Lyon College School of Dental Medicine, which received accreditation and welcomed its inaugural class in 2025, is the newest dental school in the United States and is located in Little Rock, Arkansas (Lyon College's main campus is in Batesville, but the dental school is in Little Rock's Riverdale neighborhood). The school was established to address the acute dental workforce shortage in rural Arkansas, one of the most dental-underserved states in the country. As a pioneer program, Lyon Dental offers an intimate learning environment with small cohort sizes and a strong focus on rural and community dental practice.
What makes it different
Applications via ADEA AADSAS. Lyon Dental is the newest accredited US dental school, offering a rare opportunity to be part of a founding cohort. Its rural Arkansas setting and mission directly address the dental workforce gap in one of the most underserved states in the country. Applicants who genuinely want to practice in rural America will find Lyon's mission compelling.
Course & teaching
Integrated curriculum. Three-year (accelerated) DMD curriculum with a strong rural health focus. Clinical training planned at Lyon's dental clinic and community and rural sites across Arkansas. The program is designed to address dental access gaps in rural and underserved Arkansas communities, with rotations expected at federally qualified health centers and rural community dental sites.
Research strengths
Lyon College School of Dental Medicine (DMD) has notable research strength in Rural dental health, Dental access disparities, Community dentistry, Preventive dentistry, Oral health education.
Interview
Lyon College School of Dental Medicine (DMD) interviews via Traditional one-on-one or panel interview at the dental school campus in Little Rock, AR. Lyon College School of Dental Medicine, as a newly accredited program (opened 2025), conducts traditional faculty interviews at its Little Rock, Arkansas campus (Riverfront Plaza, Riverdale neighborhood). Interview processes for new programs typically evolve in early cycles — expect approximately 30–45 minute sessions assessing motivation for dentistry, commitment to serving rural Arkansas communities, manual dexterity experience, and understanding of the oral-systemic health connection. As the newest accredited US dental school, Lyon interviewers are particularly interested in applicants who can thrive in a pioneering program and contribute positively to its founding cohort culture.
Intake
Approximately 80 students per year (inaugural class June 2025; 240 at full enrollment across the three-year program).
At a glance
Founded in 2025, based in Little Rock, AR. Programmes offered: General Dentistry, Rural Health Dentistry, Community Dentistry, Preventive Dentistry, Oral-Systemic Health.
