WSDA is excited to announce the Campaign for Dental Futures: A Tribute to the Work of Dr. Linda Edgar
The WSDA Foundation has pledged $1 million to support the creation of the Simulation Lab at the new Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences School of Dental Medicine (PNWU SDM) in Yakima. Through this campaign, dentists and supporters have a unique opportunity to help shape the future of dentistry in Washington state and beyond.
A State-of-the-Art Learning Environment
PNWU SDM students are learning in brand new facilities and on state-of-the-art equipment, including in the Simulation Lab, which is the centerpiece of on-campus instruction at the school.
The WSDA Foundation and the PNWU SDM have chosen to recognize a pillar of organized dentistry by naming the Simulation Lab in honor of Washington’s own, Dr. Linda Edgar.
Dr. Edgar represents the very best of the profession. Naming the Simulation Lab in her honor ensures that her legacy will inspire generations of future dentists as they begin their journeys in Yakima.
About Pacific Northwest University School of Dental Medicine
As one of the nation’s newest and most innovative dental schools, PNWU SDM is redefining dental education with a bold mission:
- Recruit a diverse pool of dental students, primarily from rural and underserved communities
- Embed service to those communities into clinical training
- Increase the number of dentists who choose to practice where they are needed most
That mission is already coming to life in PNWU SDM’s inaugural class. Selected from nearly 550 applicants, the 36-member class reflects the future of dentistry:
- Nearly two-thirds are from Washington, with others representing the broader Pacific Northwest and states as far away as Texas, Oklahoma, and Florida
- Almost 75% come from rural or underserved communities
- Students represent a wide range of racial and ethnic backgrounds
- Nearly two-thirds are women, exceeding the national average
- Many are first-generation college graduates, with some the first in their families to graduate high school
About Dr. Linda Edgar
Dr. Edgar served as the 160th President of the American Dental Association (2023-2024). She was only the fifth woman and the second dentist from Washington state to serve in that role. She is also one of only two people to have served as President of both the ADA and the Academy of General Dentistry. Not only is that a rare accomplishment, but her path to the pinnacle of organized dentistry was also non-traditional, not unlike the students walking onto the PNWU SDM campus. Dr. Edgar came to dentistry later in her career, after years as a popular high school chemistry teacher, balancing the rigors of dental school with family obligations and training as a marathon runner and triathlete.
Those experiences shaped her lifelong advocacy. Dr. Edgar has dedicated countless hours to expanding access to dental education, championing women in dentistry, and working to make dental school more affordable and attainable for all.
The Washington State Dental Association Foundation is committed to improving lives through dental health.
WSDA Foundation Friends for Life (25,000+)
Banner Bank
Dr. John Carbery
Dr. Richard Crinzi
Drs. Bryan and Linda Edgar
Gary Payton Foundation
Mr. Stephen & Sandra Hardymon
Dr. Sally Hewett
Dr. Dan Middaugh
Moda Health
Northwest Dentists Insurance Company
Dr. Mark & Barb Walker
Washington Dentists' Insurance Agency
Washington State Dental Association
