New Arkansas Dental School Welcomes Its Very First Class

The Lyon College School of Dental Medicine — the very first dental school in the state of Arkansas — opened its doors to the inaugural class on July 7.  With a rigorous full‑day academic schedule, strong peer support, and a focus on practical balance, the dental students are laying the foundation for what could become a nationally recognized program.

Arkansas struggles with access to care and currently has the lowest dentist‑to‑patient ratio in the country, with 41 dentists per 100,000 residents. Of the inaugural class of dental students, 43 % are from Arkansas and 33 % hail from bordering states.

But just as students begin this journey, a major obstacle looms on the horizon.
Buried in a sweeping federal budget bill signed this month is a provision eliminating Grad PLUS loans, a key funding source for dental, law, and medical students. For many Lyon students, these loans were essential to covering the school’s $102,000 annual tuition. Without them, students will be limited to unsubsidized federal loans capped at $50,000 per year and $200,000 total. For dental students, who often borrow significantly more to complete their education, this shift could severely restrict access.

While Lyon is working to build institutional scholarships, it faces the common nonprofit challenge of needing donor confidence before funding arrives. That means today’s students are caught between high costs and shrinking financial support, just as the school is trying to make dental education more accessible in‑state. Click here to read more.