DECATUR, Ala. (WAFF) – The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Dentistry plans to open a clinic at the Decatur Morgan Hospital Parkway campus.
The University of Alabama at Birmingham will operate the clinic.
Medical students and residents will get the chance to learn really important hands-on skills.
The clinic is expected to help people with everything from root canals to fixing broken or chipped teeth.
Officials with the hospital said the goal of the new clinic is to train and keep dentists in North Alabama.
Jason Cunningham with Decatur Morgan Hospital said he’s excited to see what opportunities the dental students will get at the new clinic.
“It’s a great opportunity for the UAB School of Dentistry to open a satellite school here,” said Cunningham. “It’ll provide more opportunities for future dentists to train and train with the population that maybe doesn’t have, you know, previous dental care.”
Decatur Morgan Hospital officials hope the clinic will provide people from rural parts of North Alabama with a place they can go to get the care they need.
According to the CDC, about 60 million people across the country live in an area where dental services aren’t easily accessible.
Cunningham said he also hopes the new clinic will be a place where people without health insurance can go to get help.
“People come to the ER for dental care, because they have no other options,” said Cunningham. “We’re here to provide those options for them, but when they don’t have dental insurance, that is the only option they have when they’re in a time of need. So, this will help alleviate that and provide another option for these patients.”
Since UAB is running the clinic, it still needs to be approved by the University of Alabama System Board of Trustees.
If approved, the clinic is expected to open in 2026.
Click Here to Subscribe on YouTube: Watch the latest WAFF 48 news, sports & weather videos on our YouTube channel!
Copyright 2024 WAFF. All rights reserved.
