Editorial: Many thanks to Blue Cross and Delta Dental

Tennessee ranks 45th nationally for the number of dentists per capita with a current statewide shortage of 800 dentists, according to the American Dental Association.The shortage is most pronounced in rural areas and is on a trajectory to be even more so with an estimated 40% of the state's 3,247 dentists planning to retire within the next decade.That's why donations of a quarter of a million dollars each from two longstanding dental insurers to the Kingsport Dental Clinic of the Appalachian Highlands is so meaningful.The clinic was announced last year, and work begins in January readying 7,000 square feet of space for it at the West Sevier Professional Building near Ballad Health's Holston Valley Medical Center campus.The latest donation of $250,000 is from Blue Shield/Blue Cross of Tennessee, matching a donation in August from Delta Dental, a network of dental insurance companies composed of 39 independent Delta Dental members operating in all 50 states. The funds will help build and equip the school, which will begin as a clinic and hopefully develop into a full-fledged college of dentistry.The plan is for the clinic to be initially staffed by residents from Ballad Health and students from the University of Tennessee and East Tennessee State University. A public-private partnership that includes UT, East Tennessee State University, Eastman Chemical Co., Ballad Health and the city has collaborated to help make the dental school possible.Students should start to enter the building by next July or August.Blue Cross officials said they know it is needed."Dental and oral health is a key component of overall well-being, and we know the need for affordable, high-quality services is significant, not only in Northeast Tennessee, but across the state," said Scott Pierce, executive vice president and chief operating officer for BlueCross. "This clinic will provide greater access to care for the people and communities we serve, and we're honored to support those efforts."Dental students have a bright future. For the sixth consecutive year, the U.S. News & World Report "100 Best Jobs" listed professions in dentistry among its top jobs. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts employment growth of 7.6%, which equates to 10,400 new dentist jobs through the year 2028.The dental school will be yet another addition to the city's efforts to build out an educational complex. The Kingsport Center for Higher Education is a 54,000 square-foot facility administered by Northeast State Community College. KCHE consists of two institutions: East Tennessee State University and Northeast State Community College, in a unique partnership.Once the doors open on the clinic, it will be supported by Ballad Health dentists receiving their residency requirements. It would also serve as a place for two-week rotations for University of Tennessee and ETSU dental students.The primary responsibility right now, though, will be to assist those throughout Northeast Tennessee, Southwest Virginia and Eastern Kentucky who need dental treatment. The clinic will assist low-income patients by offering a sliding scale of payment.Thank you Blue Cross/Blue Shield and Delta Dental for being a part of this exciting new educational offering in Kingsport.