“Our students now have a sense of identity and a home – a place where they can truly realize their visions of becoming dentists.” - Glen Hanson, D.D.S., Ph.D., Associate Dean, School of Dentistry

The completion of the Ray and Tye Noorda Oral Health Sciences Building is a natural outgrowth of the University of Utah’s Regional Dental Education Program that began in 1980. Located in the University’s Research Park, the 85,000 square-foot LEED® Silver certified facility is home to the School of Dentistry and is designed to complement the natural local landscape. Rough-hewn masonry embodies the jagged lines of the surrounding Wasatch foothills, terracotta panels reflect the nearby Red Butte Canyon, and custom GFRC art panels depict regional imagery of dry desert clay and local aspen trees. From the interior, the observer is connected to the expansive Utah sky through abundant windows. From the exterior, the glass reflects the context, integrating the horizon into the building facade.
The design takes advantage of the sloping site, placing the prominent building facade along the major street and sinking the three-level parking garage into the hill to the north. Nearby public transit stops allow for easy pedestrian access directly to the main lobby from the south entrance. Vehicular access and a patient drop-off is located at the north entrance of the main lobby. The lobby entries come together in a large, open waiting and reception area that extends itself vertically, visually connecting the building’s three floors. Natural light fills the circulation, maintaining the connection to the natural world.
Organized with clinics on the entry level, the building allows immediate access for patients. Students occupy the second level with teaching spaces, technic labs, collaboration areas, and a state-of-the-art simulation lab. In addition to the educational spaces, casual and quiet study spaces are located in between dental labs and classrooms, offering areas for impromptu learning and socializing. Visually pronounced on the exterior and interior as a terracotta box, the main lecture hall is centrally located with intended use by various campus organizations. Administrative, faculty areas, and research spaces are on located the third level and are easily accessible to students.
Lead Architect: MHTN Architects
Experience Design & Dental Lab Specialist: Kahler Slater
Structural Engineer: Reaveley Engineers
Civil Engineer: Psomas Engineering
Mechanical Engineer: VBFA
Electrical Engineer: Ken Garner Engineering