The University of New England has received a $3.5 million state award from the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention to help open the first college of dental medicine in northern New England.
The funding comes from a $5 million bond package that the Maine Legislature passed in June 2010 and voters approved last November. Of that amount, $3.5 million was earmarked for a community-based teaching dental clinic affiliated with a dental college. UNE submitted the lone proposal, the school said.
Northeast Delta Dental is contributing $2.3 million in startup costs for the school, which officials expect to open in 2013. UNE will begin accepting applications for students in June 2012.