Dental Faculty Development and Loan Repayment Program | Apply Online

Dental Faculty Development and Loan Repayment Program (HRSA 16-182) - FAQs

What is the Dental Faculty Development and Loan Repayment Program?

The Dental Faculty Development and Loan Repayment Program is a discretionary grant opportunity from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration (HHS-HRSA). It is identified by Funding Opportunity Number HRSA 16-182 and is listed under CFDA 93.059.

What is the main goal of this funding opportunity?

The central aim is to strengthen the oral health workforce by helping dental education and training programs recruit, prepare, and retain high-quality faculty. The program focuses on faculty capacity as a key constraint because the number and strength of educators directly affects how many well-trained oral health clinicians can be produced and where they ultimately serve.

How does this program approach oral health workforce improvement?

It uses a combined strategy: (1) faculty loan repayment to improve recruitment and retention, and (2) faculty development activities to improve faculty skills, effectiveness, and long-term success in teaching and community-based training roles.

What types of programs or disciplines does this opportunity focus on?

The opportunity is designed for dental training programs in key disciplines such as general dentistry, pediatric dentistry, dental public health, and dental hygiene.

Who is this funding intended to benefit?

The funding is intended to benefit dental education and training programs by strengthening their faculty workforce. By strengthening faculty, the program ultimately supports the future oral health workforce by improving both the number of professionals entering the field and the quality of their preparation.

Is there a specific focus on community-based training?

Yes. A distinctive emphasis is community-based primary care. The intent is to prioritize faculty whose training and service activities occur in community settings, aligning with HRSA's broader workforce mission to expand access and build capacity in underserved and safety-net environments where oral health needs are often greatest.

What are the required components an applicant must include in a proposal?

Applicants must propose both required components: (1) faculty loan repayment and (2) faculty development activities. The opportunity requires a combined approach rather than permitting applicants to apply for only one of the two components.

Can an applicant apply only for loan repayment funding or only for faculty development funding?

No. A core requirement is that applicants must include both faculty loan repayment and faculty development activities in the proposal.

What is the purpose of the faculty loan repayment component?

Loan repayment is intended to make faculty positions more financially feasible for qualified dental professionals who might otherwise choose higher-paying clinical roles, thereby improving faculty recruitment and retention.

What kinds of activities can be included under faculty development?

Faculty development activities are meant to strengthen faculty skills and effectiveness. Examples described include structured training, mentorship, curriculum and teaching-method improvement, leadership development, and other approaches that help faculty succeed and grow in academic and community-based teaching roles.

What is the awarding agency and award mechanism?

The awarding agency is HHS-HRSA, and the award mechanism is a grant.

How many awards are expected to be made?

The summary indicates an expected total of eight awards.

Is there an award maximum (ceiling) listed?

The listing shows an award ceiling of 0. This typically indicates the ceiling was not specified in the summary data field, and that applicants would need to consult the full funding announcement for detailed budget limits, any matching requirements (if applicable), and allowable cost guidance.

What is the eligibility category listed in the synopsis?

Eligibility is listed broadly as "Others," with a note that clarification is referenced in the full announcement under an "Additional Information on Eligibility" section. This suggests specific types of institutions or training programs were eligible even if not captured cleanly by standard categories in the synopsis.

Where should applicants look for the detailed eligibility rules?

Based on the synopsis, applicants should consult the full funding announcement, specifically the "Additional Information on Eligibility" section.

When was this opportunity posted, and what were the key dates?

The opportunity was created and posted on March 30, 2016. The closing date listed in the summary is May 31, 2016.

What problem is this opportunity trying to address in dental education and training?

The opportunity targets a specific bottleneck: building and sustaining a strong teaching workforce in oral health fields. It recognizes that faculty recruitment and retention, as well as faculty teaching capacity, directly shape the pipeline of well-trained clinicians.

How is this opportunity different from grants focused on students or general operations?

Rather than focusing only on student support or general program operations, this opportunity targets the faculty workforce directly, emphasizing recruitment/retention through loan repayment and skill-building through faculty development.

What is the overall purpose of investing in faculty through this program?

The overall purpose is twofold: increase the number of oral health professionals entering the workforce and improve workforce quality by investing in the people who educate, supervise, and mentor future providers, with a particular emphasis on community-based primary care training and service settings.