Lyon College and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) will collaborate on Arkansas' first dental school, according to a news story in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
Currently, UAMS offers a postdoctoral educational program for dental general practice, but it doesn't have a dental school. Arkansas is one of 14 states that doesn't have a dental school.
Lyon College must receive accreditation for the school before it can enroll dental students. The goal is for students to begin classes in 2024 or 2025.
This could be a major boost for the Natural State. In 2019, Arkansas had only 41.82 dentists per 100,000 people, only ranking ahead of Alabama, according to the news story.
