Dear James B. Edwards College of Dental Medicine alumni and friends,
It is my pleasure to share updates and upcoming events with you.
An aspirational new strategy
Within 20 years, MUSC envisions that South Carolina will be ranked in the top 20 in the nation for health outcomes and will be a top 20 academic health system in the nation. As a college, we are aligned with the university’s aspirational goals.
We take pride and solemn responsibility as South Carolina’s only dental college. Through our mission in education, research and patient care, we are committed to a healthy future for South Carolina and healthy smiles for all.
Alongside MUSC’s three focus areas, the James B. Edwards College of Dental Medicine will pursue a bold strategy over the coming years:
- Empower Healthy Communities - Develop an integrated network of oral health across South Carolina to improve health. For example, we are building a hub and spoke model of a GPR program in Florence, Marion and Lake City to support rural South Carolina.
- Reshape the Future Workforce - Foster an environment that creates workplace engagement and value. Inspire and equip learners and employees to be leaders in oral health and education.
- Drive Innovation and Health Transformation - Drive investment in innovation, creating new knowledge and scientific discoveries through an expanded research portfolio. Drive transformative changes in health care, research, enrollment and learning. Our Innovation Lab is a direct example of this strategy.
Your support of our students and college continues to be deeply appreciated. Your partnership in planning for the needs of South Carolina’s oral health workforce and the people we care for is essential.
Tuition
I am sure you have heard by now about a major reduction in tuition and fees for our in-state students which will positively impact future generations of students. This reduction will also allow us to continue to recruit competitive students. This is a profound achievement through the support and advocacy of our State Legislature. We are grateful to many individuals and groups. I am unaware of any dental school in the nation who has successfully advocated such a reduction, especially after no increases in tuition and fees for eight consecutive years (2017 onwards).
Save the date
The college is planning a casual event in Charleston for our dental alumni on the evening of Feb. 28, 2026. We’ll provide more details as they become available.
Continuing education
Register now for our October 2025 courses:
- Nitrous Oxide Monitoring
- Carlos F. Salinas Dental Program for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Individuals with Special Health Care Needs
The MUSC College of Dental Medicine is an ADA CERP-recognized provider.
Sincerely,
Sarandeep Huja, D.D.S., Ph.D.
Dean, MUSC James B. Edwards College of Dental Medicine
Sarandeep S. Huja
Dean, James B. Edwards College of Dental Medicine Professor, College of Dental Medicine
Sarandeep S. Huja, D.D.S., Ph.D., has served as professor of the Department of Orthodontics and dean of the James B. Edwards College of Dental Medicine at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) since October 2017.
Dr. Huja initially received his dental (1987) and orthodontic (1992) training from the Government Dental College and Hospital, Bombay. From 1993 to 2001, he was associated with three U.S. institutions, receiving his Master of Science (1995) from Marquette University, his Doctor of Philosophy in Dental Science (1999) and Orthodontic Certificate (1999) from Indiana University, and his Doctor of Dental Surgery (2001) from the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Dentistry. His Ph.D. was conducted under the mentorship of Dr. David Burr from the Department of Anatomy and Dr. W. Eugene Roberts in Orthodontics from Indiana University. From 2001 to 2011, he served as faculty at the Ohio State University, working under the mentorship of Dr. Katherine Vig, a world-renowned orthodontist and educator. In 2011, he joined the University of Kentucky as chief of the Division of Orthodontics. In 2016, he was appointed the program director of Orthodontics and associate dean for Faculty and Student Development and Graduate Studies at the University of Kentucky.
Dr. Huja has served as advisor for both the Ph.D. and Master's graduate students and taught Orthodontics and Bone Biology to dental and graduate students. His research seeks to understand bone remodeling, osteoclast biology, and adaptation to physical forces, including tooth movement. His students have been recognized with national awards for projects related to tooth movement and implant adaptation biology. He also served as the president of the Craniofacial Biology Group of the International Association of Dental Research.
At MUSC, Dr. Huja has worked on the expansion of off-peninsula oral and dental clinics at Ryan White and in West Ashley and Summerville. He also recently moved the college to an integrated electronic health record system, Epic Wisdom, and is focusing the college's attention on rural expansion throughout the state and integration into MUSC Health facilities.
Dr. Huja is a member of the Midwest component of the E.H. Angle Society and is a Diplomate of the American Board of Orthodontics. He also maintains an intramural faculty practice.
