 The College of Dental Medicine traces its origin to 1852, as the New York College of Dentistry, later the New York College of Dental and Oral Surgery.In 1916 Columbia University, recognizing dentistry as an integral part of the health sciences, established its own school of dental education and absorbed both the New York Post-graduate School of Dentistry and the New York School of Dental Hygiene.In 1923, the New York College of Dentistry merged with the New York College of Dental and Oral Surgery to form the present School of Dental and Oral Surgery of Columbia University.