Grants to States to Support Oral Health Workforce Activities

as having a dental health professional shortage by the State. Eligible applicants include only Governor-appointed, State government entities, such as the office of the State’s dental director or a State-run university or dental school.  Applications must define how the State government will be actively involved in the project, including defining the State’s investment of resources to the project and any planned coordination of activities at the State level.  As mandated by law, States must demonstrate commitment to their projects by providing a 40 percent or greater non-Federal match.  Applicants are encouraged to define how they will leverage State policies and regulations to meet the oral health workforce needs of underserved populations within the State.  Applicants should also be committed to increasing diversity in health professions programs and the health workforce.  Because the diversity of each State’s population may vary, applicants are encouraged to recruit, train, and retain a workforce that is reflective of the diversity of their State, such as minorities underrepresented in the oral health workforce and/or those from rural or disadvantaged backgrounds.  Increasing diversity also includes recognizing that patients’ health is enhanced when people of diverse backgrounds and experiences come together to develop innovative practices. Applications for this program must propose innovative oral health care delivery models to address a State’s oral health workforce needs.  For the purposes of this funding opportunity, “innovative” oral health service delivery models are new ideas, methods and/or approaches to address the oral health workforce needs.  Applicants will be required to clearly describe how the proposal is innovative (i.e. new and/or different in the approach or method) and how the program is expected to improve access and quality of care for underserved populations. Applicants must choose from one or more of the following six Focus Areas: Integrating oral and primary care medical delivery systems for underserved communities; Programs to support oral health providers practicing in advanced roles specifically designed to improve oral health access in underserved communities; Practice support through tele-dentistry to improve access for underserved communities; Community-based prevention service programs for underserved populations, such as water fluoridation and dental sealant programs; Programs to establish or expand oral health services and facilities in Dental HPSAs, such as the establishment or expansion of community-based dental facilities, free-standing dental clinics, school-linked dental facilities, and mobile or portable dental clinics; and Grants and low-interest or no-interest loans to help dentists who participate in the Medicaid program to enhance capacity, such as through equipment purchases or the sharing of overhead costs to allow for additional hours of operation.