East Carolina University School of Dental Medicine
| East Carolina University School of Dental Medicine | |
|---|---|
| Established | 2006 |
| Type | Public dental school |
| Location | Greenville, North Carolina, United States |
| Campus | Urban |
| Website | http://www.ecu.edu/cs-dhs/dentistry/index.cfm |
East Carolina University School of Dental Medicine (ECU SoDM) is the dental school at East Carolina University. It is North Carolina's second Dental School. The school began classes in the fall of 2011. The ECU SoDM was established specifically to address the shortage of dentists in the rural regions of North Carolina. The SoDM serves North Carolina statewide by educating more dentists, with the primary focus of student recruitment being students who desire to return to rural and underserved areas to provide oral health care.[1]
North Carolina is 47th in the nation in terms of dentists per capita and is especially lacking in dentists in the eastern part of the state. There are four counties, Tyrrell, Jones, Hyde and Camden without any primary practicing dentists. To remedy this situation, East Carolina and UNC-Chapel Hill have jointly developed a plan to increase the number of dentists in the state and established the ECU School of Dental Medicine.
The SoDM plans to create 10 community service learning centers to be located in rural and underserved areas throughout the state. The fourth-year students will be learning and providing care for the community for one year in these community centers.[2]
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[edit] History
The first mention of a School of Dental Medicine came from Phyllis Horns, then Interim Vice Chancellor for Health Sciences. On March 19, 2002, Vice Chancellor Horns announced at the Faculty Senate that ECU was looking into pursuing a Dental School.[3]
On July 12, 2002 a feasibility study was reported at the The University of North Carolina Board of Governors (UNC BOG) meeting. It stated that it "recommended the establishment of an academic dental department at East Carolina University to support the expanded residency program and the establishment at East Carolina University of a residency program in pediatric dentistry." But the consultants cited cost as an obstacle of pursuing the school at the current time.[4] On February 24, 2006 the East Carolina University Board of Trustees unanimously passes a resolution in supporting a Dental School.[5] On May 11, 2006, the Committee on Educational Planning, Policies, and Programs of the UNC BOG approved the proposal to plan a Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) degree program at East Carolina.[6] On November 10, 2006, the UNC BOG unanimously passed the proposal.[7][8][6] The UNC BOG requested $43.5 million each of the next two years to build a dental school.[9]
[edit] Lack of dentists in Eastern North Carolina
The lack of dentists in Eastern North Carolina has been the primary motivation for East Carolina University to pursue the foundation of a dental school. North Carolina ranks 47th in dentist per 10,000 residents. Four counties, all in Eastern North Carolina have no dentist (Tyrrell County, Jones County, Hyde County, Camden County). Only eight counties have dentist to patient ratio which exceeds the national average (Wake County, Durham County, Orange County, Alamance County, Guilford County, Forsyth County, Mecklenburg County, New Hanover County). Twenty-eight counties have fewer than two dentists. Seventy-nine counties are recognized as federally designated dental shortage areas.[10]
[edit] Community Dental Centers
East Carolina plan to build ten Community Dental Centers located in rural and underserved areas throughout the state. Fourth-year students will live for a year in these communities. Each center will accommodate five students. Those students will be taught by dental school faculty members based in the centers, along with advanced dental residents. The students and faculty will offer much-needed dental care to citizens in the areas surrounding the centers. Each clinic will have an office with 14 operatories, X-ray equipment, educational spaces, among other things.
Two of the announced clinic are located in the east: Ahoskie, Elizabeth City. One, in Lillington, is located in the central/sandhills part of the state. And two, Sylva and Spruce Pine, are located in the western part of the state.
On October 20, 2009, the first three locations were announced: Ahoskie, Elizabeth City and Sylva. The Ahoskie clinic will be located beside Roanoke-Chowan Hospital. The Elizabeth City clinic is planned to be built on a parcel of land across from Albemarle Hospital and College of The Albemarle. The Sylva clinic will be located on a site at Southwestern Community College in Jackson County.
The first groundbreaking occurred at the Ahoskie clinic on August 23, 2011. The $3 million building will be located on 113 Hertford County High Road. The dental clinic will share the building with Roanoke Chowan Community Health Center, which is a Federally Qualified Health Center. The 8,000sq ft, two-story building will be home to the corporate office of RCCHC as well. This dental clinic will serve the residents of Hertford, Bertie, Northampton, Gates and other surrounding counties.[11]
On January 19, 2011 the fourth community dental center was announced. The center will be located in Lillington in Harnett County. It will be located beside First Choice Community Health Center, a primary care facility. The 7,700-square-foot (720 m2) facility will house 16 treatment rooms, X-ray equipment, educational space and more.[12]
On August 2, 2011 the fifth community dental center was announced. The center will be located in Spruce Pine near Mount Mitchell in Mitchell County. This dental center will help people who live in the Mayland area, which comprises Mitchell County, Avery County and Yancey County. Blue Ridge Community Hospital, also located in Spruce Pine, will partner with this center.
The other five locations will be announced at a future date.
[edit] Notes
- ^ [1]
- ^ [2]
- ^ "Full Minutes of March 19, 2002". Faculty Sentate. http://www.ecu.edu/cs-acad/fsonline/senateminutes/fsm3-02.cfm. Retrieved 3 August 2011.
- ^ DRAFT
- ^ http://www.ecu.edu/cs-admin/bot/upload/002%20-%20Minutes-6.pdf
- ^ a b http://intranet.northcarolina.edu/docs/bog/minutes/2006/11-10-06_minutes-open.pdf
- ^ newsobserver.com | ECU dental school OK'd
- ^ Request to Establish a Doctoral Program in
- ^ http://www.reflector.com/local/content/news/stories/2007/01/20/legislature.html
- ^ Dentistry
- ^ Boyd, Doug. "ECU breaks ground for Ahoskie dental center". Health Sciences News. http://www.ecu.edu/cs-dhs/dhs/newsStory.cfm?ID=2067. Retrieved 25 August 2011.
- ^ [3]
