Northeast Ohio Medical University in Rootstown could open a dental school using $2 million allocated to the school in the state's two-year budget, according to Sept. 6 Record-Courier article.
The school was discussed during a meeting between U.S. Sen. Jerry Cirino, R-Ohio, and Portage County commissioners, during which Mr. Cirino said there was a need for more dentists in the state.
Ohio State University in Columbus and Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland have the two dental programs in the state. Northeast Ohio Medical University first considered adding a dental school in 2014, but it stated that more research needed to be done to determine the number of available partnerships for dental trainees, curriculum needs and the financial sustainability of the school.
At the time, the medical school said there were 32 dentists per 100,000 residents in Portage County, half the national average of 60 dentists per 100,000 people.
The medical school will need to submit a plan for the dental school to the state's Department of Higher Education in order to accept the funds.