High Point University’s Workman School of Dental Medicine and Wake Forest University School of Medicine have signed a letter of intent to begin discussions on developing dental residency programs together.
Aligned with the educational and clinical objectives of both institutions, dental residency programs would provide post-doctoral training in a number of potential specialty areas, including general practice residency (hospital dentistry), pediatric dentistry, oral medicine, orofacial pain and dental anesthesiology. HPU welcomes its inaugural class of 60 doctor of dental medicine (DMD) students this fall.
While discussions are still in the early stages, leaders envision that the Workman School of Dental Medicine faculty would also hold faculty appointments within Wake Forest University School of Medicine and provide training to residents working at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center.
The opportunity is a continuation of a successful partnership that began in 2023, when HPU’s Workman School of Dental Medicine and Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist initiated a collaboration to provide oral medicine oncology and orofacial pain services for patients receiving cancer treatment at the Hayworth Cancer Center at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist High Point Medical Center. This collaboration has been successful in expanding the spectrum of innovative services available to cancer patients.
“We are delighted to be taking this first step toward a promising partnership to educate the next generation of dental leaders and improve the health of our community and our nation,” said Dr. L. Ebony Boulware, dean of Wake Forest University School of Medicine and chief science officer of Advocate Health, of which the medical school is the academic core. “We look forward to further discussions as we work to expand our partnerships and continually elevate the training we provide at Wake Forest University School of Medicine.”
The next step is for both parties to advance talks about what a collaboration agreement for post-graduate dental residency programs would include.
“The academic and clinical partnership between the High Point University Workman School of Dental Medicine and Wake Forest University School of Medicine was envisioned to enhance access to care for patients with unmet and complex needs by delivering dentistry and medicine as one integrated unit,” said Dr. Muhammad Ali Shazib, dean of the Workman School of Dental Medicine. “Partnerships like these, which involve patient care, education and research, serve as a catalyst for improved health care outcomes, elevated patient experiences and a rich environment for innovation. This is a win for all those who need our care - patients, health care providers, educators, administrators and researchers.”
Wake Forest University School of Medicine sponsors 25 residency programs and 87 fellowship programs which train more than 700 residents and fellows each year.
Media contacts:
Joe McCloskey, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, jmcclosk@wakehealth.edu
Alex Abrams, High Point University, aabrams1@highpoint.edu