[1] From the early twentieth century, there was a general enthusiasm for town planning throughout the British Empire, America, Europe and Australia.

The Turbot Street Development Scheme is one of a number of urban design proposals for Brisbane reflecting this concern.

[1] The monumentality and civic grandeur given to the Brisbane Dental Hospital and College through its association with a larger urban design proposal in a commanding, inner-city position reflect the importance of the building for the State Government and for the University of Queensland.

Speaking at the laying of the foundation stone for the building on 20 March 1938 the Minister for Health and Home Affairs, Edward Hanlon, observed that the building was to harmonise architecturally with its near neighbour, the Brisbane City Hall, making "Turbot Street one of the most beautiful streets in any city in the Commonwealth".

[1] Many of the programs have had lasting beneficial effects for the citizens of Queensland including the establishment of a system of public health care administered through a range of new hospitals and clinics.

[1] Raymond Clare Nowland joined the architectural office of the Department of Public Works in November 1932 where he became a senior architect in 1938.

He produced the most significant buildings of his career between 1932 and 1942 including the University of Queensland Medical School, Herston (1939); Brisbane Dental Hospital and College (1941); Police Barracks, Petrie Terrace (1942) and the Cairns Court House Complex (1935).

The building was to have been constructed of sandstone but difficulties with supply and additional budget restrictions resulted in a substitution of brick and cement render and a reduction in the texture and decoration of the elevations.

Considerable foundation work was undertaken to bridge the railway tunnel beneath the site to avoid vibration in the building.

The ground floor provided offices for the Director and support staff, surgeries and associated facilities, and a reception/waiting room.

The first floor provided a waiting room, surgeries and associated facilities, staff offices, two lecture theatres and a museum.

The waiting rooms featured Queensland maple panelling and purpose built silky oak furniture.

Aggressive refurbishment of the fabric, furniture, fittings and equipment of the Hospital facilities and College surgeries and teaching areas was undertaken from 1997 to 1999.

[1] In September 2014, Liberal National Party Minister for Health Lawrence Springborg announced that the buildings would be sold and the dental services relocated to more modern facilities.

The building has a steel frame, concrete floors, stands on a rusticated granite base and has rendered facings to all elevations.

The entrance porch is defined by fluted Ionic columns and framed by the rusticated pilasters of the enclosing side walls.

A giant order is implied by the rusticated base and the heavy mutuled cornice and imparts a strong and unified character to the building.

The stairwell to the north corner travels from the first floor to the roof level only, does not have terrazzo dado panelling and has sheeting to the balustrade of the top flight of the dogleg stair.

The former ground floor waiting room, now the reception and administration area, is lit from the courtyard by a bank of full height plain leadlight awning and fixed glass windows which are operated by a manual turning device.

The recent refurbishment has removed earlier partitions, equipment, finishes, floor coverings and joinery but the integrity of the spaces has survived.

[1] The building was finished throughout with decorative plaster ceilings, Queensland maple joinery and panelling, and purpose-built timber furniture.

The upper level terrace has a concrete path and a row of pines marching around the building to the Albert and Turbot Streets elevations.

The Brisbane Dental Hospital and College is a fine example of a building planned to accommodate highly serviced medical facilities.

The layout and commodity of the spaces survives having accommodated the late 1990s aggressive refurbishment work undertaken to comply with contemporary health regulations and advances in technology.

The Brisbane Dental Hospital and College is one of an impressive suite of important government buildings erected throughout Queensland designed in a classical idiom during the 1930s.

The integrity of the spatial relationships within the building are important including the volume of the former ground floor waiting room with the accompanying bank of windows to the courtyard.

The associated grounds are important to the building including the impressive sweep of concrete stairs with flanking standard lamps from Turbot Street.

A highly serviced building, the design of the Brisbane Dental Hospital and College demonstrates the focus on the application of technological advances in the delivery of health care prevailing in the 1930s and incorporates innovative technical features.

[1] The place has a special association with the life or work of a particular person, group or organisation of importance in Queensland's history.