Raleigh, NC, July 05, 2012 --(PR.com)-- The East Carolina University School of Dental Medicine Community Service Learning Center in Ahoskie, NC, celebrated its opening with a ribbon cutting and open house on June 28.

North Carolina ranks 47th in the nation for dental care, and this service learning clinic is designed to help prepare more dentists for North Carolina while also increasing access to dental care in the state’s rural communities. The educational program combines distance learning technology and community partnerships for the completion of students’ 4th year, while improving the communities they serve.

The project’s unique vision involves redistributing the investment and building structure that would traditionally be a facility floor on campus and distributing it to 10 locations across the state, so students can learn in real world conditions while also benefiting underserved communities. The project expands ECU’s innovative vision and involves specialized, advanced technology and a rethink for how academic facilities are designed, constructed and maintained.

In 2007, architectural firm BJAC was selected by ECU for the design of a new dental school, a 112,500-square-foot facility that has included the development of service learning centers, including the one in Ahoskie. BJAC was responsible for the design process, and also provided assistance in site selection.