The first class of 100 students has entered the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) School of Dental Medicine, now the third dental college in Florida, the Bradenton Herald reported.
Nearly half of the students entering the new $52 million building are from the state, and the program will place an emphasis on prevention and providing care to underserved communities.
The college has a 115-chair dental clinic, 22 problem-based learning rooms, research facilities, and a library. Tuition is $48,000 per year.
Robert Hirsch, DDS, dean of the dental school, noted that the demographic the school will serve is primarily made up of Medicaid, fixed-income, and low-income individuals.
A grand opening ceremony will be held in March 2013.
