A number of organizations offer financial assistants for students obtaining training to be a dental hygienist. One of the more prominent ones is The American Dental Association (ADA), which offers scholarships for aspiring dental hygienists through its Allied Dental Student Scholarship Program. These scholarships are offered yearly to facilitate the education of academically gifted students.
The application period runs from the second Friday in January through the second Friday in March. The ADA Foundation will accept one application from each school. The requirements to apply include:
- Being a US citizen
- Being enrolled as a full-time student
- Demonstrating a minimum financial need of at least $1,000
- Having a minimum GPA of 3.5 (on a 4.0 scale)
- Being enrolled in a dental hygiene program accredited by the ADA Commission on Dental Accreditation
- Having completed at least one full semester
- Have at least one full semester remaining in the program
- Providing two completed reference forms
- One from each of two program representatives (e.g. academic advisor or professor)
Another option for scholarships is the American Dental Education Association (ADEA). It offers two ADEA/Crest Oral-B Laboratories Scholarship for Dental Hygiene Students Pursuing Academic Careers each year. These scholarships are designed for students who are pursing their education beyond an associate degree and who are interested in an academic career. Each recipient receives $1,500 for tuition and fees plus $500 to subsidize travel to the ADEA Annual Session. The requirements to apply include:
- Having an associate’s degree or certificate from an accredited dental hygiene program
- Being enrolled in a baccalaureate or graduate program at an ADEA Member Institution
- Demonstrating a commitment to pursuing a dental hygiene academic career
- Being an ADEA Individual Member
Part-time and full-time students are eligible to apply for this scholarship. The ADEA gives priority to qualified candidates enrolled in baccalaureate programs.