A new dental college opening on Aug. 22 at Northeast Ohio Medical University (
NEOMED) is taking a fresh approach to addressing the state’s oral health crisis: embedding students directly in the communities that need them most.
Led by Dr. Sorin Teich, the new dean of the
Bitonte College of Dentistry, the program will launch with its first cohort of 52 students. The program places a strong emphasis on access to care, particularly in underserved rural and urban areas of northeastern Ohio.
“We are very focused on educating these students to become competent practitioners who will address at least some of the acute needs in the state of Ohio,” Teich says. “We are constantly keeping in mind the issue of access to care.”
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NEOMEDThe Bitonte College of Dentistry will launch its inaugural class with 52 students.
What sets NEOMED’s dental school apart is its commitment to hands-on experience.
During their first two years, students will train in on-campus clinics and simulation labs. In the final two years, they’ll also rotate through external partner sites where they will treat patients under faculty supervision.
Oral health disparities in Ohio are a persistent public health issue. Many families face barriers to accessing care, leading to preventable emergencies that often result in visits to hospital emergency rooms.
“Oral health issues are probably the first reason that people go to the ER if they have acute pain,” Teich says. “If we can even have a small impact on that, it will speak volumes about what we’re doing here.”
Effects of community conditions
NEOMED’s new dental school aims to have that impact by equipping students with clinical skills and an understanding of how community conditions shape health. The curriculum is designed to expose students to real-world settings where these challenges are most visible. It is a model that prioritizes both clinical competency and civic responsibility.
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NEOMEDBitonte College of Dentistry emphasizes care access in underserved northeastern Ohio communities.
“We will bring people from the community — patients — into our clinics here to provide treatments, and, even more important, preventive dentistry and education about how to stay healthy,” Teich says.
The dental college has been in development for more than four years. Its creation reflects collaboration among public and private partners. The Delta Dental Foundation helped fund the university’s new simulation lab. State legislators, the Ohio Dental Association, and the Ohio Dental Board also played roles in bringing the program to life.
“This university is so visionary,” Teich says. “They chose to invest a lot of resources into opening this new college because they understood the synergy between dentistry and the other health professions that we have here at NEOMED.”
NEOMED’s Bitonte College of Dentistry, a public university in Rootstown, Ohio —just south of Cleveland and east of Akron — has become the state’s third dental school, joining Ohio State University and Case Western Reserve University.
“We hope to be synergistic with other programs and expand the pie for the community, rather than create a zero-sum game,” Teich says.
Maintaining local ties
NEOMED is emphasizing in-state recruitment, aiming to encourage students to return to their communities after graduation. Teich believes the opportunity to work in community health settings during their education may be a strong factor in their decision to enroll.
“Our assumption is that students were drawn to NEOMED by the opportunity to engage directly with the community,” he says. “Community outreach was a key focus throughout the admissions process.”
The university plans to survey members of the incoming class to better understand their motivations and interests. Teich expects responses to align closely with NEOMED’s goal of expanding access to dental care across the state.
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NEOMEDBitonte College of Dentistry features a strong focus on hands-on training.
Teich brings decades of academic and clinical leadership experience to his role. A prosthodontist with an MBA from Northwestern University, he previously served in senior roles at Case Western Reserve University and the Medical University of South Carolina.
Teich, who joined NEOMED in the final stages of the dental program’s development, credits its foundation to the leadership of Dr. Frank Beck, the inaugural dean of the Bitonte College of Dentistry, who is now dean emeritus, and Dr. Kristin Victoroff, the current associate dean for education.
“Dr. Victoroff created the document that got us through the first accreditation step,” Teich says. “That work is not widely seen, but it was essential and nothing short of a monumental lift.”
Teich highlighted the significant contribution and generosity of the Dr. Dominic A. and Helen M. Bitonte Family Foundation. Additionally, he acknowledges the commitment of NEOMED President Dr. John Langell, whose leadership and vision led to the project’s launch. He also credited the university’s provost, Dr. Forrest Faison, for continued support.
Filling gaps in dental care
The first dentistry students arrive on the NEOMED campus in late August. Teich believes NEOMED’s model of community-based training can offer insights for other institutions seeking to address care gaps.
“There’s a great need for oral health care. If we can show future dentists what it means to serve — and give them the tools to do it — we can make a lasting difference,” he says.
That includes managing dental emergencies and providing preventive care where those services are limited or unavailable.
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NEOMEDIn their first two years, Bitonte dental students train in campus clinics and labs.
“When it’s a community, it’s not only patients — it’s also the professional community that is embracing us,” Teich says. “The dental board, the dental association, Delta Dental — they’ve all been supportive because they recognize how important this is.”
Through partnerships, planning, and a focus on service, NEOMED’s Bitonte College of Dentistry is laying the foundation for a new generation of dentists who are prepared to meet Ohio’s most pressing oral health needs.
“What we do envision strategically — and this is our raison d’être — is that we will have an impact locally and across the state on multiple levels,” Teich says. “Access to care is one, but so is creating opportunities for in-state students to stay in Ohio and serve its constituents.”
Photos courtesy of Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED).