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Bulletin of Dental Education Article

University of Pikeville Breaks Ground on Tanner College of Dental Medicine

In October 2024, the University of Pikeville (UPIKE) held a groundbreaking ceremony for the Tanner College of Dental Medicine (TCDM), marking a significant milestone in expanding access to dental care in the region. The event, attended by Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear; UPIKE President Burton J. Webb, Ph.D.; and numerous state and local leaders, underscored the university’s continued dedication to advancing health care excellence.


UPIKE TCDM, made possible through a generous $25 million gift from the Tanner family, will have a transformative impact on eastern Kentucky’s health care landscape.The new college will focus on training future dental professionals who are committed to serving rural and underserved communities. Its first cohort of students is scheduled to begin in June 2026.

Governor Beshear, a strong advocate for improving health care access in Kentucky, commended UPIKE’s leadership and the Tanner family’s generosity during his remarks.

“This project brings together so much of what Team Kentucky has been fighting for. Our administration is an education-first administration, and this new Tanner College of Dental Medicine is expanding higher learning in a crucial field right here at UPIKE. Health care is a basic, fundamental human right that every American deserves, and this institution will help ensure that people can secure that care close to where they live,” said Gov. Beshear. “Because of investments like this, we’re not only creating jobs and improving health care, but we’re giving the next generation of Kentuckians the opportunity to dream big. Students from eastern Kentucky will be able to become dental specialists without leaving their home region, and that’s what we all want—jobs, educational opportunities and health care for our children, so they can dream as big as they want and chase those dreams right here.”

President Webb echoed the governor’s sentiments, celebrating the college’s potential to change lives.

“We think it says a lot when 30 percent of our alumni stay in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and practice. That’s an important thing, because our commonwealth deserves the very best of health care. I remember a pivotal moment when the Tanner family sat across from me and committed $25 million to this project, and then challenged us to raise another $10 million. As of last week, we’ve surpassed that goal, raising $35.1 million in total. This is a testament to the tremendous need for improved oral healthcare in Eastern Kentucky,” said President Webb. “Local dentists have been telling us for years that they can’t meet the needs of Medicare and Medicaid patients, and this project will be a gamechanger for the region. We are deeply grateful to the Tanner family, the people of eastern Kentucky, and to God, whose guidance makes all of this possible.”

UPIKE has conveyed its enthusiasm for the future, highlighting that the new college will complement the existing colleges of osteopathic medicine and optometry, strengthening its mission to expand health care access in the region.

TCDM will play a critical role in combating the high rates of oral disease in central Appalachia, particularly oral cancer, which is more prevalent in this part of the country. By expanding preventative care and enabling earlier detection, the college aims to train dentists to help significantly improve long-term health outcomes.

University of Pikeville
Founded in 1889, the University of Pikeville (UPIKE) is an innovative higher education institution in the heart of Appalachia. UPIKE prepares students for the future while creating intellectual, cultural and economic opportunities for eastern Kentucky. With four academic colleges, two professional schools, the Kentucky College of Optometry and the Kentucky College of Osteopathic Medicine and the upcoming Tanner College of Dental Medicine, UPIKE offers a broad liberal arts curriculum where students can discover their passion, see new possibilities and move mountains.

Courtesy of University of Pikeville

Published on December 11, 2024