Cihat Borçbakan a Professor of Maxillofacial and Plastic Surgery at the Gülhane Military Medical Academy prepared it. He also lectured on maxillofacial surgery at the Ankara University Faculty of Medicine Ear Nose and Throat Clinic. The regulations approving the college were published in the Official Gazette in December 1963. Finally Ankara Üniversitesi Diş Hekimliği Fakültesi was a reality. It became a full faculty in 1977.
Ankara Üniversitesi Diş Hekimliği Fakültesi has grown into a vital part of Ankara University. Ankara University itself holds a significant place in Turkish history. Founded by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk it was the first higher education institution in Turkey after the formation of the Republic in 1923. Think about that for a moment. This university was born from the very foundation of modern Turkey.
Ankara Üniversitesi Diş Hekimliği Fakültesi continues to uphold a tradition of excellence. The faculty is committed to providing high-quality education. They prepare students to meet the oral healthcare needs of the community.
The Faculty of Dentistry is more than just a place of learning. It is a place where future healthcare professionals are molded. It is a place where the health and smiles of future generations are secured. So next time you smile think of the dedicated individuals who pass through these halls at Ankara Üniversitesi Diş Hekimliği Fakültesi. They ensure our smiles remain bright for years to come.