Dental Assistant Scholarship recipient and team

Pacific Dental Services Foundation Awards Over $100,000 to Winter 2023 Dental Assistant Scholarship Recipients

Published: Dec 12, 2023

 

The PDS Foundation has granted over $1.5 million in scholarships since 2016.

 

IRVINE, CALIF. Dec. 12, 2023 – The Pacific Dental Services® (PDS) Foundation proudly announces the Winter 2023 Dr. Carolyn Ghazal Dental Assistant Scholarship recipients, a remarkable group of 24 dental assisting (DA) students who collectively received over $100,000 to help cover tuition expenses.

 

The scholarship comes at an important time in the dental industry. According to a recent report from the American Dental Association Health Policy Institute, the dental industry is currently experiencing a significant workforce shortage, with vacant dental assisting positions contributing to a 10 percent reduction in dental practice capacity nationwide. Moreover, financial hardship often prevents many enrolled DA students from finishing school.

 

Recognizing the importance of DAs to the future of dentistry, the PDS Foundation created this scholarship to provide students with the financial support they need to complete their education. Named after Carolyn Ghazal, DDS, a member of the PDS Foundation Board of Directors, this educational scholarship provides DA students with need-based financial aid, mentorship, on-the-job training, and aims to mold the next generation of passionate, servant-hearted dental leaders.

“Serving on the scholarship committee and engaging with our applicants is one of the highlights of my role,” said Dr. Ghazal. “Empowering aspiring dental assistants across the country is our priority. That's why we offer comprehensive support and financial aid, so students can focus on their studies and pursue a successful career in dental assisting with confidence.”

 

Scholarships are awarded on a quarterly basis to DA students to help cover tuition expenses. The Scholarship Review Committee awards scholarships based on applicants' financial need, heart for service, career aspirations, and other criteria.

 

Since its establishment in 2016, the PDS Foundation has granted over $1.5 million in scholarships to support the educational pursuits of over 260 students in the dental field.

 

Michael Le, Executive Director of the PDS Foundation, said, “Our mission is to empower aspiring dental assistants to become influential leaders in oral health. Through their journeys of personal and professional growth, we stand alongside them by investing in their future. We are grateful for the community's unwavering commitment to helping these students achieve a brighter tomorrow.”

 

The application deadline for the next dental assistant scholarship is Feb. 1. To learn more or apply, please visit pdsfoundation.org/programs/scholarships.

Winter 2023 Dr. Carolyn Ghazal Dental Assistant Scholarship Recipients:

 

Student

Academic Institution

City, State

Summer Bannister

Tri County Technical College

Pendleton, S.C.

Alisha Beltran

Concorde Career College

Tampa, Fla.

Taris Bergerson

Houston Community College Coleman Campus

Houston, Texas

Raquel Cienfuegos

UEI College

Huntington Park, Calif.

Maria Robles Cuevas

Pickens Technical College

Aurora, Colo.

Leslie Curiel

Unitek College

Antioch, Calif.

Daniella Franco

UEI College

Oceanside, Calif.

Madelyn Hembree

Ross Medical Center

Erlanger, Ky.

Tracy Hetherington

Palm Beach State College

Lake Worth, Fla.

Sara Karnick

Dakota County Technical College

Rosemount, Minn.

Erika Martinez

Brookline College

Phoenix, Ariz.

Victoria Mazyck

UEI College

Tacoma, Wash.

Ecaterina Meleshko

Dakota County Technical College

Rosemount, Minn.

Evelyn Vega Miranda

West-Mec Southwest Campus

Buckeye, Ariz.

Heather Oliver

Pima Medical Institute

Mesa, Ariz.

Alli Park

Central Lakes College

Brainerd, Minn.

Claritza Plascencia

San Joaquin Valley College

Temecula, Calif.

Leslie Quesada

Concorde Career College

Garden Grove, Calif.

Jamaica Pauline Rectra

Houston Community College Coleman Campus

Houston, Texas

Christina Aguilar-DeLa Rosa

Carrington College

Sacramento, Calif.

Caroline Spriggs

Lane Community College

Eugene, Ore.

Alaidria Stone

Milan Institute

Visalia, Calif.

Odessa Taylor

Lane Community College

Eugene, Ore.

Emily Woltjer

Clackamas Community College, Harmony Campus

Milwaukie, Ore.

 

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