tistry now have a new place to hone their skills with the opening of the school’s new state-of-the-art simulation laboratory.“This simulation laboratory allows our students to learn dental procedures in the pre-clinical setting on the most realistic simulation units available that will facilitate their transition to the clinics,” David Felton, D.D.S., M.S., dean of the School of Dentistry, said. “This state-of-the-art facility also allows us to increase our class size and to provide a new environment for hands-on continuing dental education that is second-to-none in the U.S.”
The year-long, $1.5 million project included space renovation and replacement of equipment that had been in service at WVU for more than 23 years. The new lab, which occupies two rooms on the first floor of the Health Sciences Center,
includes 60 work benches, a teaching station, the latest dental simulators, a video camera/microscope and LED operatory lights.The project was made possible through a partnership with The KaVo Group, a worldwide manufacturer of dental equipment, and is representative of a long-standing relationship between the school and KaVo.
“We are absolutely delighted with the efforts The KaVo Group made in facilitating this project and are very appreciative of the efforts of the Health Sciences Center’s Maintenance Engineering Group, headed by Paul Walden and Gary Roy, for their efforts in converting the space in record time,” Dr. Felton said. “A very special thank you goes to Erin Norris of KaVo, who moved to Morgantown for over a month to manage the installation of the equipment for the simulation lab.”
The lab officially opened on Sept. 17 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Photo captions: (Top photo) A view of the new simulation lab at the West Virginia University School of Dentistry. (Bottom photo) Leah Berkhouse, a second-year dental student from Spencer, W.Va., works in the new simulation lab at the WVU School of Dentistry.