If you live in the Phoenix area, you may have seen MWU in the newspapers over the past few days. Last Fall, MWU announced the establishment of a new College of Dental Medicine at our Glendale Campus. This new academic program is part of a $150 million expansion plan in Arizona to increase the number of health care providers needed by the state and region. The plan includes the development of a low-cost dental clinic for patients, which would also be utilized as a training site for our students. We sent out a Request for Proposals to cities throughout Arizona asking them to submit bids for our new University Dental Health Clinic, and we received more than 50 responses. The list has been narrowed down to include sites in Glendale, Avondale, Maricopa, Peoria, Phoenix, Surprise, Scottsdale, Tempe, and Wickenburg. MWU has been visiting other university dental clinics throughout the country, and is focusing on best practices in developing the clinic.

So, what does this news splash really demonstrate? First of all, we are excited that so many cities would like MWU to locate a clinic in their community. Our University has become well-known throughout Arizona, and we are "in demand" because of our innovative outreach efforts and the quality of our students. For 11 years now, we have built a reputation in the Valley for being entrepreneurial and for training top practitioners. People have encountered our students at hospitals, pharmacies, and health facilities, and they are impressed. They are likewise impressed by our leadership and our beautiful campus. This also shows that many communities are in need of quality dental care. We look forward to partnering with the dental community in the state to bring more dental services as well as academic opportunities.

MWU's College of Dental Medicine will begin accepting applications for its inaugural class this spring. Our first 100 students will matriculate in Fall 2008. More details about admissions and the curriculum are now posted on our web site. The new dean of the College, Dr. Richard Simonsen, and his first faculty member, Dr. Robert Hasel, have been hard at work developing an innovative curriculum for both the basic science years and the clinical component. They have also been working to build strong relationships with dentists and preceptors throughout the state. Like all of our deans and faculty, Dr. Simonsen is extremely student-focused and is excited about ways to collaborate with MWU's other academic programs to provide the best experiences for future dentists.

If you are interested in dentistry, check out our newest college at www.midwestern.edu/az-dental.