The East Carolina University (ECU) School of Dental Medicine will soon open a community service learning center that will provide dental care to patients in and around Robeson County, NC, the university announced.
The center, which combines clinical education and patient care, had a ribbon-cutting ceremony on December 2 and will be the fifth of its kind in the state.
Led by ECU dental faculty members, fourth-year students are receiving clinical training at the centers, while general dentistry residents also hone their skills at the facilities. The fully functional general dentistry centers feature treatment rooms, x-ray equipment, educational space, and more.
"ECU is well-known for its service mission," said Dr. Phyllis Horns, vice chancellor for health sciences at ECU. "And certainly our community service learning centers allow us ... to reach out to the citizens of this state in meaningful ways and improve their quality of life."
ECU dental community service learning centers are already serving patients in Ahoskie, Elizabeth City, Lillington, and Sylva. Centers in Spruce Pine and Davidson County are set to open this winter, and an eighth center is under construction in Brunswick County.
