Uniquely Designed to Support Digital Dental Education

DesignGroup and Kahler Slater worked together on a 400,000-SF master plan for the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Dental Medicine, with the goal of developing a new state-of-the-art facility. As part of this planning, the team studied existing conditions, conducted visioning exercises with stakeholders, and produced options for space programming and departmental adjacencies. 

DesignGroup then renovated and modernized three digital dental laboratories on the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th floors of the University of Pittsburgh’s existing dental facility, creating state-of-the-art environments for advanced clinical and educational use. Each floor was uniquely designed to support specific dental training needs.

The 2nd-floor Advanced Digital Dental Lab features 13 workstations and a dental mould lab equipped with 3D printers, milling machines, suction and curing units, cleaning equipment, and custom millwork. A full-height butt-glazed glass storefront enhances visibility and openness. 

The 3rd-floor Pre-Doctoral Digital Dental Lab includes four workstations and cutting-edge dental restoration tools such as 3D printers, devices for crowns, bridges, veneers, surgical guides, and supporting equipment, also framed by a glazed glass storefront. 

The 4th-floor Pre-Clinical Digital Dental Lab houses 18 workstations and a comprehensive mould lab with full digital capabilities. It mirrors the architectural finish of the lower floors with glazed glass fronts and detailed custom millwork. To support the labs, a new mechanical system was installed, tracking air supply and exhaust vertically across nine stories from a subbasement mechanical room to the rooftop, where three new exhaust fans were added to meet specialized equipment demands.