UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA ANCHORAGE SCHOOL

OF DENTISTRYCreating a UAA Dental School: Feasibility ReportBy: Caleb McGraw

http://now.tufts.edu/articles/new-accolade-dental-school

Abstract• This Project examines the feasibility of opening a dental school at the

University of Alaska Anchorage.• Research

• Review of literature via UAA consortium library online database• Online survey taken by current UAA students

• The Project was discovered to be feasible• Biggest challenge: 65+ million dollar start-up costs

• Conclusions• Majority of current UAA students support the dental school• Increase in Anchorage’s economy• Increase in the level of dental care throughout Alaska• Expansion of UAA’s educational standing• Increase in training of highly needed dentists

• Recommendations• Create a more detailed outline of budget and costs• Link school to Alaska Native dental care to gain federal funding

Introduction• Problem

• Dental care in rural Alaska is far below the rest of the United States, explained as a dental care epidemic.

• Only 29% of Alaska Native Children, and fewer adults have access to dental care.• It’s challenging and difficult for dentists to practice dentistry in rural Alaskan when they are unfamiliar with the communities’ cultures and climates.

Statistics showing Alaska Native epidemic

• Solution• Bring dental care to Alaska; creating a dental school at UAA which gives priority to Alaskans

and Alaska Natives admission.• Require all graduating dentists to perform a mandatory 4 years of work in Alaska before

leaving to practice dentistry outside the state.• Dentists who are familiar with the climate and conditions of rural Alaska will be better

equipped to work throughout Alaska bringing much needed dental care to rural communities.

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/healthy_people/hp2000/reviews/oral_health.htm

Methods• UAA Consortium Library Online Database

• Secured background information regarding:• Alaska’s Dental care system• Dental school startup and running costs• Admission process and statistics• Alaska Native dental health in smaller communities/villages

• Questionnaire: Dental School at UAA • Taken by current UAA undergraduate students

• Views of students regarding:• starting a dental school at UAA.• Impact a new dental school would have on Alaska and the dental care

epidemic throughout smaller Alaskan communities.• Impact a Dental school would have on UAA.

Results• Dental school is highly competitive (Burell, 2013)

• Meaning large pool of applicants to fill up UAA dental school • Budget

• Small dental school in western Canada (similar geographically to Anchorage) upkeep is around two million dollars (Warick, 2009)

• To create a small dental school, it will cost upwards of 65 million dollars (O’Keefe, 2007)

• Alaska’s need:• Less than 1/3 of Alaska Native children have had access to dental care with adults at even lower numbers (Smith, 2007)• Government has legal agreement to give appropriate dental care to Alaska Natives, which is not being upheld, resulting in a dental health epidemic in Alaska

http://www.alaska-in-pictures.com/cute-native-eskimo-girl-2112-pictures.htm

Questionnaire• 15-question questionnaire was given to twelve UAA

undergraduate students• Majority supported dental school (11 out of 12)• Data from important questions:

Yes No Maybe0

2

4

6

8

10

Will Alaskan Natives be more cooperative with dentists

trained in Alaska?

Conclusion• Creating the UAA School of Dentistry is feasible• UAA students:

• Support creating a dental school• Majority agree it will increase quality of dental care in rural Alaska• Majority agree Alaska Natives will be more cooperative with

dentists trained in Alaska• Finances

• Government has legal agreement to supply Alaska Natives with dental care, therefore a UAA dental school, which will help with the Alaska Native dental health epidemic could be eligible to receive federal funding to help with start-up costs

• Will boost economy in Anchorage• Enough aspiring dentists to fill enrollment

Recommendations• In future work:

• More viable resources• More quotes on costs to create UAA dental school• In-depth look into how it will effect rural community dental care

epidemic

https://www2.aap.org/oralhealth/PolicyStatements.html

References• Burell, J. (2013). Getting Into Dental School. Retrieved from http

://youngadults.about.com/od/quarterlife/qt/Getting-Into-Dental- School.html. • Klejka, J., Swanzy, M., Whistler, B., Jones, C., Bruce, M. G., M.D., Hennessy, T.

W., Husain, F. (2011). Dental caries in rural alaska native children - alaska, 2008. Atlanta: U.S. Center for Disease Control. Retrieved from http://

search.proquest.com.proxy.consortiumlibrary.org/docview/897944692? accountid=14473.• O’Keefe, B. (2007, May 16). Dental school will fill a need - BUDGET: THE WAY

AHEAD. The Australian, pp. 22.• P.R. Newswire. (2011, September 23). Alaska's Dental Therapists Combat

Widespread Oral Disease, Bringing Preventive Dental Care to Children and Families. Retrieved from www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/alaska-dental- therapists-combat-widespread-oral-disease-bringing-preventive-dental-care- to-children-and-families-130447228.html.• Smith, E, B. (2007, June). DENTAL THERAPISTS IN ALASKA: ADDRESSING

UNMET NEEDS AND REVIVING COMPETITION IN DENTAL CARE. Alaska Law Review, pp 105.

• Warick, J. (2009, November 28). Dental school's budget cut; First Nations University wants to keep program going. The Star Phoenix, pp. 3A.