(A) An applicant who will not have an
outstanding obligation for dental service to the federal government, a state,
or other entity at the time of participation in the dentist loan repayment
program and meets one of the following requirements may apply for participation
in the dentist loan repayment program:
(1) A dental student
enrolled in the final year of dental school; or
(2) A dental resident in
the final year of residency training in general, pediatric, or public health
dentistry; or
(3) A person who is
licensed under Chapter 4715. of the Revised Code to practice dentistry in the
state of Ohio.
(B) The application shall be submitted by
a date and on a form prescribed by the department. The form shall require an
applicant to set forth the following information:
(1) Name;
(2) Current and permanent
mailing address;
(3) Telephone
number;
(4) The dental college
the applicant is attending or has attended, dates attended and verification of
attendance;
(5) If the applicant is
currently a dental resident, or has previously completed a dental residency
program, the facility or institution where the residency was completed or is
being performed, and if completed, the date of completion;
(6) A summary and
verification of the educational expenses for which reimbursement is sought
under the dentist loan repayment program;
(7) Verification of
United States citizenship or legal alien status;
(8) If the applicant is a
dentist, verification of license to practice dentistry under Chapter 4715. of
the Revised Code and proof of good standing; and
(9) Any other information
requested by the department.
(C) The director shall grant an
application for placement in a dental health resource shortage area and
participation in the dentist loan repayment program if all of the following
apply:
(1) Funds are available
in the dentist loan repayment fund;
(2) The general assembly has appropriated
adequate funds for the dentist loan repayment program; and
(3) The director finds that the applicant
is eligible for placement and participation and that, in accordance with the
priorities established under rule 3701-56-04 of the Administrative Code, the
applicant is needed in a dental health resource shortage area.
(D) Upon granting an application, the
director shall notify and enter into discussions with the applicant. The object
of the discussions is the placement of the applicant in a dental health
resource shortage area in which, according to the priorities established under
rule 3701-56-04 of the Administrative Code, the applicant is most needed. The
department may also refer an applicant to the Ohio dental association, the Ohio
association of community health centers, or the charitable healthcare network
for assistance in being recruited to a site within a dental health resource
shortage area at which the applicant will agree to be placed.
(E) In the event that it is necessary to establish priorities
among applicants, the director shall consider the following
factors:
(1) The applicant's
background and career goals;
(2) The extent to which
the applicant's background is similar to the population in the dental
health resource shortage area;
(3) The length of time the applicant is
willing to provide dental services in a dental health resource shortage
area;
(4) The applicant's expressed
interest in working and staying in an underserved area and whose family members
are interested in the lifestyle associated with areas of
underservice;
(5) The extent to which the applicant has
sought or undertaken culturally or economically diverse
experiences;
(6) The amount of the loan balance for
which the applicant is requesting repayment assistance;
(7) The type of dental
practice site as defined in paragraph (A) of rule 3701-56-01 of the
Administrative Code;
(8) The location of the
dental practice site as defined under paragraph (A) of rule 3701-56-04 of the
Administrative Code;
(9) The percentage of
individuals served by the dental practice site who participate in the medicaid
program established under Chapter 5163. of the Revised Code, participate in the
medicare program established by 42 U.S.C. section 1395w-23 (2006), participate
in other public health care assistance programs, and pay sliding fee payments
or reduced fees based on the individual's family income.
(10) To ensure an equitable distribution
of dentists desiring to practice in a dental health resource shortage area,
preference will be given to applicants desiring to practice in a dental health
resource shortage area which does not have a dentist placed in the area either
through the Ohio dentist loan repayment program or through the federal national
health service corps scholarship and loan repayment programs.
(F) Each factor listed in paragraph (E) of this rule shall be
used by the department to develop scoring criteria which shall be made
available to loan repayment applicants as part of the dentist loan repayment
program application. Each applicant will be evaluated against the criteria and
a score will be given for the applicant's responses to each
criterion.
Each applicant will be given a total score. In
addition, department staff may interview applicants to gather responses not
easily evaluated from the applicant's written application. The applicants
with the highest scores will be recommended for funding provided that funds are
authorized and available. The dentist loan repayment advisory board shall
determine the amounts that will be paid as loan repayments on behalf of
participants in the dentist loan repayment program. The board may choose a
funding methodology prioritizing the highest scoring applicants that match to
the health resources and services administration's state loan repayment
program grant specifications.
If the dental practice site, the director and the
applicant agree on the applicant's placement in a particular dental health
resource shortage area and the amount of the applicant's educational
expenses to be repaid, the applicant shall prepare, sign and deliver to the
director a letter of intent agreeing to that placement.
