NMDA Journal Winter 2019

14 New Mexico Dental Journal, Winter 2019 The need for a dental school in New Mexico has been debated for decades. As with any investment, the value must be weighed by balancing need with available resources. There is no doubt that our lim- ited resources make such a decision difficult, but the potential value to the state necessitates creative so- lutions to the problems. In 2005, the state prepared a feasibility study that outlined one possible model, but the minimum class size exceeded our student capacity and the start-up costs and operating ex- penses were hard to justify. In 2013, the New Mexico Dental Association, as part of our Oral Health Focus 2020 plan, proposed that some of the benefits of the model could be realized by taking incremental steps toward the model by increasing the student pipeline capacity and developing necessary infrastructure. Not surprisingly, there has been limited traction for this approach since it requires a long-term vision without a clear institutional champion and potential- ly diverts limited resources from existing programs with immediately tangible outcomes. A more cre- ative approach is needed. OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS A Regional Dental School on Our Doorstep?