Dental faculty loan repayment - rural pennsylvania faces a severe, worsening shortage of dental providers and dental faculty

Pennsylvania has had the nation's highest net loss of dentists over the past decade, with rural dentist-to-population ratios far below state and national averages. Nationally, dental schools report a rising number of unfilled faculty positions, driven by the earning GAP between academic and private practice and the burden of dental school debt. The university of pittsburgh school of dental medicine (upsdm) requests funding under the dental faculty loan repayment program to recruit and retain faculty dentists and dental hygienists at its regional training centers (rtcs), which place trainees directly in partnering federally qualified health centers, rural health clinics, and rural hospitals in underserved PA counties. Rtcs are operating in titusville (crawford county) and opening in johnstown (cambria county), with additional sites planned through 2028. Upsdm is applying for funding priority 4 (formal relationships), based on its affiliation and clinical services agreements with fqhc/RHC and rural hospital partners, and funding priority 9 (shortage areas), based on the location of its RTC dental clinics within designated dental health professional shortage areas. Supporting documentation is provided in attachments 3 and 6. This project will provide loan repayment to faculty in exchange for full-time service, using the required 10/15/20/25/30% repayment schedule. Objectives: (1) reduce educational debt for dentists and hygienists in exchange for full-time faculty service; (2) encourage long-term employment through relocation support, a clinical educator promotion track, and onboarding; (3) promote faculty development through dual mentorship and rural-focused continuing education; (4) establish clear loan repayment terms and review processes. Over five years, upsdm expects to enroll six faculty across three RTC sites, reducing student loan debt by up to 100% for established faculty and approximately 80% for later joiners, while retaining 100% of faculty for a minimum of five to six years. This project will expand training capacity and increase rural access to dental care in medically underserved pennsylvania communities.