The clinic is the only dental center in a two-hour radius that accepts uninsured and Medicaid patients, spurring the need for the residency program and more providers.
Currently, Johnson Health Center only offers dental exams, cleanings, emergency services, extractions and fillings. Once the program starts, the clinic will also be able to provide endodontic services as well as crown and bridge procedures.
The grant funding is from the Health Resources and Services Administration.
The first class of dental residents will be in 2026 or 2027, the report said.