Code of Maine Rules
94 - INDEPENDENT AGENCIES
457 - FINANCE AUTHORITY OF MAINE (FAME)
Chapter 612 - MAINE DENTAL EDUCATION LOAN AND LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAMS
Section 457-612-I - Definitions

1. [Reserved]

2. "Chief executive officer" means the chief executive officer of the Authority or a person acting under the supervisory control of the chief executive officer.

3. "Completion of professional education" means completion of dental school, post-graduate dental training and obligated public health service, and/or obligated national service.

4. "Dental care facility" means any health care facility that offers primary dental care as either its primary service or as part of a broader medical practice and (a) accepts payment through MaineCare or a successor program; and (b) at which at least 25% of the patient load has been accepted for treatment regardless of ability to pay through insurance or other payment source. A dental care facility must provide patients notice that it accepts payment through Maine Care or a successor program.

5. "Forgiveness" means the satisfaction of all or a portion of the loan obligation by a loan recipient through an eligible practice as set forth in section III. E.3.

6. "Indebtedness" shall be equal to any amount borrowed as a direct loan for dental education, plus any interest accrued thereon.

7. "Loan recipient" means any student who incurs indebtedness from the Authority for dental education, evidenced by a Note and Loan Agreement requiring the amount of money borrowed to be repaid either through cash installment payments or through forgiveness.

8. "Maine resident" means a person who has been a resident of the State of Maine for a minimum of two years for purposes other than education at the time of the person's entry to dental school. In determining whether an applicant is a Maine resident the Authority may consider (a) the amount of time the applicant has resided in the State for other than tuition purposes; (b) the secondary school the applicant attended; (c) the legal residence of the applicant's parents, if the applicant is dependent; (d) the location where the applicant is registered to vote, if any; (e) the jurisdiction(s) in which the applicant files income tax forms; (f) the jurisdiction where the applicant is licensed to drive, if any; (g) such other relevant documents and information as determined necessary or convenient in the opinion of the chief executive officer.

9. "Obligated national service" means an obligation incurred for financial assistance during undergraduate or graduate education, for internship or residency training provided by the Armed Forces Services of the United States, or for compulsory national service required by an Act of Congress.

10. "Primary dental care" means oral health services, including those provided by general practice and pediatric dentists, but excluding dental specialties (examples of specialties include without limitation: endodontics, oral and maxillofacial pathology, prosthodontics, and oral and maxillofacial radiology).

11. "Postgraduate training" includes general practice dental residencies, dental residences and any internships or fellowships in areas of primary dental care.

12. "Repayment period" means the period of time commencing six months after completion of professional education, post-graduate training, and obligated national service required by an Act of Congress, or withdrawal from school and continuing up to ten years.

13. "Return service" means employment in a practice that qualifies the loan recipient for forgiveness of any portion of the indebtedness.

14. "Underserved population area" means an area in the State of Maine that is a dental health professional shortage area or medically underserved area or that contains a medically underserved population, as defined by the federal Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration or any successor thereto.