California Senate Bill 1827 (2006)

California Senate Bill 1827 (SB 1827), enacted in 2006, focused on improving access to dental care for underserved populations within California. Primarily, the bill aimed to increase the number of dental health professional shortage areas that qualify for the Steven M. Thompson Physician Corps Loan Repayment Program and the California State Loan Repayment Program.

The bill specifically revised eligibility criteria for the programs to include dentists and dental hygienists practicing in dental health professional shortage areas (DHPSAs), making them eligible for student loan repayment assistance. The aim was to incentivize these professionals to practice in areas with limited access to dental services.

In essence, SB 1827 sought to alleviate the shortage of dental professionals in underserved communities by providing financial incentives, in the form of loan repayment assistance, to dentists and dental hygienists who chose to practice in DHPSAs. This was intended to broaden access to dental care, particularly for low-income and rural populations.