Clinical Dental Education Innovation Grant

Clinical Dental Education Innovation Grant

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: Minnesota Department of Health
Amount: US $30,000 - US $150,000
Last Updated: April 01, 2026

Summary

The Clinical Dental Education Innovation Grant, awarded by the Minnesota Department of Health, aims to enhance dental training opportunities for underserved populations. This grant supports accredited institutions and clinical training sites in Minnesota to expand successful programs or develop new initiatives. It ensures that no service is denied due to inability to pay, thereby promoting access to essential dental care. Eligible applicants must be accredited training providers, and funds are strictly for operational costs related to approved programs.

Overview

Clinical training is a requirement for dental professionals to become licensed, but opportunities to receive clinical training are limited. Under the authority of Minnesota Statutes Section 62J.692, Subdivision 7a, the Commissioner of Health is authorized to award grants to sponsoring institutions and clinical dental training sites for projects that increase dental access for underserved populations and promote innovative clinical dental education or clinical training programs. Individual providers applying alone are not eligible for grants, nor are clinical training sites or institutions outside of Minnesota. Potential uses of grant funds include expanding existing clinical training programs that have demonstrated success in providing dental services to underserved populations and in developing or implementing new programs designed to improve access for underserved populations. Programs must use dental occupations residents or students in dental professional training programs. Grants must be used to fund costs directly related to the established or ongoing operation of an accredited clinical dental education program or to establish or expand an accredited clinical dental training program at a Medicaid–eligible site.

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. Eligible applicants include teaching institutions and clinical training sites that train dental professionals. The teaching institution or the clinical training site must provide accredited clinical training, an exception can be made if the organization is actively seeking accreditation with a reasonable assumption of success.Grant funds are not transferrable to any other entity. Applicants that are aware of any upcoming mergers, acquisitions, or any other changes in their organization or legal standing, must disclose this information to MDH in their application, or as soon as they are aware of it. All applicant organizations must also have a policy to ensure no person will be denied services due to inability to pay (e.g., sliding-fee scale).