§ 293k–2 — Training In General, Pediatric, And Public Health Dentistry

(1) The Secretary may make grants to, or enter into contracts with, a school of dentistry, public or nonprofit private hospital, or a public or private nonprofit entity which the Secretary has determined is capable of carrying out such grant or contract— (A) to plan, develop, and operate, or participate in, an approved professional training program in the field of general dentistry, pediatric dentistry, or public health dentistry for dental students, residents, practicing dentists, dental hygienists, or other approved primary care dental trainees, that emphasizes training for general, pediatric, or public health dentistry; (B) to provide financial assistance to dental students, residents, practicing dentists, and dental hygiene students who are in need thereof, who are participants in any such program, and who plan to work in the practice of general, pediatric, public heath dentistry, or dental hygiene; (C) to plan, develop, and operate a program for the training of oral health care providers who plan to teach in general, pediatric, public health dentistry, or dental hygiene; (D) to provide financial assistance in the form of traineeships and fellowships to dentists who plan to teach or are teaching in general, pediatric, or public health dentistry; (E) to meet the costs of projects to establish, maintain, or improve dental faculty development programs in primary care (which may be departments, divisions or other units); (F) to meet the costs of projects to establish, maintain, or improve predoctoral and postdoctoral training in primary care programs; (G) to create a loan repayment program for faculty in dental programs; and (H) to provide technical assistance to pediatric training programs in developing and implementing instruction regarding the oral health status, dental care needs, and risk-based clinical disease management of all pediatric populations with an emphasis on underserved children. (A) A grant or contract under subsection (a)(1)(G) may be awarded to a program of general, pediatric, or public health dentistry described in such subsection to plan, develop, and operate a loan repayment program under which— (i) individuals agree to serve full-time as faculty members; and (ii) the program of general, pediatric or public health dentistry agrees to pay the principal and interest on the outstanding student loans of the individuals. (B) With respect to the payments described in subparagraph (A)(ii), upon completion by an individual of each of the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth years of service, the program shall pay an amount equal to 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 percent, respectively, of the individual’s student loan balance as calculated based on principal and interest owed at the initiation of the agreement. (b) For purposes of this subsection, entities eligible for such grants or contracts in general, pediatric, or public health dentistry shall include entities that have programs in dental or dental hygiene schools, or approved residency or advanced education programs in the practice of general, pediatric, or public health dentistry. Eligible entities may partner with schools of public health to permit the education of dental students, residents, and dental hygiene students for a master’s year in public health at a school of public health. (c) With respect to training provided for under this section, the Secretary shall give priority in awarding grants or contracts to the following: (1) Qualified applicants that propose collaborative projects between departments of primary care medicine and departments of general, pediatric, or public health dentistry. (2) Qualified applicants that have a record of training the greatest percentage of providers, or that have demonstrated significant improvements in the percentage of providers, who enter and remain in general, pediatric, or public health dentistry. (3) Qualified applicants that have a record of training individuals who are from a rural or disadvantaged background, or from underrepresented minorities. (4) Qualified applicants that establish formal relationships with Federally qualified health centers, rural health centers, or accredited teaching facilities and that conduct training of students, residents, fellows, or faculty at the center or facility. (5) Qualified applicants that conduct teaching programs targeting vulnerable populations such as older adults, homeless individuals, victims of abuse or trauma, individuals with mental health or substance use disorders, individuals with disabilities, and individuals with HIV/AIDS, and in the risk-based clinical disease management of all populations. (6) Qualified applicants that include educational activities in cultural competency and health literacy. (7) Qualified applicants that have a high rate for placing graduates in practice settings that serve underserved areas or health disparity populations, or who achieve a significant increase in the rate of placing graduates in such settings. (8) Qualified applicants that intend to establish a special populations oral health care education center or training program for the didactic and clinical education of dentists, dental health professionals, and dental hygienists who plan to teach oral health care for people with developmental disabilities, cognitive impairment, complex medical problems, significant physical limitations, and vulnerable elderly. (d) An eligible entity desiring a grant under this section shall submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require. (e) The period during which payments are made to an entity from an award of a grant or contract under subsection (a) shall be 5 years. The provision of such payments shall be subject to annual approval by the Secretary and subject to the availability of appropriations for the fiscal year involved to make the payments. (f) For the purpose of carrying out subsections (a) and (b), there is authorized to be appropriated $28,531,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025. (g) An entity that receives an award under this section may carry over funds from 1 fiscal year to another without obtaining approval from the Secretary. In no case may any funds be carried over pursuant to the preceding sentence for more than 3 years.