1 STATE OF OKLAHOMA
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2 1st Session of the 58th Legislature (2021)
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3 SENATE BILL 345 By: Garvin
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6 AS INTRODUCED
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7 An Act relating to the Oklahoma Dental Loan Repayment
7 Program; amending 63 O.S. 2011, Section 1-2712, as
8 last amended by Section 1, Chapter 165, O.S.L. 2014
8 (63 O.S. Supp. 2020, Section 1-2712), which relates
9 to administration of program; modifying distribution
9 method of award; and providing an effective date.
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12 BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
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13 SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 63 O.S. 2011, Section 1-2712, as
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14 last amended by Section 1, Chapter 165, O.S.L. 2014 (63 O.S. Supp.
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15 2020, Section 1-2712), is amended to read as follows:
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16 Section 1-2712. A. 1. The State Department of Health shall
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17 administer the Oklahoma Dental Loan Repayment Program.
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18 2. The Program, depending upon available funding, shall provide
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19 educational loan repayment assistance for up to a total of twenty-
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20 five full-time equivalent Oklahoma licensed dentists per year,
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21 including new and continuing contract renewable participants.
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22 3. Each award shall be for a contracted period and shall be
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23 distributed to the participant by drafts made payable to the
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24 participant and the for deposit to an appropriate loan agency in
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 1 equal monthly disbursements, not to exceed Fifty Thousand Dollars
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2 ($50,000.00) per year for a maximum five-year period. Prior to any
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3 disbursement, the Department shall certify and properly review
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4 monthly reports submitted by the participating dentist detailing
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5 performance of activities in accordance with the Oklahoma Dental
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6 Loan Repayment Act.
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7 4. At the conclusion of the minimum service obligation, the
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8 Department shall review the performance in the Program of the
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9 participating dentist and determine whether an award may be granted
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10 for an additional period not to exceed a total participation in the
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11 Program of five (5) years pursuant to rules promulgated by the
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12 Department.
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13 B. Any dentist entering the Program each year as a nonfaculty
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14 participant shall agree to provide dental care and services to
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15 Medicaid recipients as authorized by the Oklahoma Health Care
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16 Authority. The Department shall be responsible for ensuring that at
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17 least thirty percent (30%) of the patients treated by the dentist
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18 will be Medicaid recipients.
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19 1. Any general practice dentist entering the Program each year
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20 as a nonfaculty participant shall agree to provide dental care and
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21 services in a designated Dental Health Professional Shortage Area
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22 (DHPSA) of this state.
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23 2. Any dentist licensed to practice as a Pediatric Dentistry
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24 Specialist as defined by the State Dental Act or any dentist
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 1 practicing in a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), FQHC look-
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2 alike, county health department, or city-county health department
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3 may be exempt from the requirement to practice in a Dental Health
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4 Professional Shortage Area (DHPSA).
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5 C. A dentist entering the Program as a faculty participant
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6 shall agree to teach at the University of Oklahoma College of
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7 Dentistry. In the event there are no appropriate faculty
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8 applicants, the Program may award additional nonfaculty dentists.
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9 D. A dentist shall be eligible to participate in the Program if
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10 the dentist:
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11 1. Is a new dental school graduate. Preference will be given
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12 to graduates of the University of Oklahoma College of Dentistry;
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13 2. Is licensed to practice dentistry in Oklahoma; and
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14 3. Has demonstrated financial need.
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15 E. The dentist shall execute a contract with the Department to
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16 provide dental services pursuant to the terms of the contract and in
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17 accordance with rules promulgated by the Department.
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18 F. If the dentist does not fulfill the service obligation, the
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19 Department may collect from the participant the entire amount of
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20 loan payments made under the Program plus interest.
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21 G. The Department shall present a report on the operation of
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22 the Program to the Governor, the Speaker of the House of
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23 Representatives, and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate within
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24 one (1) month of the beginning of each regular session of the
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 1 Legislature, including but not limited to the progress made in
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2 accomplishing the goal of the Program.
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3 SECTION 2. This act shall become effective November 1, 2021.
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5 58-1-890 DC 1/11/2021 3:31:01 PM
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