Northeast Delta Dental commits $2 million to help establish dental school in Vermont
University of Detroit Mercy will send students to Vermont to complete DDS program, addressing state’s dental provider shortage
Northeast Delta Dental recently committed $2 million to help establish a Dental Oral Health Education Center in Vermont by 2027. The University of Detroit Mercy (UDM), in collaboration with the Vermont State Dental Society (VSDS), will bring UDM students to Vermont to complete their final years of training, addressing the dental provider shortage across the state.
Northeast President & CEO Tom Raffio recognizes the overwhelming and unmet demand for dental care in the state. “Everyone deserves a healthy smile but so many Vermonters, especially in rural areas, are denied this basic right.”
The program has received accreditation from the Commission of Dental Accreditation (CODA), a crucial step in the process. To support this endeavor, Senator Bernie Sanders and Senator Peter Welch are working to secure $4.6 million in federal funding. The funding, already approved by the Appropriations Committee, now awaits passage by the House and the Senate and then must be signed into law by President Biden.
UDM’s Dean Dr. Mert N. Aksu sees this as an endeavor that greatly benefits both states. “With an overflow of applicants at our school, we knew we were in an ideal position to help fill the much-needed pipeline of dental professionals in Vermont,” he explains.
The partnership between VSDS and UDM will bring UDM students to Vermont to complete their final years of training, addressing the statewide dental provider shortage. The program will offer dental education in the state, providing modern classrooms and on-site clinics to support its clinical education program. It will also serve as a public health Medicaid clinic, extending its reach to underserved populations and areas with a shortage of dental health professionals.
“This collaborative effort means a brighter future for the dental health and overall wellbeing of Vermonters,” said Dr Jeff Blasius, president of the Vermont State Dental Society. “We are proud to be a partner in this endeavor.”