A $460,591 grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will go to New York Medical College’s general dental practice residency program.
The grant, administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration within HHS, will be used to train postdoctoral students in public health dentistry, a specialty that concentrates on populations as opposed to individuals.
U.S. Rep. Nita Lowey, D-Harrison, announced the grant for the Valhalla-based medical school Wednesday.
“Investments in dental health will leave more people in the lower Hudson Valley smiling,” Lowey said in a statement. “I’m pleased New York Medical College will be able to use this grant to train postdoctoral students specializing in public health dentistry.”
In the announcement, Lowey’s office said nationally, the number of dentists per 100,000 people declined from 58 to 55 from 2011 to 2013. The training provided by the grant money will also focus on improving dental care in the lower Hudson Valley.
“With this grant from the federal government, our general dental practice residency will train tomorrow’s dentists in a patient-centered medical home model, to address the oral health care needs and disparities of the Hudson Valley, and encourage them to pursue a career in public health dentistry,” said Joseph F. Morales, professor and chairman of the school’s Department of Dental Medicine and program liaison, general dental practice residency.
