Northern Michigan University receives grant from Delta Dental Foundation for feasibility study of dental hygiene program

Northern Michigan University is a recent recipient of a grant from the Delta Dental Foundation in the amount of $71,500. The grant will allow Northern Michigan University to determine whether it could or should begin to offer a dental hygiene program in Marquette, Michigan in the state’s upper peninsula, a region where there are not currently any similar programs available.

According to an article on Northern Michigan University’s website, Elise Bur, who serves as the director of the NMU Center for Rural Health, explained why a dental hygiene program in Marquette could have far-reaching impact. She is quoted as saying, “The existing dental hygiene programs have wait lists of three to five years, and few are positioned to support rural health needs. Northern Michigan University has established strong dental partnerships with independent practices, tribal health centers and federally qualified health centers that strongly support this exploratory project. The potential to develop a hygiene education model that supports rural health could serve as a model for other rural areas in the nation.”

The closest dental hygiene program is 350 miles away in the state’s lower peninsula in the city of Big Rapids. Bur noted that by traveling away from the upper peninsula for their education and training, students may become likely to not return to the upper peninsula to practice dental hygiene, negatively impacting the availability of dental health access to residents of the upper peninsula.

In a letter of support that was submitted with the grant application, dental societies in the upper peninsulas stated, “The need for talented individuals to help provide timely and comprehensive care is greater than ever, and the collective dental offices of the U.P. are not immune to the challenges that face health care today. There needs to be an effort to develop, attract and retain talent. Establishing a training program here in Marquette at NMU would greatly improve the number of qualified providers and subsequently improve access to care across our region.”

Now that the grant has been awarded, the next step for Northern Michigan University will be to conduct the feasibility study, which will begin in May 2025 and is expected to wrap up sometime in the fall of 2025.

If the study suggests that a dental hygiene program is feasible for the area, then the university will need to develop its curriculum and apply for board approval, secure additional funding for the continuation of the program, and receive approval from the Commission on Dental Accreditation.

For more information about Northern Michigan University, visit the school’s website.