Kingsport is angling for a $10 million state grant that would dramatically expand a dental clinic that has logged thousands of appointments since opening in fall 2024. The Kingsport Dental Clinic of Appalachian Highlands has held more than 2,000 appointments since it opened in fall 2024, and city leaders say a fresh infusion of state money could turn a 12-operatory operation into one with 36 operatories.
A Clinic Built on Partnership
The clinic opened through a partnership between the city and the University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Dentistry, according to WCYB. The University of Tennessee Health Science Center says its College of Dentistry operates the facility, which aims to improve access to oral health services in Kingsport and the surrounding region.
Funding for the project has come from more than one source, though accounts of the earlier state contribution differ. WCYB reported the city received about $6 million in grant funding before the clinic opened, while UTHSC put that figure at $6.5 million meant to support the build-out of future clinic phases. Separately, the Eastman Foundation announced a $1 million grant for construction costs, per UTHSC.
What The New Money Could Buy
If Kingsport lands the new $10 million award, the clinic would expand from 12 operatories to 36, per Chris McCartt, as reported by WCYB. McCartt said the expansion would also increase the number of dentists, hygienists and dental assistants working there. Not every account of the growth plan lines up exactly: an Eastman.com report described the next phase as an increase from 12 to 30 patient chairs, a figure that differs from WCYB's 36-operatory number, and the dossier does not clarify whether the two measures describe the same thing.
The Kingsport Board of Mayor and Aldermen is expected to submit the grant application at the end of September, WCYB reports. The state grant program is competitive, with $100 million available statewide, meaning Kingsport's request is one of many vying for a limited pool of money.
More Than a Dental Office
Beyond treating patients, the clinic doubles as a training ground. It gives dental students hands-on experience treating patients, and the program is intended to encourage future dental professionals to stay in or return to the Tri-Cities. Dr. John Royal said students there address each patient's individual needs rather than working through a limited list of procedures, according to WCYB's report.
Future phases are planned to include an Advanced Education in General Dentistry program along with opportunities for third- and fourth-year students to study full time in Kingsport, per UTHSC. That residency program was approved for the Kingsport site and was scheduled to launch in July 2026, according to WJHL. UT hopes to eventually build a larger presence at the site by July 2027, with the possibility of hosting 40 to 50 fourth-year students there for their entire final year, WJHL reported.
The Bigger Health Picture
City officials are framing the expansion as more than a capacity upgrade. Chris McCartt said cycles of poor health, employment, insurance and dental care can be broken through better access, according to WCYB's account. The clinic expansion would connect patients with regular dental services and could help reduce the number of people seeking emergency room care for oral health problems, per the same report.
Whether Kingsport actually secures the $10 million remains an open question, since the state grant program is competitive and the city's application has not yet been decided. For now, the clinic's track record of more than 2,000 appointments in under two years is the case Kingsport is making for why it deserves a bigger share of the funding.
