Dr. Spencer Wihlm, a 2023 graduate of the University of Iowa College of Dentistry and currently practicing in Ely, recently received the third installment of his loan repayment award through the Martha Mordini Rukavina Loan Forgiveness Program. The presentation was made by Dr. Michael Zakula, Vice President of the Minnesota Dental Foundation.
Established in 2009, the program is funded by the Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation Board (IRRRB) and has helped bring ten new dental graduates to establish practices across the Iron Range, addressing a critical shortage of dental care providers in the region. Former St. Louis County Commissioner and State Representative Tom Rukavina was instrumental in creating the program, which is named in honor of his late mother, Martha Mordini Rukavina.
Administered by the Minnesota Dental Foundation, the loan forgiveness program provides financial assistance to dentists who commit to practicing full-time for at least five years in the Taconite Assistance Area (TAA), a federally designated dental shortage region in northeastern Minnesota. Participating dentists may receive up to $120,000 over four years to help repay qualified education loans.
With the average dental school graduate now carrying approximately $335,000 in student loan debt, this program plays a vital role in encouraging young dentists to consider practicing in rural Iron Range communities— helping reduce financial barriers and strengthening access to dental care throughout the region.
Dr. Wihlm grew up in Mason City, Iowa, and attended the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul before earning his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree with a distinction in Public Health from the University of Iowa College of Dentistry. He and his wife, Tove, were drawn to Ely for its welcoming, close-knit, and adventurous community and are grateful to call the area home.
