New York City is getting its first new dental school since 1916. Yeshiva University announced on March 11, 2026, that its College of Dental Medicine will open in Herald Square, Midtown Manhattan, enrolling its first class of 150 students in July 2026.
At the center of the school is Yeshiva Dental Health, a 130-chair clinical training facility expected to serve hundreds of patients daily, including pediatric patients covered by Medicaid.
For Queens families who have struggled to find affordable dental care for their children, this clinic represents a meaningful new option just a subway ride away.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
- What opened: Yeshiva University College of Dental Medicine NYC’s first new dental school since 1916 announced March 11, 2026, opening July 2026.
- Where: Herald Square, corner of 34th Street and Broadway, Midtown Manhattan.
- The clinic: Yeshiva Dental Health 130 chairs, expected to treat hundreds of patients daily, with pediatric and orthodontic specialty clinics.
- Medicaid: The New York Times reported that the clinic’s pediatric and orthodontic specialty clinics plan to accept Medicaid patients.
- Why it matters for Queens: Nearly half of NYC’s practicing dentists are over age 55 and approaching retirement. A new school producing 150 graduates per year directly addresses the city’s growing dentist shortage.
What Is Yeshiva University’s College of Dental Medicine?
The Yeshiva University College of Dental Medicine (YUCDM) is housed in a reimagined 10-story historic building at Herald Square, originally built in 1902 as the flagship Saks department store, now a center for dental education and community health.
The school is fully accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) and registered by the New York State Education Department (NYSED), meaning its graduates will be fully licensed to practice dentistry in New York.
The program offers an accelerated three-year Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) degree, compressing the traditional four-year timeline without reducing clinical training requirements.
According to the university, the school will enroll 150 students annually, with the first class beginning in July 2026.
The accelerated timeline is designed to address the workforce gap faster and reduce the financial burden on students.
Estimated annual tuition and mandatory fees run approximately $120,000, with a total cost of attendance around $178,000 for the 2026-27 academic year.
The curriculum prioritizes hands-on clinical experience from day one, integrating digital imaging, 3D printing, and modern clinical technology throughout training.
Founding Dean Dr. Edward Farkas, who previously served as vice dean at Touro College of Dental Medicine, stated: “Our innovative three-year curriculum, integrated with state-of-the-art facilities and a focus on excellent patient care, will prepare students for leadership in dental practice.”
The 130-Chair Clinic: What It Means for NYC Patients
At the heart of the school is Yeshiva Dental Health, a 130-chair teaching clinic designed to function simultaneously as a student training facility and a community dental care center.
The clinic is expected to serve hundreds of patients daily once at full capacity.
Teaching clinics at dental schools are well established as a major source of affordable dental care.
Patients receive supervised care from dental students at significantly reduced costs compared to private practices, and the quality is generally equivalent to what a new graduate would provide in a private office.
Critically for Queens families, the clinic’s specialty clinics, including pediatric dentistry and orthodontics, plan to accept Medicaid patients, according to reporting by The New York Times.
This is significant. As we covered in our article on the national surge in children’s ER visits for dental pain, only 1 in 3 US dentists currently accepts Medicaid.
A major teaching clinic in Manhattan explicitly committing to pediatric Medicaid coverage adds real capacity to a system that is critically short on it in New York City.
Parents should be aware that teaching clinic appointments typically take longer than private practice visits, since students are working under faculty supervision.
However, for families without insurance or with Medicaid, the cost savings and quality of care make teaching clinics an excellent option, especially for routine care, preventive visits, and specialty consultations that private Medicaid practices often have long wait times for.
To understand what to expect at your child’s first visit to any dental provider, our guide to the first pediatric dental visit walks through the process age by age.
Why NYC Needed a New Dental School
The announcement is not just good news for parents; it is a direct response to a documented crisis in the New York City dental workforce.
According to Dean Farkas, nearly half of NYC’s practicing dentists are over age 55 and approaching retirement age. The American Dental Association’s Health Policy Institute has identified this as a nationwide “retirement cliff,” a wave of experienced dentists leaving practice without enough new graduates entering to replace them, particularly in urban areas that serve large low-income and Medicaid-enrolled populations.
New York City currently has two dental schools: NYU College of Dentistry and Columbia University College of Dental Medicine.
Both are long-established and well-regarded, but their combined annual graduate output has not kept pace with the retirement of older dentists or the expansion of the city’s population.
Adding 150 new DDS graduates per year, dentists trained specifically in a New York City clinical environment and equipped with modern digital dentistry skills directly addresses both the quantity and the currency of the city’s dental workforce.
Rabbi Dr. Ari Berman, President of Yeshiva University, stated: “By establishing the city’s first new dental school in more than a century, we are advancing a bold vision of clinical excellence, innovation, and leadership educating dentists who will shape the future of their profession with skill, values, and a deep sense of responsibility to the communities they serve.”
The school was also backed by a $15 million philanthropic leadership gift from Morris Bailey and Joseph L. Jerome of JEMB Realty Corporation, a significant private investment that signals confidence in both the academic mission and the long-term community impact of the institution.
What This Means for Queens Families Specifically
Queens is one of the most ethnically and economically diverse boroughs in the United States, with a large percentage of children enrolled in Medicaid.
The borough has historically faced challenges with dental access, as many private practices either do not accept Medicaid, have long wait times, or are concentrated in certain neighborhoods rather than distributed evenly across the borough’s 14 community districts.
A large Medicaid-accepting teaching clinic in Midtown Manhattan is accessible from virtually every Queens neighborhood via the subway, making it a realistic option for families across the borough.
The pediatric specialty clinic is particularly relevant.
Pediatric dentistry requires specialized training, the ability to work with anxious or very young patients, apply age-appropriate preventive treatments like sealants and fluoride varnish, and recognize developmental issues in children’s tooth and jaw development.
A dedicated pediatric clinic at a teaching institution provides this specialty care at a price point that most Queens families can access.
The clinic is not open yet.
It will open with the school’s first cohort in July 2026, and will ramp up in capacity as the student body grows over its first three years.
Parents looking for care before then should browse our Queens pediatric dentist directory for providers currently accepting new patients, including those who accept Medicaid.
Parents looking for help understanding their coverage options should review our guide on whether Medicaid covers pediatric dental care.
What This Means for Your Child By Age
Infants and toddlers (under age 3): The AAPD recommends a child’s first dental visit within 6 months of the first tooth erupting, or by age 1 at the latest. A teaching clinic that accepts Medicaid patients opens a pathway for families who have not yet been able to establish care. Getting your child established with a dental provider in infancy at any practice, including a teaching clinic, sets the foundation for a lifetime of good oral health.
School-age children (ages 5–12): This age group benefits most from the pediatric specialty services a teaching clinic will offer: cavity treatment, dental sealants on newly erupted permanent molars, fluoride treatments, and early identification of orthodontic issues. If the Medicaid-accepting pediatric clinic is accessible to your family, it could provide a consistent dental home for children in the highest-cavity-risk years.
Preteens and teens (ages 12–17): Orthodontic evaluation becomes relevant in this window. The school’s orthodontic specialty clinic also planned to accept Medicaid, which could provide evaluations and treatment for children who would otherwise face long waits or high out-of-pocket costs for orthodontic consultations. Orthodontic issues caught and corrected early are significantly less complex and less expensive to treat than those addressed in adulthood.
Frequently Asked Questions About the New NYC Dental School
When will the Yeshiva Dental Health clinic open to patients?
The College of Dental Medicine enrolls its first students in July 2026.
The Yeshiva Dental Health teaching clinic is expected to begin seeing patients as students enter clinical training.
Parents interested in the clinic should check the Yeshiva University dental school website at dental.yu.edu for patient appointment availability once the school opens.
Does the clinic really accept Medicaid for children?
According to reporting by The New York Times cited by multiple dental industry outlets, Yeshiva University plans for its pediatric and orthodontic specialty clinics to accept Medicaid patients.
Parents should confirm insurance acceptance directly with the clinic once it opens, as policies can change.
This is currently a stated commitment, not yet an operational fact, since the clinic has not opened.
Is dental care at a teaching clinic as good as care at a private practice?
Yes, with important caveats.
Teaching clinic patients receive care from dental students working under close faculty supervision. Faculty supervise every significant procedure.
The quality of clinical outcomes is generally equivalent to that of early-career private practitioners.
However, appointments take longer because students work more carefully and faculty verify each step.
For routine and preventive care, teaching clinics are excellent.
For dental emergencies requiring urgent same-day care, a private practice or emergency dental service is more appropriate.
How do I get to the Herald Square clinic from Queens?
Herald Square (34th Street and Broadway) is directly served by the N, Q, R, and W subway lines, which connect to multiple Queens neighborhoods, including Astoria, Jackson Heights, Forest Hills, and Jamaica.
The B, D, F, and M lines also serve the 34th Street station.
Travel time from most Queens neighborhoods is 20 to 45 minutes.
Medical disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical or dental advice. Always consult a licensed pediatric dentist for your child’s specific dental health needs.
Reviewed by the Pediatric Dentist in Queens Editorial Team. Last Updated: March 14, 2026.
SOURCE LIST
1. Yeshiva University / PR Newswire — “Yeshiva University Launches New College of Dental Medicine in Midtown Manhattan.” March 11, 2026. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/yeshiva-university-launches-new-college-of-dental-medicine-in-midtown-manhattan-302711466.html
2. Becker’s Dental Review — “New York University to launch dental school.” March 2026. https://www.beckersdental.com/dentists/new-york-university-to-launch-dental-school/
3. Oral Health Group — “New York City opens first new dental school in more than a century.” March 2026. https://www.oralhealthgroup.com/dental-industry/new-york-city-opens-first-new-dental-school-in-more-than-a-century-1003994164/
4. Hoodline — “Yeshiva Opens Manhattan Dental School Near Herald Square.” March 12, 2026. https://hoodline.com/2026/03/herald-square-gets-new-bite-with-yeshiva-s-fast-track-dental-school/
5. Yeshiva University College of Dental Medicine — Official program page. https://www.dental.yu.edu
NOTE ON MEDICAID CLAIM: The Medicaid acceptance claim originates from the New York Times reporting, cited by Hoodline and VINnews. The NYT article is behind a paywall and was not directly fetched. All secondary sources that cite it agree on the substance. This should be attributed in the article as “according to reporting by The New York Times” rather than as a direct statement from Yeshiva University, which is how it is handled in the article body.
Mary – Queens Pediatric Dental Resource Manager. I’m a dental health researcher and parent advocate based in Queens, NY. After struggling to find reliable pediatric dental information during my own child’s dental emergency, I created this resource to help other Queens families navigate their children’s oral health needs.
I curate evidence-based information from leading pediatric dental organizations, peer-reviewed research, and trusted dental health experts. While I’m not a dentist, I’m committed to providing accurate, practical guidance that helps parents make informed decisions.
All content is thoroughly researched and includes proper medical disclaimers directing families to consult qualified pediatric dentists for their children’s specific needs.