Five dental clinics in Virginia that provide care to low-income and uninsured patients were each awarded $40,000 to add dentists, according to a June 14 report by Virginia Mercury.
Each of the five clinics is receiving $20,000 in student loan repayments and a $20,000 sign-on bonus to recruit a dentist that commits to the practice for two years.
The recruitment packages will help the clinics provide a more competitive salary for dentists to work in a public health setting compared to a private practice, where compensation is generally higher.
The funding was provided by the Virginia Health Care Foundation and the Delta Dental of Virginia Foundation, the report said.
The five clinics awarded the funding are:
- New Horizons Healthcare in Roanoke
- Johnson Health Center in Madison Heights
- Eastern Shore Rural Health System in Onancock
- Martinsville/Henry County Community Dental Clinic
- Southern Dominion Health System in Victoria