As we returned from the long July 4th holiday weekend, we were greeted with new opportunities to extend oral health care to the community. We are grateful that the Virginia legislature provided a 30% increase in Medicaid dental benefit reimbursements that may encourage more dentists to provide and more patients to seek dental care in both the dental school and in the community. We also have gained expanded opportunities for more of our faculty to participate in providing care in the faculty practice because of favorable changes in the Virginia Dental Board’s licensure guidelines for VCU School of Dentistry faculty. I look forward to watching our students, faculty, staff and the community we treat benefit from these changes.

We are also welcoming many new students and residents to the School of Dentistry. I had the pleasure of meeting our new International Dentist Program students and sharing lunch with our new residents in Advanced Education in General Dentistry, Periodontics, Pediatric Dentistry, Endodontics, Orthodontics and Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. Talent and kindness abounds. Before we know it, these students and residents will have graduated and become alumni of our great school, providing outstanding oral health care throughout Virginia and the nation. July seems to be the month of perennial change and one that calls for
celebration. Cue the fireworks!