Meharry’s outreach is already reaching rural Tennessee. The next step is building on that progress. Jonathan Low Guest Columnist May 30, 2026, 5:06 a.m. CT Meharry Medical College has been doing the work. Dr. Julie Gray, associate dean of community affairs, leads expanded dental services in Shelbyville, 90 minutes from Nashville, where students provide fillings, cleanings, extractions, dentures and partials to underserved communities. Opinion: Tennessee has a rural health care crisis. This is why