Dental Student Loan Repayment Program Legislation Not Approved This Year

Feb 9, 2024
Legislation filed this year to help incentivize dentists to practice in underserved areas failed to pass the full Legislature.
CS/HB 369 by Rep. Colleen Burton (R-Lakeland) and CS/SB 764 by Sen. Aaron Bean (R-Jacksonville) would have reinstated the dental student loan repayment program and provided up to $50,000 for dentists who worked full time in a rural or underserved area in a public health program. Dentists would have been able to participate in the program for a maximum of five years. CS/SB 764 was unanimously approved by all Senate committees and passed off the Senate floor; however, CS/ HB 369 only passed out of one committee and was never considered by the House Health Care Appropriations Subcommittee. The FDA will continue its support for this program, which in the past, has proven to help increase quality dental care to people without routine access to dental care. 

Capital Report, Vol. 25, No. 9 - March 22, 2018