Dentist Reimbursement - South Dakota Health Department

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South Dakota Dentist Tuition Reimbursement Program

This program provides qualifying dentists a payment in return for three continuous years of full-time practice in an eligible rural community. Dentists must enter into a contract with the South Dakota Department of Health to qualify. The amount of tuition reimbursement for a qualifying dentist is equal to double the current USD School of Medicine’s resident tuition for the most recent four-year period. Since South Dakota does not have a dental school, the USD School of Medicine’s resident tuition is being used as the basis for reimbursement. The current amount is approximately $100,000.

To be eligible a dentist must:

Be licensed as a dentist in South Dakota
Agree to practice as a general dentist in an eligible community for at least three consecutive years
Provide services to Medicaid, Medicare and State Children's Health Insurance Program patients

To be eligible a community must:

Have a population of 10,000 or less
Be assessed by the Department of Health and determined to both need and be able to sustain a dentist
Agree to pay a pro-rated portion of the total reimbursement payments
- Under 2,500 population – 25%
- 2,500-5,000 – 50%
- Over 5,000 – 75%

For more information contact the Office of Rural Health, 600 E. Capitol, Pierre, SD 57501; phone 1-800-738-2301 or 605-773-3517.