Medical school can be expensive, so students looking for dental school scholarships should take advantage of every resource they can find. Dozens of scholarships are available to undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate students of dentistry and dental hygiene fields. Most scholarships require excellent academic records, and some scholarships are need-based. A few programs require a commitment to perform community service or even join a branch of the Armed Forces. But the rewards for these services can be very generous and could cover all educational expenses for four years of college.
1. Kaukauna Community Health Associates Scholarship
Kaukauna Community Health Associates (KCHA) offers one of the top dental scholarships for students in Wisconsin. This scholarship is open to college students who have graduated from a high school in the Kaukauna School District or a surrounding district. Students enrolled in university programs in the health professions are eligible during their sophomore and junior years of college. They must submit a transcript showing a grade point average above 3.0 on a scale of 4.0. The application form is available on the KCHA website. It must be completed in full and submitted by April 25th.
2. Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) Scholarship
Dental students looking for financial assistance for their college expenses can apply for the HOSA scholarship. HOSA is an organization that’s open to students from all over the country. The only eligibility requirements are that applicants must join HOSA and create a free account with the hiring and networking platform Tallo. The scholarship application uses information entered into the Tallo account profile. So after a profile has been created, most of the application will be filled out automatically. The entire process can be completed online. The deadline for HOSA scholarship applications is April 15th.
3. Transylvania County Dental Scholarship
Dental hygiene and dental assistant students in Transylvania County, N.C., can apply for the Transylvania County Dental Scholarship. This award is offered by the Community Foundation of Western North Carolina (CFWNC). This scholarship is worth $1,000. The funds are awarded without regard to:
- race
- gender
- ethnicity
- any other legally protected characteristics
To apply for this award, students can visit the CFWNC website and fill out an online application by July 3rd. Applicants must show proof of residency in Transylvania County as well as enrollment in a dental hygiene or dental assistant program at an accredited college.
4. Pre-Dental Scholarship
This award is offered by an organization that helps pre-dental students study for and pass the Dental Admission Test. There are four scholarships available every year for students who submit successful applications. The first place award for the scholarship competition is $1,000. The second place award is $600. The third place winner receives $300 while the fourth place winner receives $100. To apply for this award, students must visit the scholarship webpage and submit an online application by Sept. 30th. Applicants must include with their applications:
- a written essay
- professional resume
- 2×2 photograph
- college transcripts.
5. Harvard Dental Medicine Scholarships
Harvard Dental School offers a large number of scholarships for post-doctoral and pre-doctoral students. There are five scholarships available for post-doctoral students. There are 18 scholarships available for pre-doctoral students. These awards are available to all Harvard students based on financial need. There is no application process for these scholarships. Instead, the general application for financial aid at Harvard University automatically makes any student enrolled in a dental program eligible for these awards. The award amount varies from one scholarship to another and from year to year.
6. Dental Assistant Scholarship
The National Dental Association Foundation offers the Dental Assistant Scholarship for members of the Student National Dental Association. This $500 award is for students with financial need. It’s available to all dental assistants who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents and have a record of performing community service. To qualify for the scholarship, applicants must submit:
- a letter of request
- an official financial aid report
- two letters of recommendation, including one from the Dean of Students at their school
The application due date for this scholarship is May 15th.
7. Dr. Joseph L. Henry First Year Scholarship
The NDAF offers a $2,000 scholarship for first-year dental school students. This award is given to students with high academic standing and a grade point average of 3.5 or above. The requirements for this scholarship include a letter of recommendation from the Dean of Students and one from an undergraduate professor. Applicants must also be U.S. citizens or permanent residents. As with the Dental Assistant Scholarship, the application for this award is due on May 15th.
8. The Hispanic Healthcare Professional Scholarship
Each year, the Hispanic Healthcare Professional award is given to 15 to 20 students of all healthcare professions, including dentistry. The amount of money awarded to the recipient varies based on the student’s needs and academic record. While the scholarship is not awarded exclusively to Hispanic students, applicants must show a strong involvement in the healthcare of Hispanic communities. Students must submit a personal statement and a recommendation from a former professor with their application. Students must apply for this award by Sept. 26th.
9. GIVE (Global Initiative for Volunteerism and Education)
The Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Foundation offers this $2,500 scholarship to OMS students and surgical volunteers with at least 24 months of residency training. It’s one of the top dental school scholarships in the country. The award is available for volunteers enrolled in a program approved by the OMS Foundation. Applicants must be able to show a strong work ethic and ability to work well as a team member. Volunteer programs approved by the OMS Foundation must be primarily OMS-related and have a senior surgeon serving as the director. The GIVE scholarship application is due by July 15th.
10. The Renovo Endodontic Studio Leaders Scholarship
This $1,000 scholarship is awarded by the Renovo Endodontic Studio to the student who submits the best essay about the person who has influenced them the most. Essays are judged by members of the scholarship committee. To apply, students must submit their essays in PDF format by email on or before Jan. 15th. The scholarship winner can use the funds to pay for any school-related expenses. Applicants may be in high school or college as long as they will be an undergraduate college student the following year.
11. Welfare League Rose Aleshin Memorial Dental Hygiene Scholarship
This $500 scholarship is provided by the Santa Rosa Junior College in Santa Rosa, CA. It’s available to SRJC students enrolled full-time in the dental hygiene program. Applicants must be Sonoma County residents with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. The scholarship application is available online at the SRJC website. To qualify for the scholarship, applicants must submit:
- an applications
- a personal essay
- two letters of recommendation
Deadline is March 2nd.
12. Pediatric Dental Scholarship
This award is offered by Dr. Jaren Jensen, a pediatric dentist in Phoenix, Ariz. The scholarship is worth $500. Eligible to apply is any pediatric dentist student who is a resident of Arizona and enrolled in a full-time dental program in the state. It’s available to undergraduate students at every grade level as long as they are at least 18 years old. Students can apply by sending a 300- to 1,000-word essay to Dr. Jensen’s email address, available on the scholarship webpage. Applications for this award must be submittedby March 15th.
13. American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons AAL Scholarship
The AAOMS offers the AAL Scholarship for professional oral and maxillofacial surgeons seeking to leave clinical work and transition to an academic setting. The scholarship is available through the Institute for Teaching and Learning program. This is a four-day event held in August. Scholarship recipients are required to attend all four days of the program in Atlanta, Ga. To apply, OMS professionals can send a resume and letter of interest to Laurie Oddo at the email address on the scholarship webpage. March 16th is the last day for applications for this scholarship.
14. Herschel S. Horowitz Scholarship
The American Association of Public Health Dentistry offers this $10,000 scholarship in the name of Dr. Herschel S. Horowitz, DDS, MPH. Dr. Horowitz was a dental epidemiologist and pubic health educator who made major contributions to solving the problem of childhood tooth decay. The award is offered to dental professionals enrolled in master’s programs. They must be planning to enter the field of public health. To apply, students must visit the scholarship webpage and submit an online application for the award. Application deadline is December 6th.
15. ADEA/Procter & Gamble Scholarship
This scholarship opportunity is available to dental students throughout the United States and Canada. The ADEA partners with the Procter & Gamble Company to offer this $5,500 award. Eligible are dental students planning to enter academic careers after graduation. Of the $5,500 scholarship fund, $4,500 is reserved for tuition and education expenses. $1,000 is reserved for attendance at the ADEA conference and the Procter & Gamble Research Center. Applicants must submit with their applications:
- two letters of recommendation
- a written essay
- official college transcripts
Deadline is Nov. 1st.
16. Preventive Dentistry Scholarship
Also offered by the ADEA is the Preventive Dentistry Scholarship. It’s awarded each year to 12 students enrolled in a predoctoral university dental program. The scholarship is worth $2,500. $500 of the award amount will go toward attending the ADEA conference. Applicants must be enrolled full-time in a dental program and have a strong interest in preventive dentistry. Only students selected by the dean of their school will be considered for the award. The scholarship deadline is Nov. 1st.
17. ADEA Linda DeVore Scholarship
The ADEA offers the Sigma Phi Alpha Linda DeVore Scholarship each year to one student. They must show a strong interest in healthcare education in the dentistry profession. The award is worth $1,500. It’s available for college students at the baccalaureate, master’s and doctoral levels. This scholarship is offered in honor of Linda DeVore. She was a dental educator who served as president of Sigma Phi Alpha, an honorary society for dental professionals, as well as the American Association of Dental Schools, which is now the ADEA. Application deadline is Nov. 1st.
18. The ADHA Institute for Oral Health Scholarships
18. The ADHA Institute for Oral Health ScholarshipsThese scholarships are offered by the American Dental Hygienist Association Institute for Oral Health. They’re available to many students each year. Multiple scholarships are offered to students enrolled in associate’s, bachelor’s and graduate-level dental hygiene programs. Applicants must show a commitment to advancing the profession of dental hygiene. To apply, students can visit the scholarship webpage and submit an application for the appropriate grade level. Students must also submit:
- college transcripts
- a personal essay
- a recommendation from the university dean
Applications are due on or before Feb. 1st.
19. U.S. Armed Forces Scholarship
Dental students planning to enlist in the U.S. Armed Forces should consider applying for a federal scholarship for students of the health professions. These scholarship opportunities are available to medical school students in the United States. They cover all educational expenses as well as monthly living expenses for 10 months out of the year. They are recurring yearly scholarships that require a commitment to either the Army, Navy or Air Force for as many years as a scholarship is awarded. The minimum commitment is three years of enlistment. Scholarship recipients will also receive a sign-on bonus of $20,000 after enlisting in the military.
20. CDA Foundation Webb Family Grant
The Webb Family Grant is provided by Russell and Kathi Webb. It’s available to dental students who have applied for the CDA Foundation Student Loan Repayment Grant. The award amount is $5,000 per year. It can be applied toward any of the recipient’s educational expenses. The winner of the Webb Family Grant is the runner-up in the competition for the Student Loan Repayment Grant. These grants are intended to help fund education for dental students who wish to offer their services to underserved communities. To apply for the grants, dental students can visit the CDA Foundation website.
Application deadline is July 31st.
21. Aalam Samsavar, DDS, Scholarship
The office of Dr. Aalam Samsavar, DDS, offers one of the most accessible scholarships for dental school. College juniors with a GPA of at least 3.4 can apply for this scholarship by writing a 750-word essay on why they want to become a dentist. It’s a one-time scholarship of $1,500 that can be applied to any of the recipient’s educational expenses. Students can apply for this scholarship by visiting the website of Dr. Samsavar and submitting their essay by email. Applicants must include their college transcripts with the application. Application deadline for this award is Dec. 1st.
22. Hartford Dental Society Scholarship
The Hartford Dental Society (HDS) offers one of the top scholarships for dental students. The HDS provides this scholarship through the James McManus Fund. It’s available for dental students at the junior and senior level. The amount of funds available for the scholarship can vary depending on the number of qualified students who apply. Each year, it’s awarded to one or more applicants based on merit and financial need. Awards are handed out at the HDS Annual Banquet. To apply for this dental school scholarship, students must visit the HDS website and submit an application by March 1st.
23. HDA Foundation Scholarship
This award is provided by the Hispanic Dental Association. The HDA partners with Colgate-Palmolive, Procter & Gamble and other corporate and private sponsors to offer this scholarship. To qualify, students must belong to the Hispanic Student Dental Association. Alternatively, students may apply through the Hispanic Dental Association. Interested students can visit the HDA Foundation website to submit:
- an application
- an essay
- two letters of recommendation
The award amount for this scholarship is $5,000. It’s available to up to three students each year. Application deadline for this scholarship is Oct. 12th.
24. Indian Health Service Scholarship Program
The U.S. federal government offers this scholarship through the Indian Health Service (IHS) program. It’s intended for Native American and Alaska Native students enrolled in university healthcare programs. Native American dental students who are interested in offering healthcare services to American Indian communities are encouraged to apply for this scholarship. The IHS program offers three scholarships for students at:
- the preparatory level
- pre-graduate level
- professional level
Applicants must maintain good academic standing in their program and submit a U.S. birth certificate to qualify for the scholarship. Application deadline for this award is March 1st.
25. Michigan Dental Association Foundation Scholarship
Dental students in Michigan can apply for the MDA Foundation scholarship, a fund of more than $13,000 that is awarded to up to 15 students each year. The amount of scholarship funds awarded to each student depends on the number of qualified applicants each year as well as the scholastic merit and financial need of the recipient. Students typically receive $500 to $2,600 in a given year. To apply, dental students must visit the MDA Foundation scholarship webpage and submit an application by Feb. 1st.
26. Dr. Mark K. Setter Leadership in Periodontology and Dental Implantology Award
The American Academy of Periodontology Foundation offers this generous annual scholarship of $10,000 to one dental student who demonstrates strong leadership qualities in the profession of dentistry. Applications for this award are available from the periodontal program director at accredited U.S. universities. The director will choose one student from the program to enter into the contest for this award. The scholarship is awarded based on the applicant’s commitment to leadership in periodontology and not his or her clinical expertise. Application deadline is March 15th.
27. John J. Sharry Prosthodontic Research Scholarship
The American College of Posthodontics (ACP) Foundation offers this award each year. It’s one of the best scholarships for dental school in the country. It’s available to postdoctoral students working in prosthodontics. The scholarship is awarded to the recipient at the Annual Session of the American College of Prosthodontists. The award winner will be the student who has made the greatest contribution to postdoctoral prosthodontic research in the award year. Students interested in this scholarship must visit the ACP Foundation webpage. Application deadline is May 25th.
28. Women’s Guild Scholarship
Seton Hall University offers one of the top dental scholarships for students of healthcare professions in their first year of enrollment at the university. The award is worth up to $5,000. It can be applied toward any of the recipient’s educational expenses. The scholarship is awarded based on scholastic merit. Students must maintain a GPA of at least 3.8 on a 4.0 scale. To qualify, an applicant must show proof of a score of at least 1360 on the SAT and be enrolled in a health profession program. Students with volunteer experience will be given priority consideration. Men and women meeting these requirements can apply for the scholarship through the university website by Jan. 15th.
29. Smile Marketing Bi-Annual Dental Scholarship
Smile Marketing offers a $500 scholarship for dental students in a pre-medical program or accredited dental school. To qualify for the scholarship, students must write a 500-word essay based on the prompt provided on the scholarship webpage. Past prompts have included subjects such as digital communication and the future of the dental profession. The applicant with the best essay, as judged by the Smile Marketing panel, will receive the scholarship award. The contest occurs twice a year. Applicants must submit their essays prior to the contest deadline.
The first deadline is March 15th, and the second deadline is Sept. 15th.
30. Hawaii Dental Association Foundation Scholarship
The Hawaii Dental Association (HDA) offers one of the top scholarships for dental students. The scholarship is worth $1,000 to $4,000. It’s awarded based on both financial need and scholastic merit. Students must come from a low-income background and maintain a GPA of at least 3.0 on a scale of 4.0. Applicants must complete 10 hours of community service before submitting an application. To apply, students must submit a 500- to 1,000-word essay along with their college transcripts to the HDA Foundation website.
Scholarships can make dental school much more affordable. Many students apply for a full range of scholarships each year. To increase the chance of receiving an award, students should maintain an excellent academic record and become involved in community outreach programs related to their professional field. The dental school scholarships on this list are offered at least once a year, so students can apply for them many times while they’re in college.
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