Primary Care Dental Faculty Development Center Program (PCDFD)

The Primary Care Dental Faculty Development Center Program (PCDFD), administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), is a forecasted federal funding opportunity aimed at strengthening faculty development in primary care dentistry. HRSA, a key agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, provides resources to improve access to healthcare services for underserved populations. The PCDFD program aligns with HRSA's broader mission by supporting the education and development of dental faculty who will play an instrumental role in enhancing oral health outcomes and increasing leadership within the dental academic field. The program seeks to establish a faculty development center that will serve as a national resource and training hub for dental educators. Its primary objective is to support faculty who teach primary care dentistry, with a focus on enhancing their clinical teaching skills, leadership capabilities, and ability to disseminate knowledge through academic publications and professional presentations. The center will also focus on promoting community- and population-level strategies to improve oral health, reflecting a commitment to broader public health outcomes beyond individual clinical care. Applicants eligible for this opportunity include accredited schools of dentistry, public or nonprofit hospitals, and other public or private nonprofit entities deemed capable by the Secretary of Health and Human Services. A key requirement is accreditation by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) by the project start date of September 1, 2026. The inclusion of a range of nonprofit and educational institutions ensures a wide pool of applicants with the capacity to advance HRSA’s goals in dental education and workforce development. The PCDFD program is structured as a cooperative agreement, allowing for significant involvement by HRSA in the implementation and oversight of the project. The total anticipated funding for the program is $1,000,000, with an award ceiling of $1,000,000 and a floor of $500,000, to be distributed to a single awardee. Cost sharing or matching is not required, simplifying the financial obligations for applicants. The funding is intended to cover activities that directly support faculty development, including training programs, leadership development, and dissemination efforts. The application process is expected to open on March 31, 2026, with a submission deadline of May 15, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. The anticipated award and project start date is September 1, 2026. While the opportunity does not mention a pre-application requirement, applicants should ensure timely submission via Grants.gov. Given its forecasted status, applicants are advised to monitor Grants.gov for official updates and to prepare in advance for application requirements that may be detailed in the forthcoming Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). For further information, applicants may contact Jesse Ungard at 301.443.6249 or via email at [email protected]. At this time, no official NOFO PDF has been published, and applicants are encouraged to revisit the Grants.gov page for future updates. This funding opportunity is particularly suited for institutions committed to advancing dental education and leadership development in service of national oral health goals.