What We Do

Harry M. Cornell Dental Education Center

Designing for innovative pedagogy and people-centered care

As rural communities in Missouri, Kansas, and Arkansas struggle with access to quality health and dental care, Kansas City University (KCU) expanded its Joplin campus with a new, state-of-the-art dental school.

Location: Joplin, MO
Size: 99,210 SF

Designed in partnership with SmithGroup, the Harry M. Cornell Dental Education Center is comprised of two buildings. The academically focused College of Dental Medicine, an addition to the existing College of Medicine, creates opportunities for interdisciplinary learning and allow students from all programs to share spaces. The Oral Health Clinic, an integrated clinical practice, provides dental care to the surrounding community as students engage in hands-on learning. Student-focused spaces throughout the buildings supports KCU’s “Live, Learn, Serve Community” philosophy in order to attract, retain, and nurture students in a holistic health sciences environment.