New Mexico Higher Education Department offers tuition assistance to New Mexico students attending Hunt school of Dental Medicine in El Paso

LAS CRUCES, New Mexico-- New Mexico State Of Education (NMHED) and Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) El Paso are partnering together to help bridge the oral health gap in New Mexico.

In an agreement announced Tuesday between the NMHED and TTUHSC El Paso, New Mexico will cover the difference of in and out-of-state tuition for two New Mexico students, every year, who would normally pay out-of-state tuition costs.

The funds are provided by the New Mexico Legislature and can cover up to $20,000 per student.

Harrison Rommel, NMHED Director of Financial aid, said that in exchange for this, they will require those dental students to come back to New Mexico and commit to working in the state for 3 years.

“It’s part of growing our own health care professionals, we're really excited about this, it's these types of partnerships and incentives that will bring dentists back into the state, back in the communities,” said Rommel.

According to Texas Tech officials, 32 out of 33 counties in New Mexico are designated dental health professional shortage areas.

"The Texas Tech University system said let's put a dental school where it's needed the most, where the need is the greatest,” said Richard Black, dean of Hunt school of Dental Medicine TTUHSC El Paso.