Yakima Launches New Dental School, Delta Dental Equity Hall

Yakima is now home to a new dental school. A ribbon cutting ceremony is planned Saturday, September 28 at Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences where school officials are preparing for the first class in fall of 2025.

A NEW PARTNERSHIP IN THE VALLEY

It's called Delta Dental Equity Hall and school officials say it's in "recognition of the shared commitment to improving equitable access to dental care statewide by both PNWU and Delta Dental of Washington, which committed $12 million in funding to make the innovative school of dental medicine a reality."

THE NEW SCHOOL WILL TRAIN DENTISTS TO FILL A BIG NEED

The new 30,000 square foot school is described as a "state-of-the-art" dental school to train the next generation of primary care dentists helping to meet a shortage of dentists working in rural areas. In fact school officials says many rural areas in the state are seeing a critical dental workforce shortage which contributes to an increase in oral health issues.

THE NEED IS GREAT FOR DENTISTS IN RURAL AREA

According to an article in the 2022 American Medical Association Journal of Ethics "nationally most dentists are located in urban areas, whereas only 14% of dentists practice in rural areas where 20% of the U.S. population lives."
When the school opens next fall the school will begin training 36 students on an annual basis.

A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE FOR FUTURE STUDENTS

PNWU will be the first dental school in the nation in which students will have three years of full-time immersive training at one of three federally qualified health centers located in Tacoma, Kennewick and Yakima.
The ribbon cutting ceremony and open house is set for 4:00 pm, Saturday September 28.