Virginia Commonwealth University has chosen architectural firms Kahler Slater and Hanbury to design a five-story, 312,000-square-foot building for the Richmond campus that will serve as the new home for the university’s School of Dentistry.
The university says the schematic design will be used to support a request for state construction funds in the next biennial budget, which will go before the General Assembly next year. Construction would begin in May 2027, with completion anticipated in late 2029.
The building would be erected on what is now the site of the Larrick Student Center.
The design creates a connection between clinical education, specialized patient care and advanced educational laboratories. A new building would enable the School of Dentistry to welcome more patients, create environments accommodating those with special needs, and support continued innovation in clinical care and learning.
Key features of the planned facility include a U-shaped layout that integrates classrooms, academic offices and educational labs with predoctoral, dental hygiene student and graduate specialty dentistry clinics. The facility will have green spaces – including a student courtyard, community garden and a cafe on the main floor. Five multipurpose classrooms would be available for university events and meetings.
The dental school accommodates more than 100,000 appointments each year, and it is the state’s largest provider of dental care to Virginians insured by Medicaid.
