The Vermont State Dental Society (VSDS), the University of Detroit Mercy (UDM), and Sens. Bernie Sanders and Peter Welch announced a collaboration to bring an oral health education center to Vermont in 2027.
The center would bring UDM students to Vermont to complete their final years of training, which would expand access to dental care in Vermont while reinforcing the number of dental care providers, according to a press release issued by VSDS and UDM.
On September 20, VSDS, UDM, Sanders, and Welch celebrated the program's accreditation from the Commission on Dental Accreditation.
Sanders and Welch are working to secure nearly $5 million in federal funding to support the initiative, according to VSDS. The funding was approved by the Appropriations Committee but awaits approval from the U.S. House and Senate.