UF is looking to increase access to dental care in Florida by expanding its dental school and producing more dentists.
The university's plans were presented for informational purposes before the Board of Governors, the governing body of the state university system, on Wednesday afternoon.
The plan for the College of Dentistry calls for an expansion of 80 students over five years and a renovation of the 40-year-old dental science building.
UF is asking for about $3.2 million in state funds for the first year to fund the renovation.
A report presented to the Board of Governors in June found that while the state doesn't necessarily need more dentists, access needs to be improved throughout Florida's 67 counties.
According to the report, 21 counties lack dental providers who take Medicaid due to the state's low Medicaid dental reimbursement rates.
The report found that too many dentists are concentrated in urban areas, like Miami-Dade and Broward counties, and access in Florida's more rural counties is limited.
UF's plan would cost $15.2 million over five years for educational and outreach expenses.
Kelly Nedimyer, a fourth-year dental student, sees patients ranging from 15 to 94 years old at the UF College of Dentistry's clinic.
