Dental Faculty Loan Repayment Program (DFLRP)

The Dental Faculty Loan Repayment Program (DFLRP) is administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. HRSA’s mission focuses on improving access to health care services for people who are uninsured, isolated, or medically vulnerable. Within this broader mission, HRSA supports workforce development initiatives aimed at strengthening the supply, distribution, and quality of health professionals. The DFLRP specifically addresses workforce shortages in dental education by supporting institutions that train future dental professionals. The primary purpose of the DFLRP is to increase the number of qualified dental and dental hygiene faculty by assisting training programs in recruiting and retaining full-time faculty members. The program provides financial support through loan repayment mechanisms, which serve as an incentive for dental professionals to pursue and remain in academic careers. By reducing the burden of educational debt, the program aims to make faculty positions more attractive and sustainable, ultimately strengthening the pipeline of trained dental providers. Funding under this program is expected to support eligible institutions in implementing loan repayment assistance for faculty members. The total estimated program funding is 800,000 dollars, with approximately eight awards anticipated. Individual awards may reach up to 100,000 dollars. While a minimum award amount is technically listed, it is not meaningfully defined and should be treated as unspecified. Funds are intended to directly support loan repayment efforts tied to faculty recruitment and retention, rather than broader institutional expenses unrelated to this objective. There is no cost-sharing or matching requirement associated with this opportunity. Eligibility is limited to specific accredited dental education programs. Applicants must be Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) accredited programs in general, pediatric, or public health dentistry. Eligible entities include public or private nonprofit dental or dental hygiene schools, as well as CODA-accredited residency or advanced education programs in these disciplines. While multiple organization types are listed broadly, the eligibility criteria clearly narrow participation to accredited educational programs within these categories. The application process will be conducted electronically through Grants.gov, with submissions required by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the specified due date. The estimated application deadline is June 5, 2026, following an anticipated posting date of April 21, 2026. Applicants are expected to prepare and submit a complete application package in accordance with HRSA requirements, though specific components such as narratives, budgets, or forms are not detailed in the forecast notice. There are no pre-application requirements such as letters of intent indicated in the available information. Applications will be reviewed by HRSA according to programmatic priorities aligned with workforce development goals, particularly the ability of applicants to effectively recruit and retain qualified dental faculty. Awards are expected to be announced around August 1, 2026, with a projected project start date of September 1, 2026. The program appears to follow a single-cycle funding structure for fiscal year 2026, and no explicit indication of recurring annual cycles is provided in the source material. For additional information, applicants may contact Jesse Ungard at HRSA via email or phone. As this is a forecasted opportunity, applicants are encouraged to monitor Grants.gov for the official posting and full Notice of Funding Opportunity, which will include complete application instructions, evaluation criteria, and compliance requirements. The forecast provides advance notice to allow potential applicants to prepare ahead of the formal release.