Temple University’s plans for a rural dental clinic at a former pharmacy in Tamaqua were approved by the borough’s Zoning Hearing Board this week.

The university is now seeking contractors to renovate the former Rite Aid at 205 Center St. into a 24-chair education center and clinic.

When work is complete, the university’s Maurice L. Kornberg School of Dentistry is expected to open in the fall.

The university collaborated with the nonprofit Tamaqua Area Community Partnership on the plans for its first ever dental school, which officials say will help address the urgent need for dental services in the region.

Ten third-year and 10 fourth-year dental students will receive their final two years of training in Tamaqua, where they will provide comprehensive care to underserved patients.

Temple will lease the former pharmacy from the partnership, which has a sales agreement with the current owner.

In January, Temple’s board of directors committed to leasing the building for a 15-year initial term with the annual lease starting at $218,500 paid by the dentistry school. It will be outfitted with furniture, fixtures and equipment at a cost of about $3.19 million.

Students will live at housing being created at 24 W. Broad St., Tamaqua. The building, which will also be renovated, was the former site of Tire Pros and Scheid’s Department Store.

Temple will pay an annual lease cost of $316,800 for at least 15 years for the space.

Talks of the dire need for dentists in the area have been ongoing. In June, state Sen. David Argall chaired a public hearing about the matter at the Lehigh Carbon Community College’s Morgan site in Tamaqua.

Dental professionals shared how the lack of care affects the health of their patients, leading to lethal infections and other diseases, describing children with abscesses missing school and elderly patients with broken dentures forced to go on soft diets.

In November, it was announced that the school would receive $2 million in federal funds to open in Tamaqua.

The Kornberg school is also opening a new location for a faculty dental clinic in Philadelphia for dental services for staff, students and community members.