The Dental Trade Alliance Foundation has confirmed a $1 million gift from A-dec, establishing a permanent scholarship fund. The endowment from the leading dental equipment manufacturer is a bet on the long game, with the foundation keen on attracting more financial backers.
A-dec backs Dental Trade Alliance Foundation with $1 million
A-dec, the Oregon-based manufacturer whose chairs and delivery systems are used in dental practices across the globe, has pledged $1 million to the Dental Trade Alliance Foundation. The sizable gift establishes the A-dec Scholarship Fund aimed at the profession’s pipeline problem.
The permanent scholarship fund will distribute awards annually to dental and dental hygiene students. According to the press release, the selection criteria extend beyond grades to include community involvement and a stated commitment to practicing in areas where healthcare access is thin.
Meanwhile, the move to establish a permanent scholarship fund comes as rural and low-income communities continue to face persistent shortages of dental providers. Channelling scholarship funds toward students who intend to serve those populations is a pointed choice that the Dental Trade Alliance Foundation says it takes seriously, both at the application stage and long after recipients graduate.
“This generous endowment from A-dec will support future dental and dental hygiene professionals who are dedicated not only to clinical excellence, but also to ensuring access to care for those who need it most,” said Jackie Michaels, Managing Director of the Dental Trade Alliance Foundation.
Structuring the contribution as an endowment rather than a direct grant insulates the program from the year-to-year fundraising challenges that can scuttle other initiatives. Per the announcement, formal eligibility details and application information will be released as the program gets underway.
A bet on the long game
Behind the announcement is a straightforward idea that the most effective way to close the oral health equity gap in the US is an early investment in students. Aware of the dire metrics, the Dental Trade Alliance Foundation is backing academic merit and genuine community commitment in its programs
“During the application phase, we evaluate student involvment in volunteer and work activities that demonstrate a dedication to community service, particularly relating to dental and oral health,” said Michaels.
After a careful selection process, the Foundation also maintains a relationship after graduation, tracking community engagement and gathering impact data. In an interview with Charity Journal, the Dental Trade Alliance Foundation pointed to Dr. Jiwon Lim as proof of its strategy.
Dr. Lim graduated from East Carolina University School of Dental Medicine and, with the financial flexibility her DTA Foundation scholarship provided, was able to graduate with less debt than she might have otherwise carried. With the financial freedom, she pursued a two-year Oral Medicine residency, a path that deepened her expertise.
Eight years after receiving her scholarship, Dr. Lim is an Assistant Professor at UVA Dentistry, where she sees patients and guides residents through the same early stages of the profession she once navigated herself.
The A-dec $1 million gift came on the heels of what Michaels describes as a growing tide of interest from the dental industry in supporting education.
“We’ve seen a tremendous swell of support from the dental industry wanting to give back, enabling the DTA Foundation to provide life-changing scholarship,” said Michaels.
Despite the inflows of capital, Michaels is candid about the scale of work that it will take to move the needle for the industry. She added that the foundation requires more supporters to invest in the future of oral health to make an even bigger impact in the ecosystem.