Building a Rural Dental Workforce

"When I came into this world and met her, I never really saw her smile. Having a focus in rural areas is really important because sometimes they're scared to go to the dentist. I'm not able to restore my grandmother's smile, but with my patients, I treat them like they're my own family members. Just showing them love and care-having that small interaction-can really change their trajectory."

"Since 2018, the institution has expanded its reach beyond its home base in Nashville, positioning itself as a critical provider in rural health-care deserts across Tennessee. Meharry's mobile dental units have traveled to underserved communities throughout the state. Last year alone, providers performed more than 4,000 dental procedures across Tennessee."

"Nine hospitals in Tennessee -and roughly 300 nationwide-are at risk of closure due to funding cuts in last year's One Big Beautiful Bill Act, leaving many communities with shrinking access to care. In that landscape, Meharry has become a leading provider in many rural communities, including among predominantly white populations that might not traditionally seek care from an urban-based, historically Black medical school."

Kyla Marks, a fourth-year dental student at Meharry Medical College, was motivated by her grandmother's lack of access to dental care in rural Mississippi to pursue dentistry focused on underserved communities. Meharry, one of the nation's oldest historically Black medical schools, has expanded significantly since 2018 through mobile dental units serving rural Tennessee. These units performed over 4,000 dental procedures last year across the state. This expansion addresses a critical healthcare crisis as nine Tennessee hospitals and approximately 300 nationwide face closure due to funding cuts, creating severe access gaps. Meharry has become a leading rural healthcare provider, serving diverse populations including predominantly white communities that might not traditionally seek care from an urban-based, historically Black institution.

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