EDWARDSVILLE – The Southern Illinois University Board of Trustees, at its regularly scheduled meeting on the Edwardsville campus today, approved contracts totaling more than $7.4 million toward the School of Dental Medicine’s (SDM) Advanced Care Clinic (ACC) at the Alton campus.
During its December 2019 meeting, the board provided budget and project approval for the $11.5 million facility. The project’s funding is from grants ($3 million), SDM reserves ($3 million), University plant funds ($1 million), and internal or external financing ($4.5 million). The debt service will be repaid with SDM clinic operation revenues, equipment usage fees, and future donations and grants.
The ACC project will involve demolishing the former MDL Building 283, which is no longer in use. The new clinic will be constructed on that site, and serve dental students and residents. The clinic will serve a comprehensive range of patient dental needs through existing, expanded and new post-doctoral programs.
By adding general anesthesia capabilities in two medical operating suites, the SDM will be able to offer more comprehensive, predictable and safe treatment, allowing for the timely completion of care, particularly for children and patients with special dental care needs.
“This clinical space will provide facilities for the SDM to facilitate treatment for our most vulnerable population, children who require general anesthesia, for the completion of care,” said SDM Dean Bruce Rotter, DMD. “The facility will also allow the school to expand and enhance our postdoctoral specialty programs.”
Contracts for construction services were awarded to:
Poettker Construction Co., of Breese, for general work: $4,781,100
Wegman Electric Co., of East Alton, for electrical: $1,024,292
France Mechanical Corp., of Glen Carbon, for heating: $435,400
Hock, Inc., of Millstadt, for ventilation: $473,464
GRP Mechanical Company, Inc., of Bethalto, for plumbing: $597,156
Kane Fire Protection, Inc., of East Alton, for fire protection: $126,300
Work is expected to begin in mid-March with completion anticipated in June 2021.
The SIU School of Dental Medicine students manage approximately 35,000 patient visits each year at its patient clinics in Alton and East St. Louis. In addition, students offer oral health treatment, screenings and education to more than 10,000 people annually through a wide variety of off-campus community outreach events. These opportunities provide students the training they need to graduate and become highly skilled dentists. The School of Dental Medicine is a vital oral health care provider for residents of southern and central Illinois, and the St. Louis metropolitan region.
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