Section 128040 Of Article 4. Health Professions Planning Grants From California Health And Safety Code >> Division 107. >> Part 3. >> Chapter 2. >> Article 4.
128040
. (a) The Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development
shall report to the Legislature on or before June 30, 2002, on the
feasibility of establishing a California dental loan forgiveness
program utilizing the same general guidelines applicable to the
federal National Health Service Corps State Loan Repayment Program
(42 U.S.C.A. Sec. 254q-1; 42 C.F.R., Part 62, Subpart C (commencing
with Section 62.51)), except as follows:
(1) A dentist shall be eligible to participate in the loan
forgiveness program if he or she provides full-time or half-time
dental services in either of the following:
(A) A dental health professional shortage area (DHPSA),
established pursuant to Section 254e(a) of Title 42 of the United
States Code.
(B) An area of the state where unmet priority needs for dentists
exist as determined by the California Healthcare Workforce Policy
Commission pursuant to Section 128225.
(2) Matching funds to repay a portion of the dentist's outstanding
loan amount shall be required from the practice site areas or from
other private nonprofit sources.
(3) A qualifying practice site shall include a private dental
practice.
(b) (1) The report required under subdivision (a) shall include
all of the following:
(A) A projection of the dentist-to-population ratio for California
in the next decade.
(B) A determination of the future need for dentists and dental
care in underserved communities. The office shall work
collaboratively with organizations that represent providers of dental
services to underserved communities in making this determination.
(C) A report on the utilization by dentists of tuition loan
repayment programs at the federal and state level and identify the
barriers to full utilization of these loan repayment programs.
(D) A report on the projected cost increase of dental school
education at public and private postsecondary educational
institutions.
(E) A report on the implications of administering an additional
program, including a cost analysis.
(2) The report also shall include recommendations on whether a
program described in subdivision (a) should be established and, if
so, suggested funding sources. In making its recommendations, the
office shall consider the impact of the program on access to dental
services in areas of the state that currently have a shortage of
dentists.