Initially the program was two years of five months each with one year of practice in the infirmary, doing dental work for the “worthy poor.”   In 1892 the dental program was extended to three years and in 1918 to four years.  In 1895 the school year was extended from five months to 7 1/2 months and in 1905 to eight months.  Admission requirements likewise increased.  By 1894 a recognized high school diploma was required; in 1921 a year of high school physics and a year of college-level liberal arts were required.  And as dentistry became to be seen as a “specialty of medicine,” the curriculum came to include “the fundamental departments of medicine with operative dental surgery and oral prosthetics.”

Given its location, N.Y.C.D. attracted a large number of foreign-born and first generation students.  The school accepted a female student in 1871—Countess Swiderska of St. Petersburg, Russia.  Dean Frank Abbott said that while the Countess showed “amazing application and aptitude,” there was no “combatting her restless energy.” She demanded too much faculty time, and so they determined that they would never accept another female student.   Even in 1925-26, the merged New York University College of Dentistry had only four women among its student body.

Newspapers show few extracurricular activities.  By 1886 a Students’ Society had been formed.  The Psi Omega dental fraternity was chartered in 1892, the first of the thirteen fraternities organized before the merger.  The Dental Violet shows that at some point each class had begun to sponsor a prom.

The 1921 law by the New York State Legislature essentially required that the professional schools become associated with a university.  This led to the New York School of Dentistry becoming the New York University School of Dentistry.  As such it remains today.