LANSING, Mich. (WZMQ) – Lack of access to dental care is a growing crisis facing hundreds of thousands of Michigan residents, particularly in rural areas. Research shows lack of access to dental care can lead to far greater overall health issues, so Delta Dental of Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana has launched a new effort to address this urgent problem.
Currently, there are more than 1.5 million Michigan residents living in areas of the state where access to a dentist is seriously limited. Michigan has 245 designated dental professional shortage areas, and the overwhelming majority of these federally designated locations are in rural areas, particularly in the Upper Peninsula.
It will take nearly 300 more dentists in the state working in these areas to address the shortages and lack of access to dental care. Delta Dental of Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana announced it is providing student loan repayment programs for private practice dentists worth up to $200,000. To qualify, the dentists will work in underserved communities upon completion of school and ensure at least 15% of their patients are covered by Medicaid annually.
“The cost of dental and hygiene school continues to rise, and for too many it’s becoming cost prohibitive to enter the profession at a time where there is a growing need for dental care access,” said Jeff Johnston, DDS, chief science officer, with Delta Dental of Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana. “We want to be part of the solution and help support students struggling to afford an education. We believe our scholarship and loan repayment program will allow more young people to enter this profession and serve communities desperately in need of their talents and expertise.”
In addition, through the Delta Dental Foundation there are also scholarships available for dental hygiene students to help cover the cost of instrument kits for first-year students and tuition, worth up to a combined $25,000.
“We want to reduce the financial burden on dentists and dental hygienists committed to caring for underserved communities,” said Holli Seabury, EdD, executive director of the Delta Dental Foundation. “We know how great the need is for dental care in rural areas, especially in the Upper Peninsula. This is one way we can help improve access to care.”
Applications are now open for scholarships and loan repayment. The deadline for the hygiene scholarship program is April 30. The loan repayment applications are due by June 1. For more information, visit https://deltadental.pub/loanrepayment.
