Regional Initiatives in Dental Education (RIDE)
WHAT IS RIDE?
The Regional Initiatives in Dental Education program, or RIDE, is a strategic expansion of the University of Washington School of Dentistry in conjunction with Eastern Washington University, designed to help meet the oral health needs of rural and underserved communities in the Northwest. RIDE will create regional training sites in areas lacking dental schools by partnering with regional universities, dentists and dental associations, community health centers and others. Student admission to the RIDE program in Spokane, Washington is limited to residents of Washington State.
To minimize costs and provide interdisciplinary training opportunities the RIDE program will be initiated in conjunction with Washington State University’s new “WWAMI” program in Spokane. The WWAMI (Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho) program is the University of Washington School of Medicine’s program for regional medical education in the Northwest. RIDE will also work with other health professional “pipeline” programs to encourage the recruitment of dental students from rural and underserved areas.
HOW DOES THE RIDE PROGRAM WORK?
A maximum of eight RIDE students will be admitted to the program and will spend their first year of dental school at the Riverpoint Campus in Spokane. This year will include a four-week summer rotation at a community-based rural or underserved practice site. RIDE students will spend the majority of their second and third years of dental school at the University of Washington in Seattle. During their fourth year students will return to regional sites for extensive clinical rotations with affiliate faculty preceptors.
HOW WILL STUDENTS AND FACULTY BENEFIT?
RIDE allows dental students to spend a significant amount of time at a regional site, increasing their familiarity with the dental healthcare needs of the region, and increasing the likelihood that more of them will select further training or practice opportunities in that or a comparable region. In addition to participating in training programs for dental students, regional affiliate faculty will have opportunities for continuing dental education through seminars, faculty development programs and academic affiliation with the UW School of Dentistry.
WILL RIDE COURSEWORK BE DIFFERENT?
First year courses will be comparable between Spokane and the University of Washington. Equivalent course content will be ensured by an onsite dental director and dental instructors, all UW affiliate faculty, at the Spokane campus. RIDE students will take interdisciplinary courses with first year medical students and dental hygiene students. In addition, various distance learning modalities such as video-teleconferencing and web-based course materials will be employed.
IS RIDE FOR YOU?
Before applying for the RIDE program ask yourself:
- Does the mission/vision of the RIDE program interest me? For mission and vision see the RIDE website: www.dental.washington.edu/ride.
- Do I like working in teams? Would I enjoy attending classes with medical, dental hygiene and other health professional students?
- Would I like to receive almost half of my dental education in Eastern Washington? Would I enjoy community-based training?
- Am I interested in the professional and lifestyle opportunities of smaller and rural communities in our state?
- Am I comfortable with some courses being taught by distance learning technologies?
NOTE: All applicants to the RIDE program will automatically be considered for the Seattle-based program as well. However, your application to the RIDE program indicates your preference for Spokane placement.
