Riga, Latvia – The University of Latvia (UL) is preparing to open a new Dentistry and Optometry Clinic and Training Centre this summer, marking a significant investment in both medical education and public healthcare access. Construction and adaptation work are slated for completion by June 1st, with the premises being officially handed over to the university, according to a statement released by the Mūkusalas Business Centre.
The new facility represents a collaboration between UL and the Mūkusalas Business Centre, formalized in a memorandum of cooperation signed in September 2024. UL Vice-Rector for Development, Enno Ence, described the agreement as a symbolic connection between academic study, scientific research and the business sector, facilitated by the newly constructed pedestrian bridge over the Kīleveina ditch.
Designed as a multifunctional hub, the clinic will integrate student training, clinical practice, and healthcare service provision. Kristaps Jaudzems, Dean of UL’s Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, emphasized the project’s importance in bridging the gap between theoretical education and real-world clinical application. “It will enable us to forge a closer connection between academic education and real clinical practice, while providing a modern, safe, and high-quality environment for both student training and patient care,” Jaudzems stated.
The location of the new centre, in close proximity to UL’s Academic Centre, was strategically chosen to foster interaction between studies, research, and clinical practice, creating a unified university infrastructure. Currently, UL’s dentistry clinic at 5 Aspazijas Boulevard is operating beyond its capacity, necessitating the move to a larger, more modern facility.
Iveta Bahmane, Board Chair of the Mūkusalas Business Centre, highlighted the clinic’s role in developing Mūkusala as a healthcare and medical education cluster. “We are deliberately creating an environment where academic education and high-quality healthcare services meet under one roof,” Bahmane said. “In the long term, this kind of synergy not only strengthens the city’s infrastructure, but also consolidates Latvia’s healthcare system as a whole.”
As the new clinic nears completion, UL structural units currently housed at the Aspazijas Boulevard location are preparing to relocate to the newly constructed “Rakstu māja” at UL’s Academic Centre. The new Dentistry and Optometry Clinic and Training Centre is expected to welcome its first patients this summer, offering a wide range of dentistry and optometry services to the public.
