DOA:......Kirschbaum, BB0493 - Expanding the rural dentistry scholarship program
For 2025-2027 Budget -- Not Ready For Introduction
An Act ...; relating to: the budget.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
EDUCATION
Higher education
Expanding the rural dentistry scholarship program
Under current law, HEAB in consultation with DHS administers a scholarship program for students enrolled in the Marquette University School of Dentistry (MUSD) who agree to practice dentistry in a dental health shortage area for 18 months for each annual scholarship received. A “dental health shortage area” is an area that is federally designated as having a shortage of dental professionals, not including the counties of Brown, Dane, Kenosha, Milwaukee, and Waukesha. From the program, HEAB may award to no more than 15 MUSD students an annual scholarship of $30,000 per year for up to four years. A student who fails to meet their obligation to practice in a dental health shortage area for the requisite period must repay the amount of scholarship received.
This bill expands the scholarship program to include dental general practice residents as possible recipients of the scholarship, in addition to any student enrolled in the MUSD.
For further information see the state fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. 39.465 (1) (f) of the statutes is created to read:
39.465 (1) (f) “Student” means an individual enrolled in the school or an individual who is a dental general practice resident at the school.
Section 2. 39.465 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:
39.465 (2) Scholarships. In consultation with the department of health services, the board shall establish a program for awarding to no more than 15 students at the school an annual scholarship, including a stipend, equal to $30,000 for each year of a student’s enrollment or dental general practice residency but not exceeding 4 years. The board shall pay the scholarships from the appropriation account under s. 20.235 (1) (dg). From the appropriation account under s. 20.235 (1) (dg), the board shall also provide the school $350,000 annually for the development and operation of programs to support the recruitment and training of students in rural dentistry.
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