---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 293k–2"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "293k–2"
heading: "Training in general, pediatric, and public health dentistry"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/293k-2"
units:
  - "Chapter 6A — Public Health Service"
  - "Subchapter V — Health Professions Education"
  - "Part C — Training in Family Medicine, General Internal Medicine, General Pediatrics, Physician Assistants, General Dentistry, and Pediatric Dentistry"
  - "Subpart 1 — medical training generally"
---

# §293k–2. Training in general, pediatric, and public health dentistry

- (a) **Support and development of dental training programs—**
  - (1) **In general—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) may make grants to, or enter into contracts with, a [school](/usc/42/300j–21.md?p=6) of dentistry, public or [nonprofit](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=3) private [hospital](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=1), or a public or private [nonprofit](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=3) entity which the [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) has determined is capable of carrying out such grant or contract—
    - (A) to plan, develop, and operate, or participate in, an approved professional training [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) in the field of general dentistry, pediatric dentistry, or public health dentistry for dental students, residents, practicing dentists, dental hygienists, or other approved primary care dental trainees, that emphasizes training for general, pediatric, or public health dentistry;
    - (B) to provide financial assistance to dental students, residents, practicing dentists, and dental hygiene students who are in need thereof, who are [participants](/usc/42/300gg–91.md?p=d-11) in any such [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4), and who plan to work in the practice of general, pediatric, public heath dentistry, or dental hygiene;
    - (C) to plan, develop, and operate a [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) for the training of oral [health care providers](/usc/42/300aa–33.md?p=1) who plan to teach in general, pediatric, public health dentistry, or dental hygiene;
    - (D) to provide financial assistance in the form of traineeships and fellowships to dentists who plan to teach or are teaching in general, pediatric, or public health dentistry;
    - (E) to meet the costs of [projects](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) to establish, maintain, or improve dental faculty development [programs](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) in primary care (which may be departments, divisions or other units);
    - (F) to meet the costs of [projects](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) to establish, maintain, or improve predoctoral and postdoctoral training in primary care [programs](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4);
    - (G) to create a loan repayment [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) for faculty in dental [programs](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4); and
    - (H) to provide technical assistance to pediatric training [programs](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) in developing and implementing instruction regarding the oral health status, dental care needs, and risk-based clinical disease management of all pediatric populations with an emphasis on underserved children.
  - (2) **Faculty loan repayment—**
    - (A) **In general—** A grant or contract under [subsection (a)(1)(G)](#a-1-G) may be awarded to a [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) of general, pediatric, or public health dentistry described in such subsection to plan, develop, and operate a loan repayment [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) under which—
      - (i) individuals agree to serve full-time as faculty members; and
      - (ii) the [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) of general, pediatric or public health dentistry agrees to pay the principal and interest on the outstanding student loans of the individuals.
    - (B) **Manner of payments—** With respect to the payments described in [subparagraph (A)(ii)](#a-2-A-ii), upon completion by an individual of each of the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth years of [service](/usc/42/201.md?p=a), the [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) shall pay an amount equal to 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 percent, respectively, of the individual’s student loan balance as calculated based on principal and interest owed at the initiation of the agreement.
- (b) **Eligible entity—** For purposes of this subsection, entities eligible for such grants or contracts in general, pediatric, or public health dentistry shall include entities that have [programs](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) in dental or dental hygiene [schools](/usc/42/300j–21.md?p=6), or approved residency or advanced education [programs](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) in the practice of general, pediatric, or public health dentistry. Eligible entities may partner with [schools](/usc/42/300j–21.md?p=6) of public health to permit the education of dental students, residents, and dental hygiene students for a master’s year in public health at a [school](/usc/42/300j–21.md?p=6) of public health.
- (c) **Priorities in making awards—** With respect to training provided for under this section, the [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) shall give priority in awarding grants or contracts to the following:
  - (1) Qualified applicants that propose collaborative [projects](/usc/42/13641.md?p=2) between departments of primary care medicine and departments of general, pediatric, or public health dentistry.
  - (2) Qualified applicants that have a record of training the greatest percentage of [providers](/usc/42/299b–21.md?p=8), or that have demonstrated significant improvements in the percentage of [providers](/usc/42/299b–21.md?p=8), who enter and remain in general, pediatric, or public health dentistry.
  - (3) Qualified applicants that have a record of training individuals who are from a rural or disadvantaged background, or from underrepresented minorities.
  - (4) Qualified applicants that establish formal relationships with Federally qualified health centers, rural health centers, or accredited teaching facilities and that conduct training of students, residents, fellows, or faculty at the center or facility.
  - (5) Qualified applicants that conduct teaching [programs](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) targeting vulnerable populations such as older adults, [homeless individuals](/usc/42/290cc–34.md?p=2), victims of abuse or [trauma](/usc/42/300d–31.md?p=4), individuals with mental health or substance use disorders, individuals with disabilities, and individuals with HIV/AIDS, and in the risk-based clinical disease management of all populations.
  - (6) Qualified applicants that include educational activities in cultural competency and health literacy.
  - (7) Qualified applicants that have a high rate for placing graduates in practice settings that serve underserved areas or health disparity populations, or who achieve a significant increase in the rate of placing graduates in such settings.
  - (8) Qualified applicants that intend to establish a special populations oral health care education center or training [program](/usc/42/274l–1.md?p=4) for the didactic and clinical education of dentists, dental health professionals, and dental hygienists who plan to teach oral health care for people with developmental disabilities, cognitive impairment, complex medical problems, significant physical limitations, and vulnerable elderly.
- (d) **Application—** An eligible entity desiring a grant under this section shall submit to the [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) may require.
- (e) **Duration of award—** The period during which payments are made to an entity from an award of a grant or contract under [subsection (a)](#a) shall be 5 years. The provision of such payments shall be subject to annual approval by the [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c) and subject to the availability of appropriations for the fiscal year involved to make the payments.
- (f) **Authorizations of appropriations—** For the purpose of carrying out subsections [(a)](#a) and [(b)](#b), there is authorized to be appropriated $28,531,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025.
- (g) **Carryover funds—** An entity that receives an award under this section may carry over funds from 1 fiscal year to another without obtaining approval from the [Secretary](/usc/42/201.md?p=c). In no case may any funds be carried over pursuant to the preceding sentence for more than 3 years.

## Source credit

(July 1, 1944, ch. 373, title VII, § 748, as added Pub. L. 111–148, title V, § 5303(2), Mar. 23, 2010, 124 Stat. 618; amended Pub. L. 116–136, div. A, title III, § 3401(4), Mar. 27, 2020, 134 Stat. 386.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Prior Provisions

A prior section 748 of act July 1, 1944, was renumbered section 749 and is classified to section 293l of this title.

Another prior section 748 of act July 1, 1944, was classified to section 293l of this title prior to repeal by Pub. L. 105–392.

Another prior section 748 of act July 1, 1944, was classified to section 294r of this title prior to renumbering by Pub. L. 97–35.

### Amendments

2020—Subsec. (c)(5). Pub. L. 116–136, § 3401(4)(A), substituted “substance use disorders” for “substance-related disorders”.

Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 116–136, § 3401(4)(B), substituted “$28,531,000 for each of fiscal years 2021 through 2025” for “$30,000,000 for fiscal year 2010 and such sums as may be necessary for each of fiscal years 2011 through 2015”.