Wits School of Oral Health Sciences launches centenary with commemorative memorial lecture
- Wits Faculty of Health Sciences
Celebrating 100 years of Oral Health Sciences
On the 14th May 2026, the School of Oral Health Sciences hosted its Memorial Lecture to mark the commencement of its centenary celebration. The event started with a curated exhibition at the Adler Museum of Medicine, showcasing the school’s rich history and heritage. The exhibition featured vintage dental equipment and instruments from the profession's early years, alongside current technology and advancements, offering a glimpse into the future.
Caption: An oral health student viewing dental x-rays using binocular lenses at the curated exhibition.
The Lecture took place at the Wits Faculty of Health Sciences Campus, where the school’s impact on South Africa’s dental and oral health education, research, and service was extolled. It was attended by staff, students and alumni.
In his welcome address, the Faculty Dean, Professor Shabir Madhi, lauded the school for its legacy as the oldest dental school in South Africa and on the African continent. He also emphasised that the school continues to play a role in reshaping and evolving itself, especially in addressing inequality, strengthening training, and advancing research.
“This centenary is therefore not simply a celebration of the past; it is really a call for the future,” he declared.
Caption: Wits Faculty of Health Sciences Dean, Professor Shabir Madhi, giving a welcome address
The talk, titled “The Active Statue: A historical perspective of 100 years of dentistry at Wits”, was delivered by Professor Bill Evans, the former Head of School and Faculty Deputy Dean. He started by reflecting on the school's conception, paying homage to early pioneers such as Dr Tom Derry and Dr Oomie Breyer, who laid the groundwork by establishing a volunteer clinic for underserved communities in the 1920s and Professor John Cecil Middleton Shaw in 1925, who was tasked with building a dental school from minimal resources.
“The energy and determination and the commitment characteristic … set us on the path,” he said.
Research breakthroughs and scientific contributions
Professor Evans highlighted the pioneering research that the School has undertaken over the decades. He said research is central to the school's identity and drives knowledge. “Research is alive and well at the school… and it’s going to make good contributions to worldwide knowledge in dentistry,” he added.
Caption: Keynote speaker, Professor Bill Evans, delivering the memorial lecture
Advancing understanding of jaw function
“It was at Wits that electronathrographics was born,” he said, adding that this was the most significant research project to come out of the School at the time. Electronathrographics is an innovation that enables high-precision recording of jaw movements to study the sciences behind chewing. “It just gives us an indication that there are so many individual differences in terms of the way that we actually move that jaw,” he explains.
He adds that in earlier methods, researchers struggled to capture real-time, detailed motion, which compromised accuracy. He says, although he’s always known that the San people are “the world’s champion masticators”, this innovation proved it. “We gave them sweets to chew… I turned to the recording apparatus, and they were finished,” he jokingly shared the challenges before modern technology.
Introducing dental implants to South Africa
Another innovation the School introduced to South Africa was dental implant technology. Wits professors brought the technique home, helping transform restorative dentistry in the country.
Professor Evans says that it’s befitting that the School has since expanded its research area to “investigating the integrity” of areas such as the mucosa (soft oral tissue) and the effectiveness of osseointegration implants.
He says Witsies have also been in the forefront of daring invention, citing Professor Gerald Gavron as the first to use direct bonding of orthodontic brackets onto teeth. “Prior to that, they had all just done one or two teeth. He did the entire mouth. And what was his patient? His daughter. But that's fantastic!” he exclaimed.
Challenges that shape
Over the past century, the Wits School of Oral Health Sciences has been shaped as much by its challenges as by its successes. It faced disruptions, including a fire that displaced it and halted clinical operations for months.
Despite these pressures, the school consistently adapted, maintaining training and accreditation through a collective effort. As reflected by all speakers, this resilience defines the institution’s character.
Dr Sello Matjila, the CEO of the Wits Oral Health Centre, a tertiary Oral Health facility of the Gauteng Department of Health (GDoH), said the School represents a formidable legacy “marked by achievement, resilience, and transformation.”
He further emphasised the shared vision and responsibility between the two entities in providing community-centred research and practice. He noted, “We are not custodians in name only. We are decision makers with consequences.”
Caption: Dr Sello Matjila, the CEO of the Wits Oral Health Centre
Looking ahead
Over 100 years, the school has produced thousands of dentists, specialists, and oral hygienists, many of whom have gone on to shape dental education across South Africa and beyond.
The South African Dental Association (SADA) President, Dr Paul Mathai, said “In the new era where oral health sciences is shaped by new technologies and Artificial Intelligence (AI), there are higher pressures and expectations for practitioners to meet. The next century, therefore, will require excellent clinicians, but also courageous leaders, ethical professionals, innovative thinkers, and compassionate servants of society. Institutions such as Wits will remain central to that mission”.
Caption: Dr Paul Mathai, SADA President
Building up the next century
The event was sponsored by industry partner, Trojan Medical. Representative Mr Maruis de Bruyn highlighted the legacy of support for academic institutions. He explains, “As a partner, and stakeholder we are working alongside universities to uphold and advance standards in care. It's about responsibility, carrying something forward, and the university's legacy is clearly still active, still relevant, and still shaping what comes next.”
The Head of School, Professor Londi Shangase in her reflection, acknowledged the responsibility that rests with the school to build on the legacy left by the forebears...” to ensure that: we remain at the forefront of dental education with relevance in the country and the continent, we become a school that its alumni identifies with...a school that we will all choose for our children, grandchildren and great grandchildren”.
Caption: Professor Londi Shangase, Head of the Wits School of Oral Health Sciences
She went on to thank all the former Heads of School, those who acted in the position, staff (WOHC and SOHS), and alumni/current students who chose Wits as their school of choice, for keeping the school alive and viable through the most trying of times.
Likening the School to Phoenix rising from the ashes, she emphasised that the school will continue to rise to greater heights, founded on excellence, innovation and integrity. To secure further impact into the next century, its priorities are clear: expand access, strengthen research, invest in infrastructure, and address persistent inequalities in oral healthcare.
To meet these priorities, the Wits School of Oral Health and GDoH are pursuing the construction of a new school and dental hospital with modern, fit-for-purpose infrastructure. Given the significant financial barriers to funding this project, private-sector funding and partnerships are essential to make this a reality. Prof Shangase called upon the alumni, the stakeholders in the industry, friends and partners of the School to join hands with the school and co-create a school that will stand the test of time for the next 100 years and beyond.
The programme Director, Dr Matshediso Mothopi-Peri closed by encouraging everyone to join the school on the upcoming events planned for the Centenary celebrations which include, the Parade and Street festival (04 July 2026), the Research and showcase Day (09 October 2026), and Alumni Gala Dinner (10 October 2026).
Caption: Dr Matshediso Mothopi-Peri
This launch of the School of Oral Health Sciences Centenary celebrations was truly a day of jubilation, filled with performances by the School of Oral Health Sciences students' Choir, Batswana students’ cultural society (Thari e ntsho), the pianist (Mr Wesley Mamafa), and the Classical guitarist (Courtney Williams).
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Caption: Some of the performances on the evening
We wish the School of Oral health Sciences a happy centenary celebration.