NC S497

Expands the Board of Governors' Dental Scholarship Loan Program to include students accepted for admission to the School of Dental Medicine at East Carolina University, in addition to the existing University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill school of dentistry.

Provides four-year scholarship loans covering tuition, fees, mandatory medical insurance, required laptop computers and dental equipment, plus an annual $5,000 stipend to eligible first-year dental students at both institutions.

Requires East Carolina University dental graduates to practice dentistry in a rural or underserved area of North Carolina for four years within seven years of graduation to have their loans forgiven, or alternatively work as full-time faculty at either North Carolina dental school for four years.

Maintains the existing loan forgiveness requirement for UNC Chapel Hill dental graduates to practice dentistry in North Carolina for four years within seven years of graduation.

Allows loan forgiveness in both cases if the recipient becomes unable to practice due to death or permanent disability.