Grants expand dental care and access across NC

The ECU School of Dental Medicine is expanding access to care in western North Carolina and for young children statewide through two recent grants.

A three-year, $593,000 award from Dogwood Health Trust is strengthening ECU’s community service-learning centers in Sylva and Spruce Pine, which together care for about 3,000 patients each year. The grant provides more than $85,000 in patient care funds and $425,000 in salary support for clinical staff and a new practice management coordinator. The investment will help reduce barriers for uninsured patients while making salaries more competitive for dental staff in rural regions.

“There is a shortage of dentists in western North Carolina, and this directly affects the well-being of many residents,” said Channah VanRegenmorter, program officer at Dogwood Health Trust. “This investment will help more people gain access to oral health care while also expanding the workforce.”

Dean Greg Chadwick said the support helps address pay disparities that make it difficult to recruit and retain staff. The patient care funds could allow nearly 170 additional patients to receive services they otherwise could not afford.

Meanwhile, a $204,000 grant from the BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina Foundation is expanding ECU’s School-Based Oral Health Prevention Programs to pre-K and Head Start students. The program, launched in 2019 in Bertie County and expanded to Jones County in 2023, places ECU dental hygienists in schools to provide preventive care and education.

“With nearly 20% of North Carolina kindergarteners already experiencing untreated cavities, it’s crucial to reach children and families well before they enter school,” said ECU hygienist Rachel Stewart.

Since 2019, the program has provided more than 22,000 procedures to 1,500 children across 11 sites. The new funding will allow ECU to expand into more than 80 Head Start centers across the Carolinas, beginning in areas where school-based clinics already exist.

Trenton Elementary principal Joseph Noble praised the program’s impact. “Many of our students would not receive any dental care without them. They get first-class dental care without leaving the school’s building.”

Together, the grants strengthen ECU’s dual mission: improving health outcomes for underserved communities and preparing the next generation of oral health professionals.