Group standing indoors holding an oversized scholarship check in front of green, white, and silver balloon decorations.
Large illuminated letters spelling ‘CONGRATS’ decorated with green, white, and silver balloons inside an event space.
Group of healthcare trainees wearing blue and black scrubs standing together on indoor stairs in a campus building.

Mississippi Rural Dentists Scholarship Program

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Dr. G. Norris Howell Rural Dentists Scholarship Program

Mississippi Rural Dentists Scholarship Program LogoIn 2013, the Mississippi Legislature authorized the Mississippi Rural Dentists Scholarship Program (MRDSP), creating a unique longitudinal program that identifies rural college students who aspire to return to their roots to practice general dentistry. In 2025, MRDSP was renamed the Dr. G. Norris Howell Rural Dentists Scholarship Program to honor a long-serving rural dentist.

Academic enrichment, faculty and dentist mentoring plus solid dental school financial support through the Dr. G. Norris Howell Rural Dentists Scholarship Program enables capable young Mississippians to provide adequate dental care in rural areas of Mississippi.

Program phases

The program's three phases include:

Maintaining a high level of awareness and involvement in Mississippi's rural health care is a constant in every phase of training. Channeling scholars into general dentistry or pediatric dentistry will target the current rural dental shortage.

The Dr. G. Norris Howell Rural Dentists Scholarship Program is good news for rural Mississippi!