The University of Rochester’s Eastman Institute for Oral Health (EIOH) has received a $2.1 million federal grant to train more dentists and increase care access for underserved populations, URMC announced.
The five-year program, called EXCEL, targets critical gaps in dental care, especially for patients with complex medical conditions and disabilities.
EXCEL will include a dental public health residency paired with a Master of Public Health degree, a general dentistry fellowship focused on complex care, and a new Oral Health Resource Center. The center will emphasize health equity and education.
The program blends clinical training with leadership development to better serve high-need communities.
Currently, more than 40% of EIOH’s patients have health issues too complex for standard dental providers. Program leaders say EXCEL aims to create a care model that can be adopted nationwide to improve access and patient outcomes.