HIGH POINT, N.C. (WGHP) — With the construction of its Workman School of Dental Medicine underway, High Point University dental students will have access to a Mobile Dental Clinic this fall.
According to a news release, the Pacific Dental Services Foundation donated a Mobile Dental Clinic—a fully-equipped RV with two dental chairs—to HPU, allowing students to “apply their classroom learning in real-world settings, delivering quality oral health care to individuals who otherwise struggle to access it.”
The dental school building is expected to be complete and ready for students in June 2025 and will have a haptic simulation lab with virtual reality. There will be 20 units in that lab, making it the world’s largest lab using SIMtoCARE dental simulation units.
On July 23, the Pacific Dental Services Foundation Executive Director Michael Le visited the campus to deliver the MDC’s keys to a group of faculty and staff members.
“This donation is an extension of our mission at the PDS Foundation – the Mobile Dental Clinic will provide valuable hands-on learning opportunities while expanding access to quality oral health care. High Point University is the ideal partner, emphasizing the connection between oral health and overall health and focusing on community service. We believe the MDC at HPU will serve as a beacon for both future and current servant-hearted leaders dedicated to expanding access to care. We look forward to seeing the achievements of the students and the entire HPU team,” he said.
The release also states that North Carolina has a shortage of dentists per capita, especially in rural areas. HPU is expanding access to oral health care to underserved populations through the MDC.
“The Mobile Dental Clinic is a great opportunity to deliver integrated care to patients with complex needs who often cannot access oral health care. Veterans, the homeless, and other communities need and deserve quality dental care, and this clinic will help fill the gap while providing students with real-world experience to strengthen their careers as oral health providers,” said Ali Shazib, dean and chief clinical officer for the HPU Workman School of Dental Medicine.
The Workman School of Dental Medicine will welcome its inaugural class of students on Aug. 5.
