Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Workforce Health topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Idaho Dental Education Program asks for one additional seat to help retain dentists in-state
Summary
The Idaho Dental Education Program asked the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee for $54,000 ongoing to add one dental seat in its contract with Creighton University, citing longstanding workforce needs and high return-to-state rates for graduates.
Kevin Campbell, a budget and policy analyst with the Legislative Services Office, briefed the committee on the Idaho Dental Education Program (IDEP) and its FY2026 request for one additional seat.
Campbell said IDEP pays for Idaho residents to complete dental training through a contractual arrangement with Creighton University's School of Dentistry; students begin at Idaho State University and finish at Creighton. "For FY 2026, the Idaho Dental Education Program requests $54,000 ongoing from the general fund for one additional seat," Campbell said.
Dr. Jeff Weibargin, IDEP director and an alumnus of the program, told the committee the program has historically returned a substantial share of its graduates to Idaho. "Historically since about 1982 somewhere between 65 and 70% of our graduates have returned to Idaho to practice," he said, and noted return rates are higher when measured over several years because some graduates delay permanent return for specialty training or residencies.
Weibargin and committee members discussed applicant volumes and debt pressures for dental students. He said the program is oversubscribed and typically receives between 30 and 50 applications each cycle; in earlier years applicant pools were larger. He told the committee the program routinely finds highly qualified applicants it cannot admit because of seat limits and that those students often accept more expensive out-of-state options and do not return to Idaho immediately.
IDEP currently operates with 3.25 FTP and 8 annual seats; the agency's long-term plan calls for expanding to 36 seats. Campbell said the program has averaged modest base growth and has used adjunct faculty while recruiting for tenure-track instructors.
No committee vote was taken. Committee members asked for additional context about workforce need; Dr. Weibargin said the state remains short in some rural areas and that IDEP graduates have filled positions across Idaho.
Why it matters: Expanding state-supported dental training seats is a commonly used tool to increase the supply of clinicians who are likely to practice in-state, particularly in rural and underserved communities.
