Conference Scholarships

Getting dental students out of the classroom and into the venues where they can learn more about public health dentistry and caring for people with disabilities can be prohibitively expensive.

That’s where the Delta Dental Foundation (DDF) comes in. As part of our commitment to workforce development, we’re now offering grants to send dental students from select student groups in Michigan, Ohio and Indiana to conferences that teach them how to meet everyone’s comfort level and abilities across the lifespan.

Application Details

Before you apply, here’s what you need to know:

• The application must be submitted by the group’s faculty adviser, and funds will be dispersed directly to the dental school. Students may not apply individually.
• The name of each attending student must be listed in the application along with their year. Each student must be a member of the applicable student group.
• As part of the funding, each of your attending students agree to submit photos, videos and a written reflection within three months of the conference.
• Applicants must submit a detailed budget that lists travel, room and registration costs. Requests must be reasonable and cannot exceed $10,000.
• Funding will cover conference registrations and travel fees only.
• Students attending NOHC will be required to attend a dinner hosted by the Delta Dental Foundation.

Eligible Conferences and Meetings

Student groups may choose from the conferences below.

• April 15–17, 2024, NOHC (St. Louis, MO).
• June 6–9, 2024, AADMD (Chicago, IL).
• September 22–25, 2024, NNOHA (Baltimore, MD).
• September 26–28, 2024, SCDA Annual Meeting (Orlando, FL).

Awards

Every year, the DDF provides scholarships and awards to students who demonstration excellent academic and leadership skills and who exhibit a passion for dentistry. Since 1980, the DDF has awarded more than 800 scholarships and awards. Many of the recipients have reached out to improve oral health care in communities in need around the world.

Diversity Dental Student Scholarship

Evidence suggests minority patients receive better care from providers who look like they do. But despite accounting for more than one-third of the U.S. population, fewer than 10 percent of dentists are Black, Hispanic, or Indigenous according to the American Dental Association.

With the goal of making dental education more accessible, helping to diversify the dental profession, and improving oral health equity, the DDF launched this new, $25,000 Diversity Dental Scholarship. Given annually, this scholarship will be awarded to a student from a systemically disadvantaged racial and ethnic background entering dental school. The scholarships are given to one student from Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine, the Ohio State University College of Dentistry, the University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry, Indiana University School of Dentistry, and the University of Michigan School of Dentistry. Students interested in any of these scholarships should contact their dental school for more information.

Dental Hygiene Scholarships 

In 2013, the DDF launched the Delta Dental Foundation Dental Hygiene Scholarship program for students at select schools in Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana who are pursuing a degree in dental hygiene. Recipients are selected by each school.

Community Commitment Awards

The $25,000 Community Commitment Award, given annually, helps increase access to dental care in areas of high need. The awards are given to one student from Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine, the Ohio State University College of Dentistry, the University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry, Indiana University School of Dentistry, and the University of Michigan School of Dentistry (offered here as the Patrick P. Gribben Jr. Community Commitment Award). Each of the five award recipients will receive the award in two payments for committing to practice in a designated health professional shortage area in the state in which they attended dental school for at least one year immediately following graduation. Recipients are selected by the dean of their school of dentistry.

Patrick P. Gribben Jr. Community Commitment Award

This $25,000 award was established in 2014 to honor the memory of Patrick P. Gribben Jr., who served for 25 years as the president and chief executive officer of Delta Dental of Michigan and later as president of the Delta Dental Foundation. The award is given to one student graduating from the University of Michigan School of Dentistry who commits to practice in a designated health professional shortage area in Michigan for at least one year immediately following graduation. Recipients are selected by the dean of their school of dentistry.

For more information about these scholarships and to apply, contact your dental or hygiene school.