As part of its efforts to improve access to care, the University of Maine at Augusta (UMA) officially opened an expanded dental education clinic in its Lewiston Center on Friday, Nov. 1, doubling its capacity to educate in-demand dental health care professionals and provide community care there.
UMA officials dedicated the space as the Delta Dental Oral Health Center in recognition of a $665,000 grant from Northeast Delta Dental last year that funded the project, which added three new operatories (dental chairs) and a state-of-the-art 3D digital X-ray machine. Jeffrey Walawender, Jennifer Beyer, Erin Holt and Brian Staples from Northeast Delta Dental were on-site for the celebration.
“In an effort to expand the dental workforce in Maine, Northeast Delta Dental is excited to support the dental health care professionals at University of Maine at Augusta,” said Jeffrey Walawender, D.D.S., Maine board of directors chair, Northeast Delta Dental. “Our organization knows that supporting high-quality dental education is an investment in improving access to dental care across the state of Maine.”
UMA Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs Joseph Szakas underscored the importance and impact of the new Delta Dental Oral Health Center. “With this expanded space in Lewiston that we are officially opening and dedicating today, we can enroll more students, provide them with cutting-edge tools and training, and add more dental professionals to Maine’s workforce.”
“We are grateful to Northeast Delta Dental for its support and shared commitment to increasing access to high-quality dental education and care,” said UMA President Jenifer Cushman. “UMA plays a lead role in addressing the shortage of dental professionals in Maine, in turn improving access to care for our communities. Expanding our Lewiston Center dental clinic allows us to help more people have rewarding careers in dental health and meet community needs, which will positively impact Maine and its economy for decades to come.”
The expanded space in Lewiston complements the dental education facilities at the UMA Bangor campus. Together, the two locations can accommodate 30 dental assisting students and 30 EFDA students per academic year. Educating and training 60 allied dental professionals for the workforce here in Maine per year will make a significant impact on the overall workforce shortages.
“Transforming lives is ingrained in our mission at UMA, and we see that in our dental education program through student career success and the impact we have on improving access to dental care,” shares UMA Assistant Professor of Dental Health Courtney Noonan. “As part of their training, our dental assisting students receive hands-on clinical experiences, including at university-run dental clinics in Bangor and Lewiston where they provide free and low-cost preventative and basic restorative services to eligible Mainers including low-income children, veterans and members of the Maine National Guard.”
The programs have met with tremendous success. Provost Szakas provided statistics. “UMA is the state’s leading provider of practice-ready allied dental health professionals with 100% job placement rate for its graduates—95% of whom stay in the state.”
Through its Lewiston Center and Bangor campus, UMA, which is part of the University of Maine System, offers associate and bachelor’s degree programs in dental hygiene, certificate and associate degree programs in dental assisting, and a micro-certificate in expanded function dental assisting.
The grant from Northeast Delta Dental will also support scholarships for students enrolling in UMA’s dental assisting and expanded function dental assisting programs. The next cohorts for UMA’s dental assisting programs begin in January 2025 and applications are currently being accepted. For more information on the dental assisting and EFDA programs, contact Lynett Kelly at 207-262-7805.
About Northeast Delta Dental
Northeast Delta Dental administers dental benefits in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont, offering dental insurance programs for businesses and nonprofits of all sizes, and individuals and families with no access to employer-sponsored dental benefits. Northeast Delta Dental follows its mission to advance the oral health and overall wellness of its customers and the communities it serves by funding oral health initiatives and numerous community organizations throughout Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. Visit nedelta.com for more information.
About UMA
UMA transforms the lives of students of every age and background across Maine and beyond through access to high-quality distance and on-site education, excellence in student support, civic engagement, and professional and liberal arts programs. For more information, please visit uma.edu.