Delta Dental Invests Half a Million in Dentists, Dental Hygienists Serving Communities in Need
Sept. 29, 2025
Delta Dental Invests Half a Million in Dentists, Dental Hygienists Serving Communities in Need
OKEMOS, Mich. – Thirty-two dentists and dental hygienists serving communities in need will receive more than half a million dollars in loan repayment from the Delta Dental Foundation (DDF) and Delta Dental of Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana.
“The debt burden for oral health professionals has continued to increase, making careers in public health or in certain regions less desirable,” said Holli Seabury, EdD, executive director of the DDF. “We want to make it easier for dentists and dental hygienists already practicing in underserved communities to stay.”
In Michigan, Ohio and Indiana, there are 486 dental health professional shortage areas where there aren’t enough dentists—never mind dental hygienists—to provide care. More than 3.7 million people live in those communities, and many have difficulty accessing the dental services they need.
The goal of each loan repayment program is to encourage more oral health professionals to serve Medicaid beneficiaries and practice in public health clinics over time. Loan repayment opportunities included:
- A program (up to $40,000 a year, up to five years) funded by Delta Dental of Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana to support private practice dentists who serve Medicaid beneficiaries in shortage areas.
- A program (up to $25,000 a year, up to three years) funded by the DDF for dentists working in nonprofit dental clinics.
- A program (up to $5,000 a year, up to two years) funded by the DDF for dental hygienists working in nonprofit dental clinics.
“The loan repayment program isn’t a silver bullet of course. But it is a way we can have immediate impact,” said Jeff Johnston, DDS, MS, chief science officer of Delta Dental of Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana. “We know our recipients will make a real difference in the oral health of their communities.”
Private Practice Dentist Loan Repayment Program recipients:
- Dr. Adam Buckler, First Capital Dental, Chillicothe, Ohio
- Dr. Patricia Flores, Ladd Dental Group, Wabash, Indiana
- Dr. Binh Ha, Michigan Dental Outreach, Southeast Michigan
- Dr. Carla Jones, Children’s Dental Care, Dearborn, Michigan
- Dr. Kayla Judd, Christie Family Dentistry, Connersville, Indiana
- Dr. Bongsu Kim, Alpha Dental, Springfield, Ohio
- Dr. Kareen Levy, Hylan Dental Care, Cleveland, Ohio
- Dr. Nam Michelle Nguyen, Woodhaven Dental, Woodhaven, Michigan
- Dr. Kareem Rabaa, Great Lakes Pediatric Dentistry, Clawson, Michigan
- Dr. Caleb Robison, Summa Health, Akron, Ohio
- Dr. Toni-Marie Small, American Dental Network, Indianapolis, Indiana
- Dr. Sarah Spires, Comfort Dental North, Columbus, Ohio
- Dr. Mitch Thompson, Lake City Family Dentistry, Lake City, Michigan
- Dr. Tyler Tran, Keep MI Smile, Sturgis, Michigan
Public Health Dentist Loan Repayment Program recipients:
- Dr. Aditi Gadhvi, Good Neighbor House, Dayton, Ohio
- Dr. Justin Do, Neighborhood Health Clinic, Fort Wayne, Indiana
- Dr. Derek Schmidt, Grand Traverse Band Dental Clinic, Peshawbestown, Michigan
- Dr. Kelsey Sargent, Hackley Community Care, Muskegon, Michigan
- Dr. Cassandra Rodriguez, Hackley Community Care, Muskegon Heights, Michigan
- Dr. Karra Evans Fox, The Wellness Plan, Detroit, Michigan
- Dr. Lisenia Collazo, Upper Great Lakes Family Health Center, Gwinn, Michigan
Public Health Hygienist Loan Repayment Program recipients:
- Tara Adams-Weeks, Dental Clinics North, Mancelona, Michigan
- April Kotermanski, Macomb County Health Department, Warren, Michigan
- Elisa Dack, District Health Department Nos. 2 and 4, West Branch, Michigan
- Kara McLellan, Health Department of Northwest Michigan, Charlevoix, Michigan
- Alexis Pierson, InterCare Community Health Network, Bangor, Michigan
- Kelsey Fox, My Community Dental Centers, Hart, Michigan
- Bianca Maldonado, My Community Dental Centers, Detroit, Michigan
- Kelli Cornwell, My Community Dental Centers, Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Samantha Lininger, Upper Great Lakes Family Health Center, Gwinn, Michigan
- Rechawn Fair, Family Medical Center, Temperance, Michigan
- Gina Drane, Neighborhood Family Practice, Cleveland, Ohio
For more information or to be notified when applications open next year, visit: https://resources.deltadentalmi.com/Loan-Repayment.
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About the Delta Dental Foundation
The Delta Dental Foundation is a nonprofit, charitable organization established in 1980, which serves as the philanthropic arm of Delta Dental of Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, and North Carolina. The DDF is dedicated to developing and enhancing partnerships and programs to improve oral and overall health and health equity. For more information, visit www.deltadental.foundation.
Media Contacts:
Jen Anderson
Delta Dental Foundation
517-375-5507
jmanderson@deltadentalmi.com
Tony Hansen
Delta Dental of Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana
269-401-0017
thansen1@deltadentalmi.com