SPOKANE, Wash. — The University of Washington School of Dentistry has opened a remodeled training center in Spokane that will bring more dentists to rural and underserved communities across Washington state.
The upgraded facility features new technology that allows dental students to complete their second year of training in Spokane rather than moving to Seattle.
The expansion is part of the Regional Initiatives in Dental Education program, known as ‘RIDE,’ which trains students in rural communities throughout the state.
“Rural environments always seem to suffer from not having a sufficient number of health care workers across the board to meet the needs of the population,” said Robert. J. Jones, University of Washington President.
One of the highlights of the new facility is the updated technology.
“Oh, it’s amazing. I love it,” said Raman Preet Singh, a second-year dentistry student, describing his reaction to the remodeled center.
The facility includes mannequins and state-of-the-art laboratory equipment. Singh said the center provides “all the procedures that we’re expected to learn by our second year. I think we have all of those, plus more.”
The program’s expansion is meant to benefit rural communities like Colville and Deer Park, where students train and often choose to establish their practices after graduation.
“They’re being educated, but they’re also providing much needed care to those communities that really have challenges with access to care,” said Natasha Flake, UW School of Dentistry.
The hands-on experience in these underserved areas gives students valuable exposure to the healthcare challenges facing rural Washington.
“I think patient care is one of the big things that I learned. Knowing the importance of being empathetic towards your patients and communicating with them,” said Carter Martinez, another second-year dentistry student.
The university reports that many students who complete the RIDE program choose to work in rural communities after graduating, directly addressing the dental care shortage in small towns across the state.
“In rural communities, their nearest dentist is far away from them. So, it’s just a better opportunity for them as well and I would love to make an impact if I can,” Singh said.
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