NEWS
OKLAHOMA CITY – As rural communities across the United States face barriers toward dental care access, the University of Oklahoma College of Dentistry is committed to improving outcomes within the Sooner State. The college’s ongoing efforts have been strengthened by a $2.85 million gift from Delta Dental of Oklahoma (DDOK) that will enhance dental services and opportunities in northwest Oklahoma.
DDOK’s gift is directed to Great Salt Plains (GSP) Health, a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) in Oklahoma, to enhance its Enid dental clinic. Starting in the next academic year, the College of Dentistry will train dental hygiene students at the clinic in partnership with GSP Health and Northern Oklahoma College (NOC) in Enid.
The renovated Delta Dental of Oklahoma Clinic at GSP Health clinic will more than triple the number of patient chairs, from five to 17, increasing access to dental care and training while also featuring upgraded technology. College of Dentistry students working at the clinic will have their OU classes and preclinical training at NOC in Enid.
Enid is now the fourth satellite location offered through the College of Dentistry’s Dental Hygiene program, alongside sites in Bartlesville, Ardmore and Weatherford, and the first established in partnership with an FQHC. Students interested in joining the two-year program at these sites, or at the main Oklahoma City site on the Harold Hamm Health Campus, are encouraged to apply during the upcoming Nov. 1 – Jan. 15 application window.
The Enid clinic will not only strengthen and promote healthcare access for rural and underserved communities but familiarize students with a part of Oklahoma that they may choose to return to for their careers.
“Students who are exposed to rural practice have a higher likelihood to choose to remain in these rural areas,” said College of Dentistry Dean Paul Mullasseril. “The new clinic will provide access to patient care and hopefully encourage hygienists, and potentially dentists, to work in rural Oklahoma.”
The collaboration among partners to improve local dental care is invaluable: the Oklahoma Oral Health Coalition scored the state a “D” on a 2023 report card examining key oral health indicators compared to the rest of the U.S.
Donna Wood, the college’s dental hygiene program expansion director, noted that Oklahoma is also facing a shortage of practicing dental hygienists. As part of the Dental Hygiene Program, the Enid clinic and NOC classes will offer residents of north and northwest Oklahoma a more accessible pathway into the program.
“We have students from around the Enid and Tonkawa areas who are very interested in applying to this program,” Wood said. “They haven't had this kind of opportunity in the past: they get to stay close to their location, and they want to work in that area. We’re excited about that.”
Sarah Justus-McMakin, who leads the college’s dental hygiene program, added that it’s the state’s only dental hygiene program to offer a bachelor’s degree, making it unique from others that only offer associate degrees. This gives graduates the flexibility to pursue other programs dependent on their career interests.
“Some dental hygienists want to perform research, teach or do various other things within our field, rather than just clinical practice,” Justus-McMakin said. “This program gives them the opportunity to move forward with master’s programs and other programs. Our curriculum doesn't just center on the clinical education: it broadens and exposes students to all of these different avenues.”
While work is underway to renovate the Enid clinic to prepare for the College of Dentistry’s next academic year, Mullasseril emphasized the importance of all parties in turning the site into a place of transformative impact for students and community members alike.
“As we're looking at many areas in Oklahoma to expand our reach and serve communities, finding partners is critical because we cannot do it alone,” Mullasseril said. “In order to improve our state’s dental health statistics, we need partners like Northern Oklahoma College, Great Salt Plains Health and Delta Dental of Oklahoma. All of them are key in making this project a reality.”
About the University of Oklahoma
Founded in 1890, the University of Oklahoma is a public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. As the state’s flagship university, OU serves the educational, cultural, economic and healthcare needs of the state, region and nation. For more information about the university, visit www.ou.edu.
About NOC
Northern Oklahoma College, the state’s first public two-year community college, is a multi-campus, land-grant institution that provides high quality, accessible, and affordable educational opportunities and services.
NOC serves nearly 3,100 students through the home campus in Tonkawa, branch in Enid, and NOC/OSU Gateway Program in Stillwater. Of these students about 85% receive financial aid and/or scholarships. 69% of NOC students complete their degree with zero debt.
The college is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and offers associate degrees in three general areas: Arts, Science and Applied Science; the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs; and the Accreditation Commission for Education and Nursing.
For more information about Northern Oklahoma College or giving to the NOC Foundation, please contact the development office at (580) 628-6208 or visit the NOC website at www.noc.edu.
U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Chris Wright visited the University of Oklahoma on Friday, Oct. 30, to meet with OU researchers and students involved in the DOE Genesis Mission, a national initiative to accelerate scientific discovery through artificial intelligence, supercomputing and quantum technologies.
Starting next year, the College of Dentistry will open training to its dental hygiene students in Enid in partnership with Great Salt Plains Health and Northern Oklahoma College. This opportunity, which will also enhance rural dental services, is made possible through a $2.85 million gift from Delta Dental of Oklahoma.
Wei Yue, Ph.D., a professor of pharmaceutical sciences in the OU College of Pharmacy, has received a $1.9 million National Institutes of Health award to uncover new ways to predict when multiple medications taken together could cause dangerous side effects.
