---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 256f"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "256f"
heading: "Designated dental health professional shortage area"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/256f"
units:
  - "Chapter 6A — Public Health Service"
  - "Subchapter II — General Powers and Duties"
  - "Part D — Primary Health Care"
  - "Subpart x — primary dental programs"
---

# §256f. Designated dental health professional shortage area


In this subpart, the term “designated dental health professional shortage area” means an area, population group, or facility that is designated by the [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) as a dental health professional shortage area under [section 254e of this title](/usc/42/254e.md) or designated by the applicable [State](/usc/42/201.md?p=f) as having a dental health professional shortage.


## Source credit

(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title III, § 340F, as added Pub. L. 107–251, title IV, § 403, Oct. 26, 2002, 116 Stat. 1660.)