2023 has been a significant year for the University of Pikeville (UPIKE), which is gearing up for the inaugural class of its new College of Dental Medicine.
The new dental school was first announced in May 2022, with the support of a then anonymous gift of $25 million. The money, which is the largest single private donation in the university’s 133-year history, is being used to establish the college.
In October, the university announced the college will be named “Tanner College of Dental Medicine” in recognition of the Tanner family, who made the transformational $25 million gift. Carol Goff Tanner and her late husband, Robert B. Tanner, come from families with deep roots in Eastern Kentucky. Carol’s father, a Pike County native, attended UPIKE (formerly Pikeville College). After Robert’s passing in 2018, Carol and the Tanner family decided to focus their philanthropic activity on the Eastern Kentucky region. The family’s desire to increase access to healthcare and education in Central Appalachia led to the financial gift to UPIKE.
“We are deeply grateful to the Tanner family for their transformative gift,” said UPIKE President Burton J. Webb, Ph.D. “Generations of Appalachians will benefit from their generosity. They will be cared for by dentists who trained at the Tanner College of Dental Medicine. What a gift!”
Renovations are underway on the facility that will house the new college. Located inside the former Appalachian News Express building on Caroline Avenue in downtown Pikeville, the facility is a short walking distance from the main campus. The Appalachian News Express relocated its office to 265 Hambley Boulevard.
“We saw a need to help both the university and the city grow,” said Appalachian Newspapers Inc., Publisher Jeff Vanderbeck. “The anticipation of more than 250 students and staff to become part of the community requires a lot of space. This arrangement is great for us, the city and the university and secures and solidifies our ongoing relationship.”
Along with a new facility came new leadership. In November, the university announced Jill E. Keaton, DMD, MS, was named the new dean of the Tanner College of Dental Medicine. Keaton, who most recently was serving in the position of Associate Dean of Clinical Affairs at UPIKE, has served the Eastern Kentucky area for nearly three decades, including private dental practice and serving as the coordinator for Big Sandy Community & Technical College dental hygiene, dental assisting and community dental health programs.
“It is my honor and privilege to now serve as dean of the TCDM,” said Keaton. “I am thrilled to continue to contribute to creating a state-of-the-art dental school that will provide students with a quality education close to home.”
Since joining the UPIKE team as Associate Dean of Clinical Affairs, Keaton has worked to prepare the application for initial accreditation of the dental school with the Commission on Dental Accreditation. She also collaborated with the architectural team to design the dental school, formed partnerships with area stakeholders for external rotations, and networked with other dental school educators to learn more about the changing landscape in dental education with new technology and teaching methodology.
Additional funds have supported UPIKE’s efforts to launch the dental school. In fall 2023, the university was awarded $1.5 million from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) for the purchase of dental equipment and supplies.
Once up and running, the Tanner College of Dental Medicine at UPIKE will be the third dental school in Kentucky (others include the University of Kentucky College of Dentistry and the University of Louisville School of Dentistry.)
The Tanner College of Dental Medicine anticipates accepting its first class in 2025.
For more information, visit upike.edu.
