SPOKANE, Wash. — Eastern Washington University will relocate its dental hygiene clinic to a new facility in January 2027, funded by a $1 million grant from Delta Dental of Washington and $10.5 million from the Washington State Legislature.
The clinic currently operates 46 dental operatories where students practice their skills. It will move from its current rented space to the Spokane Health Peninsula Campus along Spokane Falls Boulevard, near Gonzaga and University of Washington medical centers.
“Where we are now is owned by WSU and we rent it. So, it’s going to be awesome to have our own space and be with other EWU departments such as nursing in this building,” said Lorie Speer, EWU Department chair of Dental Hygiene.
The move addresses a critical need in Spokane, where residents face significant barriers to oral health care, including lengthy wait times and limited options for those without insurance or with insurance plans that many clinics don’t accept. Washington state has experienced a critical workforce shortage of dental hygienists and dental assistants, with the problem particularly acute in rural areas and medically underserved communities.
Dawn Lewis-Kinnunen, EWU Dean of College of Health Science & Public Health, emphasized the clinic’s commitment to accessibility. “Our doors are open to everyone who wants to have dental care,” she said.
The clinic serves as both a training ground for the program’s 80 students and a vital community resource.
“We can take people who don’t have insurance and our fees are at a great decrease compared to what they would find in private practice,” Speer explained.
Students work directly with real patients under supervision, gaining practical skills necessary for their careers.
“We work on providing dental hygiene therapy and getting them all clean so that they feel good when they go home,” said Olivia Kjack, an EWU dental hygienist student.
University officials anticipate a seamless transition to the new facility.
“We are planning for it to be such a smooth transition. One day, you come here, and the next day you go there,” Lewis-Kinnunen said.
The new location will house the dental hygiene program alongside other EWU health science departments, including nursing, creating a consolidated health education campus in Spokane.
Eastern Washington University is also awaiting accreditation for a new dental therapy master’s degree program. Lewis-Kinnunen described the degree as a form of mid-level care between a hygienist and a practitioner.
“The more we’re able to provide that, the more our community will benefit,” Lewis-Kinnunen said.
If approved, Eastern would become the second university in Washington to offer the program, further expanding the range of oral health professionals trained in the region.
EWU’s Dental Hygiene Education Hub will begin accepting patients in its = Spokane Health Peninsula Campus in January 2027.
COPYRIGHT 2025 BY KXLY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED.
