The number one concern for many students deciding whether to pursue a career in dentistry is often finding the means to pay for it. For many, student loans provide the majority of funds used to pay for dental school; however, student loans come at a high (interest) price. Scholarships can be a great way to HELP subsidize part of the burden that is dental school tuition. For those just thinking about their paths to dental school, here are some options that are available:
- ADA Foundation Scholarships: The American Dental Association offers up to 54 merit-based scholarships with a total value of $135,000 to second-year dental students and underrepresented minority dental students (African American, Hispanic, Native American) across the U.S.
- NHSC Scholarship Program: The National Health Service Corps provides dental students with up to four years of tuition, but recipients must provide a year of community service in high need areas for each year of tuition received from the scholarship.
- Tylenol Future Care Scholarship: Students who are pursuing a career in health care are eligible for one of thirty of these scholarships valued at $5,000 and ten scholarships valued at $10,000 each. Dental students were among the recipients of this scholarship in both 2013 and 2014!
There are many many more scholarships like these available for students like you. Take the time to apply to them and you never know what could happen! What other scholarships have you heard of for dental students? Check out ASDA’s website for more ideas too.
~Megan Mathers, JD, Mathers Law
