Sanders, Welch announce new dental clinic and training partnership
The construction of what is set to become the largest dental clinic in Vermont, along with a new dental education partnership aimed at expanding access to care and addressing workforce shortages, was announced by Sens. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Peter Welch, D-Vt.
The project is a joint effort between the University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry and the Vermont State Dental Society. In a message to supporters, Sen. Sanders said the Vermont senators secured $4.6 million in congressionally directed spending to provide financial support for the clinic.
“We have an enormous amount of work in front of us to address the health care crisis in Vermont and throughout the country. The development of this clinic is an important step forward,” he said.
Once completed, the facility will include 49 dental chairs and serve as both a clinical care site and a training location for dental students. The first cohort of students, which is expected to include approximately 30 to 32 third-year dental students, will arrive from Detroit in fall 2027. A second cohort is scheduled to follow in 2028, with the program ultimately training more than 60 students annually.
According to Sen. Sanders, the clinic is intended to provide care to thousands of Vermonters each year, with services available to patients across income levels. The initiative comes as Vermont remains one of 13 states without its own dental school.
Workforce shortages remain a concern in Vermont, where there are fewer than 400 practicing dentists, about 15% of whom are age 65 or older. Access issues affect both adults and children, according to the announcement, with nearly half of Vermont children experiencing tooth decay before third grade.
Heidi Kunkel, D.M.D., president of the Vermont State Dental Society, said the partnership is expected to create a pipeline for strengthening dental care access and addressing the workforce shortage across the state.
“The Vermont State Dental Society is excited about the long-term potential. We are optimistic that many of these students, after spending years training and living in Vermont, will choose to stay. [They’ll be] Planting roots in the very communities they’ve served and helping to build a more sustainable dental workforce for years to come,” Dr. Kunkel said.
