Senator Dave Argall, who represents the 29th District in northeastern Pennsylvania and serves as chair of the Senate Majority Policy Committee, visited Temple University Kornberg School of Dentistry to discuss dental care programs and strategies for improving access in the state. He was joined by Dr. Amid Ismail, dean of the dental school, and Senator Sharif Street.
During the visit, they reviewed plans to establish Temple’s first rural dental education center and clinic in Tamaqua. “The stories we’ve heard about the impact of dental care shortages on families are heartbreaking,” said Argall. “Temple University and our federal, state and local partners are committed to addressing this crisis. I was very impressed by the technology and programs I saw in Philadelphia and look forward to seeing shovels in the ground in Tamaqua — the sooner, the better.”
Argall previously chaired a public hearing on rural dental care shortages, where professionals described children missing school due to abscesses and elderly patients with broken dentures forced onto soft diets.
To address these issues, Temple University is working with local organizations including Tamaqua Area Community Partnership, Congressman Dan Meuser (PA-09), Argall, and Representative Jamie Barton to secure funding for a 24-chair dental education center in downtown Tamaqua. The facility will host 20 students for their final two years of training while providing comprehensive care to underserved patients.
The Kornberg School of Dentistry is one of the oldest such institutions in the United States, serving around 22,000 patients annually through free or discounted services performed by students. The school also conducts research aimed at improving patient care across Pennsylvania.
Senator Argall’s legislative work focuses on education funding reform and community revitalization efforts throughout his district—which includes parts of Luzerne, Carbon, and Schuylkill counties—according to his official website. He has experience as a public policy instructor at regional colleges and offers constituent services from multiple offices across northeastern Pennsylvania (source). His background includes degrees in political science and public administration (source).