Dentist and dental hygienist positions can be difficult for clinics to fill. A competitive salary and the availability of state and federal loan repayment programs may significantly reduce recruitment problems, since many dentists graduate from dental school with heavy student loan debt. In Ohio, dentists may be eligible for either the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) loan repayment program or the Ohio Dentist Loan Repayment Program (ODLRP) if they are serving low-income Ohioans in dental health resource shortage areas. Hygienists may also eligible to receive NHSC loan repayment.

The ability to easily obtain state licensure will also enhance the recruitment pool. The Ohio State Dental Board accepts applications for initial licensure from dentists and dental hygienists that meet one of the following requirements:

• Dentists who have passed all parts of the clinical examinations and dental hygienists who have passed all parts of a regional board examination administered by the Northeast Regional Board, the Central Regional Dental Testing Service, the Southern Regional Testing Agency, and the Western Regional Examining Board.
• Dentists and dental hygienists who possess a license in good standing from another state and have been actively engaged in the legal and reputable practice of dentistry in another state or in the armed forces of the United States, the U.S. Public Health Service, or the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for 5 years immediately preceding application.

It may also be easier for clinics to recruit staff if the clinic is located in a federally designated dental health professional shortage area (HPSA), which will help the clinic qualify as a placement site for the NHSC loan repayment program and ODLRP. Current information about Ohio loan repayment programs and HPSAs can be accessed through the ODSNIC home page.

BACK

NEXT