UT Dentistry
The School of Dentistry is expanding to meet the needs of people with cognitive and physical disabilities in The Phil and Karen Hunke Special Care Clinic.
In January 2022, UT Dentistry launched the initial phase of its first-ever private practice. The General Dentistry Clinic provides dental care to staff, faculty and students of UT Health San Antonio, as well as the surrounding community. Under the private practice model, providers are dedicated dentists rather than teaching faculty.
“An important mission of the UT Health San Antonio School of Dentistry is the provision of clinical care to the community,” said Peter Loomer, BSc, DDS, PhD, MRCD(C), FACD, dean of the School of Dentistry. “With the rapid population growth of San Antonio, I feel the time is right to expand our dental services to meet our increased demand.”
The clinic is expected to grow over the next five years, adding more providers and the possibility of satellite clinics throughout San Antonio.
“Our mission for excellence in our education and training programs will remain a priority,” said Gary Guest, DDS, associate dean for patient care and professor in the School of Dentistry. “And this model allows for dedicated, non-teaching providers to provide high-quality patient care with greater availability and access.”
The School of Dentistry is also expanding its reach to meet the needs of people with cognitive and physical disabilities in a new clinic housed at UT Dentistry’s Center for Oral Health Care and Research on Floyd Curl Drive, designed especially for adults and children with special needs.
The Phil and Karen Hunke Special Care Clinic, named for the San Antonio-area philanthropists who provided seed money for the project, is the first of its kind in an academic environment in South Texas. The practice, expected to open in January 2024, will include seven dental treatment rooms and five IV sedation suites. In addition to providing oral health care to special-needs patients, the practice will offer interdisciplinary educational opportunities for students and residents.
“There are not enough dentists who provide care to those with disabilities,” Loomer said. “Since starting my tenure at the school, it has been my vision and mission to build this clinic to both directly provide care and, equally important, train our students to feel confident in providing care to those with disabilities in their dental practices after they graduate. Everyone deserves access to dental care.”
