2026 to 2031 Strategic Plan

Shaping the Future of Oral Health

Dear UCLA School of Dentistry Community,

For more than 60 years, our School has led in education, research, and patient care. As we look ahead, we remain guided by a clear purpose: to improve health and transform lives through innovation, collaboration, and service.

Our 2026 to 2031 Strategic Plan reflects this commitment. It prepares students and residents for a changing health care landscape, expands research impact, and strengthens the systems that support our mission. It also aligns with the campus's forward-looking strategic plan, One UCLA, guided by three principles: to be connective, impactful, and exemplary.

At its core, this plan is about people: the trainees we educate, the patients we serve, the communities we impact, and the faculty and staff who make our work possible. By investing in their success, we invest in the future of oral health.

With gratitude,
Paul H. Krebsbach
Dean and Professor

Strategic Imperatives

Grounded in our mission to improve oral and general health locally and globally, the plan centers on four strategic imperatives:

Together, these priorities prepare the next generation of health care leaders while enhancing UCLA Dentistry’s role as a national model for innovation and impact. As we work to achieve and assess the outcomes of these four strategic imperatives, progress will be shared on this site.

Mission, Vision, and Core Values

These are the "north stars" guiding our collective work towards strategic plan goals.
 

Mission

Improve oral and general health through education, research, patient care, and public service.

Vision

Deliver excellent, equitable education and patient care facilitated by discovery and innovation.

Core Values – INSPIRE

• Inclusion  
• Nurture  
• Success  
• Professionalism  
• Innovation  
• Respect  
• Excellence