Cassopolis Family Clinic Network (CFCN) and the University of Michigan (U of M) School of Dentistry have reached an agreement for U of M dental interns to train at CFCN’s Niles Community Health Center Dental office, located at 122 Grant Street, Niles. Beginning after Labor Day, interns in their 4th year of dental school will be seeing patients and providing family dentistry under the supervision of Dr. Madison Mick, CFCN’s Dental Director. Interns will rotate, spending 2 weeks locally, returning to U of M for 4 weeks, and then coming back for another 2 weeks. Each school semester a new group of 12 interns will come to Niles.
“We are excited to start this new training program,” said Mary Middleton, CFCN’s CEO. “We were planning to start a few years ago, and then the Covid Pandemic changed everything, basically shutting down all but emergent dental services.” Dental services are once again being delivered with additional safety measures in place.
NCHC Dental opened in October of 2016 after an extensive remodeling of an old medical building. CFCN invested nearly $1.5 million in the renovation, furnishings, and equipment in order to add oral health as another service for health center patients.
“We have found there is a tremendous need in our community for family dentistry,” said Dr. Madison Mick. “We’re losing two of our employed dentists, so the timing of working with U of M interns couldn’t have come at a better time.”
CFCN, a 501©3 Federally Qualified Health Center, is able to offer student loan repayment through the National Health Service Corps, or the Michigan Student Loan Repayment Program. “We’re hoping that some of the students will fall in love with Southwest Michigan and want to join us in practice when they graduate from U of M,” said Mary Middleton. “They can become part of the important work we do in our community while earning competitive salary and benefits, gain experience over time, and get financial assistance with student loans.”
Mary Geegan Middleton, CEO