Dental hygiene program tackles rural care gap
The University of Tennessee Health Science Center’s College of Dentistry rural dental hygiene team serving in Lake County, Tennessee. (Courtesy UTHSC College of Dentistry)
When Teresa O’Daniel and Kiesha Werlitz were working together in 2022, O’Daniel showed her a map of counties throughout Tennessee.
The map, featuring data from 2021, showed alarming information — dozens of counties statewide had no dental clinic.
Armed with that and research about the importance of dental care in rural communities, O’Daniel went to work.
O’Daniel envisioned a dental hygiene program embedded in her coursework as a professor at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center’s College of Dentistry.
Now, her dream is a reality.
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University of Tennessee Health Science Center UTHSC College of Dentistry Teresa O'Daniel Kiesha Werlitz Waletha Wasson Subscriber OnlyThank you for reading The Daily Memphian. Your support is critical.
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Steve Bohnel
Steve Bohnel is a Temple University graduate, originally from Bucks County, Pennsylvania. He’s worked at news organizations in Iowa, Maryland and Pittsburgh, covering local and state politics. He covers health care, transportation and logistics, public companies, banking and finance and technology. He is an avid traveler, an Everton F.C. and Philadelphia sports fan, and likes collecting records and biking around town.
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