The Oklahoma Dental Loan Repayment Act, authorized by the state legislature in 2006, created a program designed to increase the number of dentists serving and caring for those dependent upon the state for dental care and to make dental care accessible to underserved metropolitan and rural areas by providing educational loan repayment assistance for up to five Oklahoma licensed dentists per year for a 2 to 5 year period per dentist.  One dentist entering the ODLRP each year shall agree to teach at the University of Oklahoma College of Dentistry.  The remaining participating dentists, up to four each year, shall practice in a designated underserved area and agree that a minimum of 30% of his/her patients treated during the service obligation/contract period are Medicaid recipients.

The amount of the award, not to exceed $25,000 per year for each participating dentist, shall be determined by the Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) annually based upon the amount of funds appropriated to OSDH.  If the participating dentist's eligible loans are less than the cumulative repayment assistance total available over five years, that participating dentist shall be in the ODLRP no longer than required to pay off the total eligible loans and shall not receive more funding assistance than the total eligible indebtedness.

Each award shall be distributed to the participating dentist by two-party drafts made payable to the dentist and the appropriate lending institution in equal monthly disbursements throughout the yearly service obligation.  If the participating dentist does not fulfill the terms of the service obligation, the OSDH may, at its option, collect from the participant the entire amount of loan repayment assistance extended to the participant under the ODLRP, plus interest.

Contact Information
After reviewing the information below, if questions still exist, please e-mail  ODLRP@health.ok.gov.

Law
Oklahoma Dental Loan Repayment Act (63 O.S. Section 1-2710 et seq.) (12k .pdf)
Unofficial Rules
Chapter 526 Dental Services (OAC 310:526-1-1 et seq.) (26k .pdf)

For more information, guidelines, and to download application forms, please click below.

Application Review Cut-Off Dates (30k .pdf)

Oklahoma Dental Health Professional Shortage Areas (16k .pdf)
Oklahoma Dental Health Professional Shortage Areas Map (46k .pdf)

Application Guidelines (46k .pdf)

Application Forms: (must include below four sets of documents)

Application (ODH Form 323) (53k .pdf)

Practice Site Confirmation (ODH Form 323B)  (32k .pdf)
Includes Non-Faculty Applicant Employer Agreement (ODH Form 323C) and
Faculty Applicant OU College of Dentistry Agreement (ODH Form 323D)

Certification of School Loan (ODH Form 323E)  (27k .pdf)
Includes Lender Verification (ODH Form 323F)

Letter of Recommendation (ODH Form 323G)  (29k .pdf)