The gift from alumnus Dr Tom Arkle will establish a named chair position to support leadership recruitment and resident education.
The West Virginia University School of Dentistry has received a $1.4 million gift from retired orthodontist and 1978 graduate Dr Tom Arkle to support its postgraduate orthodontics program, according to reporting by WVUToday.
Arkle’s donation fulfills a $2 million pledge that establishes the Dr Thomas Arkle III Chair of Orthodontics. Dr Peter Ngan, who has led the Department of Orthodontics for more than 30 years, will serve as the inaugural chair.
The gift is intended to help the dental school attract and retain faculty by addressing the salary gap between academic positions and private practice.
“Today it’s very difficult to attract someone to higher education,” Arkle says in the report. “You can look nationwide, the number of unfilled positions in dental education is staggering. Working four days a week and taking six weeks off a year in private practice, the difference could be anywhere from four to 10 times what professors typically earn.”
The funds will support leadership, professorships, new equipment, and opportunities for residents to attend professional meetings.
“We are so very appreciative of the incredibly generous support that Dr Arkle provides to our School of Dentistry,” says Dr Stephen Pachuta, dean, in the news item. “Tom has been a consistently strong supporter of our School and, in particular, of our orthodontics residency program for many years. His commitment to student success is making a significant positive impact across our profession.”
Arkle practiced orthodontics for 32 years in North Carolina before retiring in 2015. The gift was made through the WVU Foundation.
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