ACCESS TO DENTAL CARE PROGRAM AWARD: THE OHIO PROJECT
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 will receive 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 has strengthened Ohio’s oral health workforce by mentoring students in real world clinical environments, many of whom have gone on to practice in high-need areas,” wrote the Columbus Dental Society in its nomination letter. “The program has fostered long-term partnerships with community health centers, safety-net clinics, public health departments and private practices committed to serving vulnerable populations.”
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.
Dr. Canise Bean, former director of community education and outreach at The Ohio State University College of Dentistry, developed and implemented the OHIO Project with a goal of improving oral health outcomes for underserved populations while preparing future dentists to serve with competence, compassion and commitment.
“From its inception, the program was structured not only to expand access to care in underserved urban and rural communities, but also to fundamentally reshape dental education by embedding service-learning as a core component of the curriculum,” wrote the Columbus Dental Society.
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.
“These experiences enhance students’ social awareness, providing students with a direct understanding of the great need for Public Health Dentistry,” Cottle said. “They experience different work environments, specialties and work styles that can shape long-term career choices while creating well-rounded, educated and experienced dental professionals.”
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.
