Eligibility for Scholarships
Any individual who is currently enrolled full time in a California dental school is eligible to apply for up to a $6,000 scholarship. Must be able to provide a letter of enrollment from school, proof of student in good academic and ethical standing from school, and proof/certification of hours of volunteer community service/ involvement, no exceptions. Please note that internships or any other non-paid services that are part of a program curriculum or requirement do not qualify as volunteer community service/leadership under this scholarship program. Applicants must demonstrate financial need, responsibility/leadership, volunteer community/organization involvement, and that they are a student in good academic and ethical standing with their dental school. Additionally, applicants are encouraged to provide a letter of recommendation that speaks to the applicant’s strengths as an individual and dental student.

Criteria
Each scholarship applicant shall be evaluated based on the following weighted criteria:

• Financial Need (34%): Students shall demonstrate a significant financial need for a scholarship award. This need shall be based on the student’s family household socioeconomic background, including family household’s annual income and expenses, and any grants or scholarships received (applicant to prove their financial situation, including received scholarship/grant monies by providing a financial aid statement from the school). Staff will use the CDA Foundation Scholarship Program Financial Need Formula to determine applicant’s financial need and report it to the committee for their consideration in the review and selection processes.

• Community Leadership (66%): Students shall have demonstrated and be able to provide proof of hours served of leadership in community service. This may include, but is not limited to, community volunteerism, advancing the profession of dentistry, and efforts to expand access to oral health care services for the underserved. Please note that internships or any other non-paid services that are part of a program curriculum or requirement do not qualify as volunteer community service/leadership under this scholarship program.

• Proven Good Academic and Ethical Standing: Students shall be able to provide proof from their dental school that they are a student regarded as having proven good academic and ethical standing within the dental program.

Handling of Applications and Selection Process
Online applications must be complete and submitted with all requested and applicable attachments (scan into file format to attach to application packet) no later than March 31. Upon receipt, applications will be reviewed by the CDA Foundation Scholarship Committee and recipients approved by the Board of Directors. Once approved, recipients must sign a student agreement before an award check will be processed. All information received in connection with a scholarship application will be regarded as confidential by the CDA Foundation.

Policy on Awarding Scholarships
The CDA Foundation will manage and administer the program and award up to $6,000 to each scholarship recipient. There will be a minimum of one recipient selected from each of the California dental schools. Recipients will be required to attend the CDA Foundation award recognition event. Once the recipient has met all scholarship terms, the award money will be disbursed to the recipient’s dental school student financial account.