June 12, 2024
Lawrence County High School Promotes Career in Dentistry with UK and Local Dentist
As of June 12, 2024, Lawrence County High School, Louisa, KY is pleased to announce a collaboration with the University of Kentucky College of Dentistry (UKCD) and local dentist, Dr. Marc Lester.
As part of the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, UKCD is committed to improving oral health in the Commonwealth. As a result, UKCD allocates annually 40 of its 65 spots in each dental class to Kentucky applicants. Unfortunately, many of the Kentuckians graduating from UKCD are not returning to underserved areas of the state to practice. This helps to fuel a shortage of dentists serving rural or underserved areas of the Commonwealth.
Morgan and Marc Lester
After researching programs across the nation, UKCD has developed a framework for a Pathways to Dentistry program. This framework will identify students from rural areas with an interest in dentistry; work with the students to prepare them to succeed throughout their academic career; provide support through high school, undergraduate, and dental school, while keeping the student connected to the home communities throughout their academic education.
Important factors in the success of the Pathways to Dentistry program are the collaboration between local dentists, school systems, and interested community members such as 4-H agents or health departments. The intent of the program is to allow for each targeted area to tailor their version of the program to fit their community.
UKCD identified two locations to pilot the Pathways to Dentistry program-Lawrence County and Fulton County. A workgroup with members from the organizations listed above have begun work to bring this opportunity to Lawrence County. As a first activity, local area dentist and UKDC alumni, Dr. Marc Lester, participated in Bridge Day to share a hands-on activity as an introduction to dentistry. More activities are planned throughout the rest of the year.
UK Contact: Linda Epling, 859-323-6918, linda.epling@uky.edu
LC Schools Contact: Sarah Gauze, 606-638-9676, sarah.gauze@lawrence.kyschools.us
Local Dentist Contact: Dr. Marc Lester, 606-638-4445, marclesterdmd@gmail.com
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As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — plecing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It’s all made possible by our people – visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a 5501 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medice/ center, all on one campus.
