(a)There is created and established a board to be known as the Board of Dental Scholarship and Loan Awards, which shall establish scholarships and loans to provide for and further dental education and training, in pursuance of a dental degree, of qualified applicants for admission to the University of Alabama School of Dentistry or any other dental school accredited by the Council on Dental Education of the American Dental Association. The board shall give first priority to Alabama residents who will attend dental school in Alabama. In no event shall awards to students attending out-of-state dental schools exceed the amount of awards available to students attending the University of Alabama School of Dentistry.
(b)The board also shall establish the Alabama Dental Service Program as set o
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(a) There is created and established a board to be known as the Board of Dental Scholarship and Loan Awards, which shall establish scholarships and loans to provide for and further dental education and training, in pursuance of a dental degree, of qualified applicants for admission to the University of Alabama School of Dentistry or any other dental school accredited by the Council on Dental Education of the American Dental Association. The board shall give first priority to Alabama residents who will attend dental school in Alabama. In no event shall awards to students attending out-of-state dental schools exceed the amount of awards available to students attending the University of Alabama School of Dentistry.
(b) The board also shall establish the Alabama Dental Service Program as set out in Sections 16-47-77 through 16-47-81.
(c) The board shall also establish the Alabama Rural Dental Health Scholars Program for the purpose of awarding scholarships to high school students who are interested in the practice of dentistry in rural areas.
(d) The board shall adopt rules for the implementation and administration of the programs.
(e) The board shall be composed of all of the following members:
(1) A member of the Alabama Dental Association, appointed by the board of the Alabama Dental Association.
(2) One dentist elected from each component society of the Alabama Dental Association, whose terms of office shall be staggered, two dentists being elected for a term of one year, two dentists being elected for a term of two years, two dentists being elected for a term of three years, and two dentists being elected for a term of four years, and at the end of each term of office, successors shall be elected for a term of four years.
(3) The Director of the Office of Oral Health of the Alabama Department of Public Health.
(4) The Dean of the University of Alabama School of Dentistry or his or her designee.
(5) The Chair of the University of Alabama School of Dentistry Admissions Committee.
(f) The membership of the board shall be inclusive and reflect the racial, gender, geographic, urban, rural, and economic diversity of the state. The board shall annually report to the Legislature, by the second legislative day of each regular session, the extent to which the board has complied with the diversity requirements of this subsection.
(g) Annually, the board shall elect a chair from among its members. Fifty percent of the members of the board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at meetings.
(h) Members of the board may participate in a meeting of the board by means of telephone conference, video conference, or similar communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting may hear each other at the same time. Participation by these means shall constitute presence in person at a meeting for all purposes, including constituting a quorum.