TITLE: Congratulating the inaugural graduating class of the Hunt School of Dental Medicine.

SUMMARY: Congratulating the inaugural graduating class of the Hunt School of Dental Medicine.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, Forty students graduated with doctor of dental medicine degrees on May 19, 2025, as members of the inaugural class of the Hunt School of Dental Medicine at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in El Paso; and WHEREAS, Established in 2021 as the first new dental school in the Lone Star State in more than 50 years, the Hunt School of Dental Medicine seeks to address the dentist shortage in far West Texas; residents of El Paso make up approximately 18 percent of the inaugural class, and an estimated 43 percent of the graduates are expected to practice dentistry in West Texas; and WHEREAS, The school's educational approach is unique in that students begin treating patients in their first semester, giving them valuable hands-on experience under faculty supervision; each graduating student spent about 3,500 hours in the Texas Tech Dental Oral Health Clinic, and over 900 of those hours were spent performing procedures, from routine cleanings to complicated implants and extractions; since its founding, the clinic has provided more than 6,000 low-cost procedures to members of the El Paso community; and WHEREAS, In addition to attaining a D.M.D. degree, each member of the inaugural class earned a community health certificate, which counts toward 15 hours of a master of public health degree; the graduates achieved an outstanding 100 percent board exam pass rate, significantly outperforming the national average, and 10 students secured dental residency positions at prestigious institutions, including Yale University, Rutgers University, and the University of Washington; and WHEREAS, The members of the Hunt School of Dental Medicine's Class of 2025 demonstrated hard work, dedication, and perseverance on their way to completing the program, and they are indeed deserving of special recognition for this accomplishment as they embark on the next exciting chapter of their lives; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas Legislature hereby congratulate the inaugural graduating class of the Hunt School of Dental Medicine and extend to its members sincere best wishes for the future. Perez of El Paso Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 1327 was adopted by the House on June 1, 2025, by a non-record vote. Chief Clerk of the House