Postdoctoral Training in General, Pediatric, and Public Health Dentistry

Background
The Postdoctoral Training in General, Pediatric, and Public Health Dentistry (PDD) program is administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), specifically through the Bureau of Health Workforce. The program aims to enhance access to and delivery of oral health care services in rural and underserved communities.

The initiative is driven by the need to increase the number of trained primary care dentists who can practice in these areas, addressing significant gaps in dental care availability.

Grant Details
The PDD program supports innovative postdoctoral dental residency and fellowship training programs at community-based organizations (CBOs). Funded activities must focus on one or more of the following areas:
1) Rural training sites,
2) Underserved populations,
3) A dental public health residency program.

The program has four main objectives:
1) Increase the number of postdoctoral trained primary care dentists practicing in rural or underserved areas;
2) Prepare dentists to address complex oral health needs of disadvantaged populations;
3) Train dentists to manage oral health programs and evaluate systems of care;
4) Evaluate the program's effectiveness in achieving its goals.

Eligibility Requirements
Eligible applicants include entities with accredited dental or dental hygiene programs or approved residency programs in general, pediatric, or public health dentistry. Individuals and for-profit entities are not eligible. Programs must be accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) by July 1, 2026. Trainees must be U.S. citizens, noncitizen nationals, or U.S. permanent residents.

Period of Performance
The period of performance for this grant is five years, starting from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2030. Funded grant training activities must begin by July 1, 2026.

Grant Value
The total expected funding available for FY 2025 is $12,500,000, with individual awards ranging up to $450,000. The expected number of awards is approximately 27 grants.

Place of Performance
The grant activities will be performed at community-based organizations located in rural and underserved areas across the United States.