Permanente Dental Supports Development of Pacific Dental Therapy Master's Program

Pacific University is pleased to announce a $25,000 donation from Permanente Dental Associates (PDA) to support the development and accreditation of a master of science in Dental Therapy (MSDT) Program at the School of Dental Hygiene Studies (DHS) within Pacific’s College of Health Professions in Hillsboro, Oregon. 

PDA is a professional corporation owned, governed and managed by more than 160 general dentists and specialists. Since 1974, PDA has partnered with Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Northwest to operate and jointly manage Kaiser Permanente Dental, serving more than 290,000 dental members in Oregon and SW Washington.

Pacific University was the educational training site for the Oregon Health Authority’s Dental Pilot Project #300. Pacific University already has the infrastructure and experience from delivering a successful pilot project placing us in an excellent position to become the sole accredited dental therapy education program in Oregon and only the fourth accredited program in the nation.

Amy Coplen, director of the Dental Hygiene Studies program, is leading the implementation and rollout of the master’s degree program in dental therapy at Pacific University with plans for the first cohort of 6 students to begin in the Fall of 2025.