Delta Dental WA gives $1M to EWU for dental education program
Thursday, February 12, 2026
SPOKANE – Eastern Washington University (EWU) has announced a $1 million grant from Delta Dental of Washington in support of the university’s dental hygiene program on the Spokane Health Peninsula campus, which will accommodate its dental education program – including a new master’s degree in dental therapy and a 46-chair dental clinic devoted to serving Spokane’s medically underserved.
The grant announcement, as well as plans for EWU’s new dental health education hub, comes as the demand for dental health professionals is at an all-time high – often contributing to longer patient waits for preventive dental health services.
For years, the state has experienced a critical workforce shortage of dental hygienists and dental assistants. The situation is even more dire among historically marginalized racial and ethnic groups, in rural areas, and in other medically underserved communities.
“All communities in Washington state need greater access to oral care, but the problem is especially acute in rural areas,” said EWU College of Health Science and Public Health Dean Dawn Lewis-Kinnunen. “Our goal with our programs is to improve availability to care throughout the dental ecosystem.”
“Most dental disease is preventable, but it’s extremely challenging to prevent oral health issues if you don’t have access to care. As a mission-driven organization, we are committed to expanding access and improving oral health for all,” said Delta Dental of Washington Board Member Katie Hakes, DDS, who has practiced dentistry in Spokane since 1991. “Growing the dental workforce and extending care for rural and other medically underserved communities is essential for improving our state’s oral health.”
The innovative new EWU dental hygiene education hub – home to its 80-student dental hygiene program, community serving dental clinic and dental therapy master’s degree program which is currently awaiting accreditation from the Commission on Dental Accreditation – will be part of the Spokane Health Peninsula campus, creating a vibrant space devoted to research, development and the advancement of health sciences, as well as offering proximity to major health care education centers. The unique collaborative environment also includes EWU’s School of Nursing, the University of Washington School of Medicine-Gonzaga University Health Partnership – which brings together the UW’s world-class medical education programs with Gonzaga’s leading programs in nursing, public health and human physiology – as well as the UW School of Dentistry’s RIDE (Regional Initiatives in Dental Education) program which provides hands-on education for dental students in providing dental care to rural and underserved populations in the state and region, increasing the likelihood that students will practice in these communities after graduation.
“Oral health is an important part of everyone’s overall health,” said Delta Dental of Washington President & CEO Mark Mitchke. “We’re excited to support Eastern Washington University’s expanded dental hygiene program as part of the Spokane Health Peninsula partnership, creating synergies in health sciences education and helping address the inequities in the oral and overall health of our state’s rural and medically underserved communities where the need is the greatest.”
Dental therapists, which have been prevalent in other countries and tribal communities for many years, are trained to provide a mid-level role of oral health care – such as nurse practitioners or physician assistants in medicine – freeing up time for dentists to focus on more complex care. Pending accreditation, the new program will start with 12 students in fall of 2028 and be just the second to offer dental therapy education in Washington.
“We believe we are on the cutting edge of introducing this dental professional to the inland northwest that will become more prevalent in the health care community in the near future,” said Lewis-Kinnunen.
Dr. Francisco Velázquez, health officer for the Spokane Regional Health District, praised the expansion of EWU’s dental program and Delta Dental’s support, noting that poor oral health is closely linked to serious conditions, such as heart disease, diabetes, and respiratory illness. “We cannot separate dental care from overall health,” said Dr. Velázquez. “Preventive oral care reduces chronic disease, and expanding dental education, including dental therapy, increases access to quality dental care across our region.”
“We extend our deepest gratitude to the Delta Dental of Washington for its extraordinary gift of $1 million in support of our new dental clinic, as well as Delta Dental’s leadership in advancing oral health, equity, and community health outcomes. This remarkable investment is more than a contribution—it is a powerful vote of confidence in our mission to expand access to high-quality oral health care, elevate clinical education, and strengthen the well-being of the communities we serve,” added Lewis-Kinnunen.
The dental hygiene education program and community clinic will transition to the Health Peninsula campus later this year, with the dental therapy master’s degree program eventually supporting 36 students at full capacity.
