Applicants must meet the following requirements to be considered for Graduate level scholarships.  Please refer to specific scholarships for further requirements:

  • Must be a professional or student member of the American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA)
  • Must be enrolled in a Graduate (Masters or Doctoral) degree program (full or part-time) in Dental Hygiene or accredited, degree studies related to the professional roles of the dental hygienist
  • A minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale)
  • Graduate students (Masters or Doctoral) must hold an active dental hygiene license and the minimum of a baccalaureate degree

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Irene Woodall Graduate Scholarship

Applicants must be enrolled in a dental hygiene or related graduate program and pursuing a career in dental hygiene. Submission requires a separate essay.

Award Minimum: $1,000

Number of Annual Awards: 1 recipient

Dr. Esther Wilkins Scholarship

Applicants must have completed an entry-level dental hygiene program and are dedicated to pursuing a career in dental hygiene education. Submission requires a separate essay.

Award Minimum: $1,000

Number of Annual Awards: varies

Sigma Phi Alpha Graduate Scholarship

This scholarship is sponsored by Sigma Phi Alpha Dental Hygiene Honor Society and is awarded to an outstanding student pledge or active member of the Sigma Phi Alpha Dental Hygiene Honor Society.

Minimum GPA : 3.5 on the 4.0 scale

Award Minimum: $1,000

Number of Annual Awards: varies

Alice Hinchcliffe Williams, RDH, MS Merit Scholarship

The scholarship is funded by the Virginia Dental Hygienists’ Association Foundation to honor their deceased colleague and benefactor who helped to establish the VDHA Foundation. It is awarded to a student possessing Virginia residency who is seeking a post licensure or graduate degree.

Award Minimum: $1,500

Number of Annual Awards: varies

Burch Scholarship for Equity-Centered Leadership

Awarded to a licensed dental hygienist from a socially disadvantaged or marginalized population that is underrepresented in the dental hygiene profession, who is seeking to further educational opportunities to create new career pathways which expand justice, diversity, inclusion to impact social determinants of health, remove barriers to access to care and/or advance health equity for unserved or underserved communities. Must be actively licensed/Registered Dental Hygienist, LGBTQIA+ Identity, Black/African/Asian/Hispanic American, American Indian/Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, Male; Professional ADHA member. Must complete an Essay/Personal Statement on why their identity, dental hygiene career path, educational journey and leadership will contribute to justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion in oral health, address social determinants of health, remove barriers to access to oral care and why the communities they serve will benefit.

Award Minimum: $2,500

Number of Annual Awards: varies

Alice M. & Herschel S. Horowitz Scholarship

The purpose of this scholarship is to support dental hygienists to pursue a career in public health. The chosen applicant must be enrolled in or accepted in an MPH, DrPH or PhD (in public health) program in an accredited school of public health.

Award Minimum: $2,500

Number of Annual Awards: 1 recipient