Dental Faculty Loan Repayment Program (DFLRP)

The Dental Faculty Loan Repayment Program (DFLRP), administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is a federal grant initiative designed to address faculty shortages in dental and dental hygiene education. HRSA is a principal agency within HHS committed to improving access to healthcare services for people who are uninsured, isolated, or medically vulnerable. The DFLRP supports this mission by providing financial incentives in the form of loan repayment assistance to dental and dental hygiene faculty, with the goal of enhancing the academic workforce in these disciplines. This discretionary grant program aims to strengthen the capacity of dental and dental hygiene schools to attract and retain qualified full-time faculty by offsetting the significant student debt many professionals carry. Through the DFLRP, eligible institutions can apply for funds to support loan repayment contracts for their faculty, thereby enabling them to retain skilled professionals who might otherwise be deterred by more lucrative opportunities in private practice. The program specifically targets accredited programs in general, pediatric, or public health dentistry and emphasizes service in underserved areas. Applicants must be Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) accredited programs in public or private, nonprofit dental or dental hygiene schools, or residency or advanced education programs in the designated dental disciplines. Eligible institutions must use the funding strictly to support loan repayment agreements for full-time faculty members. The total funding estimated for FY2026 is $800,000, with up to eight awards anticipated. Each award has a ceiling of $100,000, and while a minimum award floor of $1 is noted in the forecast, this is treated as placeholder data. There are no cost-sharing or matching requirements. The grant opportunity is currently in the forecast stage, with an estimated posting date of March 16, 2026. Applications will be accepted electronically through Grants.gov and must be submitted by May 15, 2026, no later than 11:59 p.m. ET. Awards are expected to be announced by August 1, 2026, with projects beginning on September 1, 2026. The application process will require full proposal submission via Grants.gov, but no pre-application or concept paper is indicated in the current forecast. Evaluation of applications will be based on criteria likely defined in the forthcoming full Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), which is not yet available. However, typical HRSA review processes prioritize the applicant’s capacity to implement the proposed program, the qualifications of faculty involved, commitment to diversity, and alignment with workforce priorities. Prospective applicants are advised to ensure SAM.gov and Grants.gov registrations are current to avoid submission delays. For inquiries, the designated agency contact is Jesse Ungard, who can be reached by phone at 301.443.0337 or via email at [email protected]. No official PDF of the NOFO is currently available, as this opportunity is still in the forecast stage. Applicants are encouraged to monitor the Grants.gov listing for updates and the official release of the NOFO to obtain complete application requirements and review criteria.