HB226 Alabama 2016 Session

Under current law, the Board of Dental Scholarship Awards gives scholarships for dental students in Alabama

This bill would amend Sections 16-47-76, 16-47-77, 16-47-78, 16-47-79, 16-47-80, and 16-47-81, Code of Alabama, 1975, to authorize the Alabama Dental Service Program. This bill would provide for the administration of the Program and would provide that the Program would be funded by appropriations from the Education Trust Fund

To amend Sections 16-47-76, 16-47-77, 16-47-78, 16-47-79, 16-47-80, and 16-47-81, Code of Alabama 1975, relating to the Board of Dental Scholarship Awards; to establish and describe the Alabama Dental Service Program, to be established and operated by the Board; to state that the program shall be funded by direct appropriation from the Education Trust Fund; to outline the procedure for the Board to award loans to applicants and to require participants in the Program to repay loans by working in full-time clinical practice as licensed dentists in medically underserved areas known as areas of critical need; to specify the lengths of service required to repay a loan; to require the Board to define areas of critical need using certain guidelines; to require Program participants to participate in the state Medicaid program; to create penalties for breach of contract by Program participants; to modify how the Board may use the list of localities in need of dentists; to further outline the powers and duties of the Board relating to the Alabama Dental Service Program.