FOCUS | ISSUE 6 | 2010

Proposed dental school in Northeast MO Along with community support, brings questions, concerns as MDA seeks information

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n recent months, the MDA has learned that A.T. Still University (ATSU) is looking at three possible sites for the establish-

ment of a new dental school: San Diego, Orlando and Kirksville, the campus of its flagship program, the Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine.

During this time, various speculation and dis- cussion has occurred concerning the details of new school and its impact on Missouri, including its education parameters. It has been presumed it would be similar to ATSU’s existing dental school, the Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health, which is located on ATSU’s Mesa Campus and graduated its inaugural class in 2003 of 54 students. Learn more about the Arizona school, including admission requirements, tuition/expenses and more at www.atsu.edu/asdoh.

News media in this area have reported that a local committee (Community Friends for ATSU Dental, www.communityfriendsforat- sudental.org) is seeking to raise awareness and money to help sway the ATSU Board of Governors to choose Kirksville as the location for a new school. Other reports that have highlighted support from the Kirksville com- munity, which includes area health councils and businesses, have stated one of the rea- sons for this support is the estimated multi- million dollar annual economic impact of the resulting school once it reaches capacity.

It has been publicized that a decision on the proposed school’s expansion is expected when the ATSU Board meets on February 11, 2011.

At this time, the MDA (both staff and Board members) has been in discussions with repre- sentatives of A.T. Still to gather information about the dental school proposal.

The MDA supports dental school programs that are CODA-accredited with students required to take and pass all applicable exams (jurisprudence, national and regional boards); however, it also acknowledges that the creation of new educational programs and models is a multifaceted and complex topic, especially at a time when there is much dis- cussion across the nation related to the den- tal workforce and access to care. These issues call for thoughtful discussions that cannot be adequately vetted in this print forum.

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An item that should be noted is recent MDA House of Delegates action related to the dental workforce in Missouri: The 2010 MDA House of Delegates passed a resolution to support the establishment of a dental as- sisting pilot program in the Northern part of the state that would incorporate an Oral Preventive Assistant curriculum (similar to ADA parameters). See full text of resolution at www.modental.org/house.

ABOUT THE QUESTIONS

The following questions were developed by the MDA, based on questions raised by the Board of Trustees, and reviewed by its presi- dent and editor in an effort to gain informa- tion about the proposed dental school at the A.T. Still University campus in Kirksville.

The answers have been provided by Heinz Woehlk, Ph.D., Vice President for Communica- tion and Special Assistant to the President at A.T. Still University of Health Sciences in Kirksville.

We realize this may not be an exhaustive list of the questions and/or topics all MDA members may desire to have addressed; rather these questions are to serve as part of our efforts to gather information to provide to our members and to direct any future As- sociation action.

SEND YOUR COMMENTS & QUESTIONS

Therefore, we encourage your additional questions, comments, concerns or sugges- tions related to this topic. You may mail, fax or email the MDA (editor@modental.org or vicki@modental.org). We will refer to your correspondence as we continue to collect information.

MEMBER FORUM PLANNED FOR JANUARY AT MDA WINTER SESSION

To create an additional venue for participa- tion and discussion, the MDA will host a forum at its Winter Session in Columbia (January 21-22) to discuss this topic and related issues. At press time, details are not finalized. We will apprise members of event details as soon as possible through email and component communications. All members are invited.

1) Why is the A.T. Still University campus in Kirks- ville being considered for a dental school?

Many months ago, A.T. Still University (ATSU) leaders were invited to come to a meeting of all the CEOs of the Community Health Centers of Missouri. The meeting was held at the Primary Care Association headquarters in Jefferson City, and involved about 20-21 CEOs of CHCs. We were given considerable information on the drastic need for dental services in Missouri, how it ranks nationally, and the great need that is especially seen by the Community Health Centers. They asked us to con- sider establishing a dental school in Missouri. They offered their dental chairs to ATSU for rotations and for any kind of training we could do with them, in cooperation with them.

We also have been asked by groups in Orlando and San Diego to do the same thing. Because of the tremendous reputation that ATSU’s Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health (ASDOH) has developed, people know about the good that has come from ASDOH.

The Missouri opportunity continued to advance because of the positive relationship with the local CHC in Kirksville and its CEO as well as with the CEOs of all of those in Missouri, plus encourage- ment from the Oral Health Network Director of the Missouri Primary Care Association associated with the clinics. Because we have a history of working with CHCs in Arizona, the idea of being able to cooperate with all the centers in Missouri was at- tractive. In addition, we do have letters of support from the CHC organizations in Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota, Indiana and several other states, as well as the Cherokee Nation.

We have found extremely good cooperation and support from the dental community in Northeast Missouri, from the greater Kirksville community and from our own physicians as graduates of ATSU’s Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine.

2) What will the inaugural class size be?

Although we don’t know for certain yet, because our feasibility study is ongoing, we anticipate a minimum of 35 students in the inaugural class, pos- sibly 45 or 50.

3) When will a final decision be made about the placement of a new program in Missouri?

The decision will come shortly after the ATSU Board of Trustees meeting on February 11, 2011 in Mesa, Ariz.

4) Can you explain how this model of education differs from that of a traditional dental school?

ASDOH differs from most other dental schools in its purpose, curriculum and clinical education delivery model. The purpose is to recruit, train and graduate dentists to deliver care in community and public health settings. It utilizes a unique modular curriculum during the first and second years and