The University of Maine Augusta says the new grant will double the number of patients and students they serve

LEWISTON, Maine – A $665,000 grant from Northeast Delta Dental will allow the University of Maine Clinic in Lewiston to not only expand its educational programs and facilities — the upgrade allows the center to double the number of students they can teach increasing the enrollment size of dental assistant and dental hygiene programs.

“Right now, we don’t have enough providers to see all the patients,” Northeast Delta Dental board chairman Jeffrey Walawender said.

“Unfortunately, it may be the people who are most vulnerable who are left behind and we cannot allow that to happen.”

UMaine Augusta President Jennifer Cushman knows that having more trained professionals will fill a hole in an often overlooked part of the health care field.

“We all have hospitals, actually, and most of us have doctors, but we don’t necessarily think of dentists as being that common,” Cushman said. “We really want to make it a priority for the state so that every Mainer has access to dental care.”

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are just over 1,000 dental hygienists in the state and 1,230 dental assistants.

They are starting immediately. One patient getting his teeth cleaned was 4-year-old Carter Beisaw, who says he loves being at the dentist.

“They’re helping me brush my teeth,” Carter said. “It feels like it’s tickling.”

The program is also focusing on training and retaining future dental teams, making sure Mainers have their own providers who live and learn in the community where they work, and making sure nearly every Mainer has access to dental care in the process.

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