The Ohio Dental Association Foundation (ODAF), largely supported by Ohio Dental Association member dentists, has now awarded more than half a million dollars to support dental education to students and programs throughout Ohio.
Earlier this month, the ODAF gave out 16 scholarships totaling $52,013, and three $5,000 grants bringing the total amount given since 2000 to $500,413. Between 1995 and 1999, while still in its infancy, the Foundation funded a total of $44,520 in grants and scholarships.
“We have been able to significantly increase our level of funding in recent years, primarily through scholarships to future dentists of Ohio, and with grants to dental education programs that serve the people of Ohio and the dental community,” said Dr. Ron Stanich of Canton, chairman of the ODA Board of Trustees.
Scholarship recipients must be enrolled at an Ohio college with dental programs that are accredited by the American Dental Association. Ohio has two dental schools: Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine and The Ohio State University College of Dentistry. Criteria include academic excellence, Ohio residency and financial need.
This year’s dental student scholarship recipients from CWRU are:
- Kate Cartwright of Brunswick. She is a 3rd year dental student and received the Dr. Burton P. Siegel Scholarship in the amount of $8,013. This is a one-time scholarship awarded in honor of Dr. Siegel to an Ohio dental student who excelled academically and had a strong history of volunteerism. The late Dr. Siegel of Cleveland passed away unexpectedly in November 2009. A practicing periodontist for over 50 years, he was involved in numerous volunteer activities that helped improve the oral health of those less fortunate, including in impoverished countries.
- Julia Salmeron of Lakewood, a 3rd year dental student who received a $6,000 scholarship.
- Bethany Doroghazi of Cleveland Heights, a 4th year dental student who received a $5,000 scholarship.
- Jessica Chrzanowski of Brecksville, a 2nd year dental student who received a $4,000 scholarship.
- Noor Almudallal of Gates Mills, a 2nd year dental student who received a $3,000 scholarship.
The 2011 dental student scholarship recipients from OSU are:
- Ross Gordon of Grandview, a 2nd year dental student who received a $6,000 scholarship.
- Xiaodan (Rachel) Lin, a 2nd year dental student from Delaware, OH, who received a $5,000 scholarship.
- Andrew Hansen of Powell, a 2nd year dental student who received a $5,000 scholarship.
- Lauren Hehl of Sylvania, a 2nd year dental student who received a $3,000 scholarship.
- Yirae Kang of Pickerington, a 4th year dental student who received a $2,000 scholarship.
In addition to the ten dental student scholarships, a total of $5,000 was awarded to six students enrolled either in an Ohio dental hygiene or expanded function dental assisting program.
Grants of $5,000 each were also awarded to three Ohio hospital dental programs. These programs will enhance the training and hands-on experiences gained by their respective residents and other dentists. The programs are also designed to help those in their communities who are uninsured and are in need of dental care. The grants will help:
- St. Elizabeth’s Dental Primary Care Residency Program in Youngstown - The hospital is purchasing a new two-operatory mobile dental clinic that will serve as a training site for St. Elizabeth’s Dental Residency Program and residents will provide patient care and education to underserved populations of all ages in Mahoning and Trumbull counties. The mobile unit and dental residents will also participate in a minimum of 8 health fairs and community outreach events in 2012.
- Mercy Medical Center of Canton’s Special Needs Pediatric Dental Suite Expansion - Through this expansion, residents in the dental residency program will receive enhanced educational opportunities and hands-on experience treating special needs populations, including problematic pediatric and elderly, mentally-challenged and developmentally-disabled patients.
- Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus Early Childhood Caries Program - Implemented through the pediatric dental program at the hospital, the project goal is to improve oral health outcomes of low-income children. The primary focus is, through education, to empower parents of children with tooth decay on how to maintain a child’s good oral health and subsequently reduce the incidence of new caries. This program will include the development and implementation of a disease management protocol.
Half of the $5,000 grant to Nationwide Children’s Hospital was funded through the Don Bowers Fund. Now retired, Dr. Don Bowers was a member of the OSU College of Dentistry faculty for nearly four decades; he is a resident of Upper Arlington, Ohio. As a pediatric dentist and educator, Dr. Bowers was actively involved with the major pediatric dental organizations in the U.S., and was instrumental to the development of the Department of Pediatric Dentistry at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus.
To learn more about the ODA Foundation, contact the Foundation Director at (614) 486-2700. To learn more about public service programs, oral health issues and dentistry in Ohio, visit www.oda.org – Ohio’s resource of oral health information.