OHIO Project receives Ohio Dental Association Access to Dental Care Program Award
The OHIO Project is the 2026 Ohio Dental Association Access to Dental Care Program Award.
The OHIO Project has been improving access to care and providing educational opportunities for dental students for over 20 years. The program received the 2026 Ohio Dental Association Access to Dental Care Program Award on Friday, Sept. 18 at the Callahan Celebration of Excellence, held in conjunction with the 160th ODA Annual Session.
Through the OHIO (Oral Health Improvement through Outreach) Project, senior dental students at The Ohio State University College of Dentistry provide dental care in community-based safety net dental clinics throughout Ohio under the direct supervision of OSU faculty.
“The program benefits both the individuals who need oral health care and the dental students who gain patient-care experience in various settings,” said Dr. James Cottle, director of the OHIO Project. “The excellent learning opportunities provided by the OHIO Project make this program a highlight of most dental students journey through dental school.”
Through the program, students are assigned to community-based programs throughout Ohio including V.A. Hospital dental clinics, residency programs, private practices, health department dental programs and Federally Qualified Health Centers. They also provide care on the HOME Coach, the College of Dentistry mobile dental office on wheels. Each dental student spends 43 days providing care through the OHIO Project.
The OHIO Project was established in 2002 through a five-year, $1.5 million Pipeline, Profession and Practice grant awarded to The Ohio State University College of Dentistry by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The grant was designed to develop national models for improving access to care and preparing culturally competent oral health professionals.
Since the program began, more than 2,700 dental students have participated and provided more than $26.5 million in care at 210,000 patient visits. A network of over 80 licensed dentists have served as adjunct faculty and community preceptors.
The ODA’s Access to Dental Care Program Award honors an outstanding program that helps reduce the access to care problem in Ohio by offering free or reduced fee dental care to underserved populations.
