EWU prepares to launch dental therapy program

(As reported in the Journal of Business by Tina Sulzle)

Eastern Washington University is moving forward with plans to launch a master’s in dental therapy program, a move that would place the university among a small handful of institutions nationwide offering the credential and expand access to oral health care in rural Washington, says Dawn Lewis-Kinnunen, dean of EWU’s College of Health Science & Public Health.

The program will complement EWU’s existing dental hygiene program and will be located in the SIERR Building, at 850 E. Spokane Falls Blvd. in Spokane’s University District, where the university currently occupies 32,000 square feet of space.

From a workforce standpoint, the program is designed to address a growing gap in oral health care — particularly in rural communities across Eastern Washington, Lewis-Kinnunen says.

“In the state of Washington, especially this region, rural health care is very important,” she says. “Eastern Washington University serves the region and the region’s workforce pipeline. One of the things in health care that is still not as dense as the region would want or needs it to be is oral care.”

The new program will be funded by a $10.5 million commitment from the Washington State Legislature and will include the renovation and relocation of its dental clinic and teaching facilities, Lewis-Kinnunen explains. The university will move its 46-chair dental clinic, currently located at 310 N. Riverpoint Blvd., into the SIERR Building. The revamped space will include new clinical areas, classrooms, faculty offices, conference rooms, locker rooms, and student lounges. EWU will occupy 55,000 square feet of space in the SIERR Building upon completion of tenant improvements.

The Regional Initiatives in Dental Education, or RIDE, program, which EWU operates in partnership with the University of Washington School of Dentistry, will continue operations in the University of Washington School of Medicine-Gonzaga University Health Partnership building, located at 840 E. Spokane Falls Blvd.

Dental therapy is still a relatively new profession in Washington state, says Lewis-Kinnunen, adding that there are currently only three dental therapy programs in the nation accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation. EWU is in the process of pursuing the accreditation, a timeline that can take 12 to 18 months and requires an on-site review of facilities, curriculum, and clinical spaces. 

If approved for accreditation, the university plans to begin enrolling students in fall 2028.

The proposed dental therapy program will be a three-year master’s degree program with cohorts limited to 12 students, eventually supporting 36 students at full capacity, says Lewis-Kinnunen. Three new faculty members, including a program director and two instructors, will be hired, she adds. EWU’s dental hygiene program currently enrolls 80 students in a two-year program. 

Dental therapist duties include performing extractions, restorative procedures, and preventive care. They can also supervise dental hygienists while still working under the supervision of a licensed dentist, Lewis-Kinnunen explains. They are permitted to practice independently of a traditional dental office in settings such as federally qualified health centers and community clinics, she adds.

“When you go to the more rural areas, there are not very many dentists,” Lewis-Kinnunen says. “In our population, what will happen to (patients) if they are having some kind of dental emergency? They end up in emergency rooms.”

She says the dental therapy and dental hygiene programs will remain distinct. Applicants to the dental therapy program will not need prior dental hygiene licensure — only a bachelor’s degree and prerequisite coursework. Graduates will be licensed dental therapists.

In addition to the relocation of the dental hygiene program, EWU is currently entering the beginning stages of consolidating the health science programs into the Catalyst Building, located at 601 E. Riverside, and at the SIERR Building.

The Communication Sciences & Disorders Program will be relocated to the Catalyst Building from its current location in the SIERR building. EWU’s master's program in occupational therapy and its doctorate program in physical therapy will also move into the Catalyst Building.

“It’s really important that we bring our programs over and create the Health Peninsula,” Lewis-Kinnunen says. "Most folks won't think of it as a natural synergy, but for us it's a natural one. That's why we're going to relocate those three programs, along with our public health and health care administration, which is already here."

Improvements to both buildings are scheduled for spring 2026. Academic programs that are currently housed in the Catalyst Building that are not related to the health sciences programs, or the College of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, will move to the Cheney campus ahead of the 2026-27 academic year, a release says. These programs include the School of Business, School of Professional Accounting, Creative Writing, and Urban & Regional Planning. The Get Lit! offices and Willow Springs offices will also move from the Catalyst building to the Cheney campus, according to the university’s website.