Minnesota Rural Dental Therapist/Advanced Dental Therapist Loan Forgiveness Program

About this program

The Minnesota Department of Health’s Office of Rural Health and Primary Care offers loan forgiveness to final-year dental therapist/advanced dental therapist students and licensed professionals who practice in designated rural Minnesota areas. Participants may receive up to $15,000 annually, for a maximum of $60,000 over four years, toward qualified educational loans, subject to available state funding. Applicants must live and work in Minnesota, provide at least 30 hours per week for 45 weeks annually, and commit to a minimum three-year rural service obligation. Applications must be submitted through the Online Grants Portal during the Nov. 1, 2026–Jan. 6, 2027 application cycle; loans in active default, credit card debt, family loans, and Parent PLUS loans are ineligible.