Wichita State University and Fort Hays State University are teaming up to explore the possibility of opening Kansas' first dental school.

 

The Wichita State Board of Trustees recently approved up to $750,000 to fund a comprehensive study to consider the feasibility of such a move. The study will evaluate the scope, scale, and structure of a potential dental school to be located in Wichita.. Areas of focus for the study will include cohort size, faculty and staff needs, accreditation requirements, facility planning, and potential partnerships with Federally Qualified Health Centers to expand clinical access.

 

Kansas faces significant gaps in oral health care, with many rural counties lacking practicing dentists. Nearly 600,000 Kansans have little to no access to professional dental care. Additionally, 20 Kansas counties currently have no practicing dentists, and more than 80% of the state’s 105 counties are experiencing a serious shortage of dentists.

 

The proposed dental school would be part of Phase II of the Wichita Biomedical Campus. Phase I of the campus is a joint initiative between Wichita State and the University of Kansas to strengthen the state’s health care education pipeline. Phase I — currently under construction in downtown Wichita — is expected to be completed in 2027 and will house health sciences programs from both institutions.

 

The study is expected to be complete by the fall of 2026