School Opens K-12 Outreach Dental Clinic
When any of the 1,000 students at Kansas City’s University Academy (UA) need to see a dentist, they’ll no longer have to leave their school building. They will simply make an appointment and walk down the hall to their very own dental clinic, staffed and operated by the UMKC School of Dentistry.
Representatives from the University of Missouri-Kansas City, University Academy and the community were on hand Sept. 5, 2012, for the ribbon-cutting dedication of a newly constructed two-chair dental clinic in University Academy, a K-12 college-preparatory charter public school in the Kansas City Missouri School District. The clinic opened officially in October and operates Monday–Thursday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
“This clinic celebrates the best of what an urban university and its neighbors can be,” said UMKC Chancellor Leo Morton. “UMKC and our excellent School of Dentistry are committed to our community. Opening the doors to this clinic is just one more example of how UMKC’s professional and undergraduate schools are engaged with this city and its residents. It’s good for us, good for University Academy and good for Kansas City.”
UMKC dental and dental hygiene students will deliver care under the supervision of a UMKC faculty member. UMKC’s students also will educate University Academy students about how to maintain excellent oral health. Another goal of the SOD/UA partnership is to inspire UA students to consider becoming a dentist or dental hygienist someday.
“This outreach effort also enables us to be an important community partner in improving public oral health,” said UMKC School of Dentistry Dean Marsha Pyle. “And the hands-on education our dental and dental hygiene students will gain here will make them better prepared for their future as practitioners. This is a winwin opportunity for everyone involved.” “This clinic is a huge accomplishment,” said Tom Bloch, former CEO of H&R Block and University Academy co-founder and board member. “We are so lucky to have UMKC in this community. Every great city has a great urban university, and Kansas City certainly has one now.”
2012 Winter Explorer Contents:
- Message from the Dean
- School Opens K-12 Outreach Dental Clinic
- Honoring the Legacy of the School’s First African-American Graduate
- Upcoming Continuing Dental Education
- Bone and Skeletal Muscle Researchers Visit School
- Using iPads to Enhance Preclinical Laboratory Learning
- Reflections from Our Retiring Faculty
- UMKC Announces “Celebration” 2013 Alumni Honorees
- Class Notes
- Rinehart Message
- Honor Roll of Donors
- Rinehart Medallion Awards
- A Celebration of Generosity and Gratitude
- Alumni and Rinehart Leadership
- UMKC Miles of Smiles Receives “Outstanding Organization Award”
- Faculty and Staff Recognition 2012
- In Memoriam