The School of Dentistry and Emerald Initiative (an affiliate of McKinstry) have signed a lease for space in the University of Washington-Gonzaga University Health Partnership’s 840 Building in Spokane, Wash. Applying funding from the Washington State Legislature and other federal grants, the School will establish a regional training center for oral healthcare excellence to support its growing Regional Initiatives in Dental Education (RIDE) program.
Through a partnership that was established between Eastern Washington University (EWU) and the School in 2008, the RIDE program trains students to work in rural and underserved areas of the state. The program secured $2.5 million in funding through the legislature in spring 2024 to expand its offerings. The funding doubles the number of RIDE students from 32 to 64 students, adds a second year of regional instruction and supports the development of a new training space on the fourth floor of the 840 Building.
“RIDE has a successful blueprint for educating oral healthcare professionals for practice in rural and underserved communities and this investment will enable us to scale the program to meet the needs of our region,” said Dr. Art DiMarco, RIDE’s Spokane director and EWU faculty member. “The partnership with Eastern Washington University is a huge part of RIDE’s success in Spokane and the new training space opens up more possibilities for interdisciplinary training and access to digital technologies, which will benefit students in both schools.”
The approximately 13,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility includes a dental simulation lab, digital dentistry lab and classroom and administrative spaces. It will serve as a training hub for oral health professionals and students in the region.
Developed by Emerald Initiative, the 840 Building was completed in 2022 and is home to the UW-GU Health Partnership, a collaboration aimed at improving health throughout the region through education, innovation and research. More than 500 GU and UW School of Medicine students attend classes there in medical school and health sciences. The building anchors the Health Peninsula, which includes the adjacent SIERR Building, home to UW’s MEDEX physician assistant program and EWU’s nursing school.
“We are excited to welcome RIDE to our expanding health science ecosystem,” said John Sklut, Gonzaga University’s executive director for the UW-GU Health Partnership. “The growing number of academic programs in close proximity continues to advance the development of multidisciplinary approaches to education, while promoting community health and preparing our region’s next generation of healthcare providers.”
CollinsWoerman Architects and McKinstry are leading the design for RIDE’s space. Construction is expected to start this month. Students are slated to begin training in the new space in mid-2025.
“We are thrilled to have RIDE join the cluster, thereby enhancing opportunities for collaboration and positive community impact,” said Patrick Farley, principal of Emerald Initiative.
The investments and new space will help increase access to quality dental care in the region, expand the oral healthcare workforce and improve overall health in rural and underserved communities across Washington state.
“This expansion is a huge win for everyone involved,” said Davis Mihelich, a first-year RIDE student. “Having the opportunity to train in the new space and spend our second year here in Spokane will positively impact our learning and, ultimately, benefit the communities we serve.”