VCU Receives Grant to Encourage New Generation of Dental Educators

The Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) School of Dentistry in Richmond has secured a $970,000 grant from the United States Health Resources and Services Administration for the Dental Faculty Loan Repayment Program (DFLRP). This 5-year grant will help recruit and retain faculty in the Departments of General Practice, Pediatric Dentistry, and Dental Public Health and Policy. VCU is one of nine dental schools to receive this grant in 2023. The DFLRP’s purpose is to address economic barriers and increase the number of primary care dental and dental hygiene faculty. Dental school graduates face significant educational debt, averaging around $290,000. Faculty shortages in dental schools, compounded by many senior faculty members nearing retirement, have led to a crisis in the profession. The DFLRP grant aims to make teaching dentistry financially competitive with private practice, providing incentives for early and mid-career dental faculty to pursue academia. Click here to read more.