Rural Dentist Loan Repayment Program

Program Details & Eligibility

To address the maldistribution of dental providers in South Carolina, the Rural Dentist Loan Repayment Program provides educational loan repayment for qualified providers who contract to practice in rural and underserved areas or serve as faculty at the MUSC College of Dental Medicine.

Program Funding

The Rural Dentist Loan Repayment Program may contract for amounts up to $100,000 over four years for accepted community dentists. The contract amount varies for accepted faculty at the MUSC College of Dental Medicine. Faculty contracts are one-year contracts.

Eligibility

To qualify for this program, applicants must:

• Have educational loans from a recognized financial institution
• Be (or become) a Medicaid provider and treat at least 100 unduplicated Medicaid patients (applications from providers currently in practice must include an individual Medicaid provider number in order to be considered)*
  • This stipulation does not apply to students who have not yet completed their training. For students who will establish practice upon completion of training, access the South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services' (DHHS) website to become a Medicaid provider. The South Carolina Dental Association (SCDA) can assist with obtaining a Medicaid provider number.
• Have no outstanding service obligation for health professional service to the federal government (e.g., an active military obligation or National Health Service Corp), a state (e.g. State Loan Repayment Program or Scholarship Program obligation) or other entity, unless the obligation would be completed prior to receipt of the SC Rural Dentist Loan Repayment award.

*Not required for MUSC Dental Faculty Applicants

Priority

The intent of this program is to assist dentists in repaying educational loans in order that they may practice in a Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) in South Carolina or serve as full-time faculty at the MUSC College of Dental Medicine, without the financial burden of unpaid educational loans. The Board expects that during the commitment period, the dentists will either establish viable practices and become involved in their communities so that they will continue practicing in the area after the funding period is over or will establish viable academic careers at the MUSC College of Dental Medicine.

Priority for this program will be given to those practicing in areas of highest need (most medically underserved) or are in an area of critical need at the College of Dental Medicine.

More Details & Information

Rural Dentist One-Pager (PDF)

Program Handbook (PDF)

Application Process

Program Timeline

Applications are received and reviewed on a set schedule every year. Please see below for a high-level program timeline:

• Applications open: mid-to-late October
• Applications due: February
• Applications reviewed: February-June
• Applicants notified of funding decisions: July
• Contracts start: July
  • Contracts may start off-cycle if required due to other service obligations or other circumstances.
• Payments are issued in December and June, upon confirmation that recipient is practicing at the location and capacity they indicated on their application.

Steps to Apply

1. Click "Apply" button (only available when application cycle is open) to be routed to the Eligibility Form
2. Complete Eligibility Form
3. If eligible, you will be routed to the full application
4. Please complete online application in the Submittable portal. You can save as a draft and return to submit when completed.
5. You will receive a confirmation email after submitting your application. If you do not receive a confirmation email from Submittable within 24 hours, please contact retention@scahec.net.

Required Documentation

All application materials must be submitted online through the Submittable portal by the deadline in order to be considered. We will not accept any applications or documents via email, mail or fax. In order for your application to be considered complete, you must upload all required materials to your application in Submittable, including:

• Proof of U.S. citizenship, U.S. National, or Lawful Permanent Resident status (U.S. birth certificate issued by a city, county or state agency of the United States, identification page of an unexpired U.S. passport, or a Certificate of Citizenship, a Naturalization Certificate, or a Green Card)
• A personal statement (1 page maximum)
• Curriculum vitae including membership organizations
• Minimum of three current signed community letters of support from lay members (not dentists) of the community*
• Copies of all educational loan documents
• Documentation of practice investment from the dentist or other organization or entities*
• 1040 Form from your most recent tax return with your social security number redacted
• Copy of the SLED State Criminal Records Check. (There is a minimal charge for this check.)*

*Not required for MUSC Dental Faculty Applicants

Submit Application

The application cycle is currently closed and will reopen in mid-to-late October 2025.

Join our mailing list to receive updates about the Rural Dentist Loan Repayment Program and get notified when application cycles open.

Program Administration

While this program is administered by SC AHEC, a Board is created to manage and allocate these funds to ensure the location of licensed dentists in rural areas of South Carolina and on the faculty of the College of Dental Medicine at MUSC. The Board will be composed of the following: The Dean, or his Designee, of the MUSC College of Dental Medicine; three members from the South Carolina Dental Education Foundation Board who represent rural areas; and the President, or his designee, of the South Carolina Dental Association (SCDA). The Director of SCDPH’s Office of Primary Care; the Director or his designee of the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS); and the Executive Director of the SCDA shall serve as ex-officio members without vote.

Frequently Asked Questions