Dentistry education has been founded at Cluj in the academic year 1919/1920. There was a single department within the Romanian faculty of medicine from the university in Cluj. The fundamental preparation in this field was addressed to all physicians. After graduating the Faculty of Medicine, students were able to follow further specialization in dentistry.
Professor Gheorghe Bilascu (1863 – 1926) has been the organizer of dentistry education in Cluj, education which he has lead during 1919-1926. Due to his endeavors, dental medicine education has become obligatory, for the first time in Romania. It is worth mentioning that this department – dental medicine – has been the first department of the medical education in Romania.
A new period in professional education began in 1932, when Associate Professor Ion Aleman (1891-1948) – a disciple of professor Bilascu – has taken over the management of the department of Dentistry within the Faculty of Medicine. Aleman has improved professional education and built a course for the students.
In 1948, the Faculty of Dentistry was founded within the Medico-Pharmaceutical Institute in Cluj. Initially, the faculty had only three Departments: Orthopedic dentistry, Therapeutic dentistry, and Bucomaxillofacial surgery. Afterwards, Orthopedic dentistry has been divided in two Departments: Infant Dentistry (Pedodontics-Orthodontics), in the academic year 1961/1962, and Dental Propaedeutics, in the academic year 1962/1963.
Among the most representative members of the faculty’s teaching staff, we can mention: Professor Doc. Vasile Vasilescu (1899-1992) at Orthopedic Dentistry, Associaite Professor Mauritiu Schapira (1907-199 ???) at Infant Dentistry, Professor Doc. Iosif Baba (1909-1991) at Bucodental Therapy, Professor Doc. Cornel Oprisiu (1908) at Buco-maxillo-facial Surgery.
Starting with the academic year 1972/1973, the following disciplines have been included within the Faculty of Dentistry: Microbiology, Biochemistry, Anatomy, Pharmacology, Histology, Physiology, Physiopathology, General Surgery, Obstetrics-Gynecology (from 1977/1978), General Hygiene, and Social Medicine (from 1977/1978).
Starting with the academic year 1964/1965, the preparation of dentistry students for internal medicine has been ensured at Medical Clinic IV, newly founded within the MTTC (CFR) Hospital.
In 1972, the discipline of Dental Radiology has been founded, under the authority of Professor Hugo Ratiu (1927-2004).
The newest department has been founded in 1999 – Implantology, Oral Rehabilitation, Dental Emergencies, and Craniomaxillofacial Surgery, running even today under the authority of Professor Grigore Băciut, MD,PhD.