Dental Trade Alliance Foundation Announces 2026 Dental and Dental Hygiene Scholarship Recipients 

Arlington, VA / July 13, 2026 – The Dental Trade Alliance Foundation is proud to announce the recipients of its 2026 Dental and Dental Hygiene Scholarships, recognizing outstanding students who have demonstrated academic excellence, leadership, financial need, and a commitment to expanding access to oral healthcare in their communities. 

The Foundation’s scholarship program helps strengthen the future dental workforce by investing in students who are passionate about improving oral health and serving patients across the country. Each year, scholarships are awarded to aspiring dental professionals whose dedication reflects the DTA Foundation’s mission of advancing oral health through education, service, and workforce development. 

The DTA Foundation’s scholarship program is made possible through the generosity of donors who share a commitment to strengthening the dental profession. The Foundation extends special recognition to its major scholarship supporters, including the Robert J. Sullivan Family Scholarship Fund, the Lawrence and Sally Cohen Endowed Scholarship Fund for Dental Hygiene, and the A-dec Scholarship Fund, along with the many additional individuals and organizations whose contributions help make these scholarships possible. The Robert J. Sullivan scholarship supports dental students, the Lawrence and Sally Cohen Endowed Scholarship Fund—created through a $1 million gift from the Benco Family Foundation—supports dental hygiene students, and the A-dec Scholarship Fund was established through A-dec’s $1 million legacy endowment to support both dental and dental hygiene students for years to come. 

We are honored to announce this year’s scholarship recipients. 

2026 Dental Scholarship Recipient (Robert J. Sullivan Family Scholarship Fund) 

Alina Shahin – Harvard School of Dental Medicine  

2026 Dental Scholarship Recipients (A-dec Scholarship Fund) 

Andrew Naguib – University of North Carolina (UNC) Adams School of Dentistry  

2026 Dental Scholarship Recipients 

Chloe Stacks — Columbia University College of Dental Medicine 

Denerick Simpson — Workman School of Dental Medicine – High Point University 

Noor Shihabi — University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry 

Keren Perez — University of Florida College of Dentistry 

Ashley Ji Woo — University of Maryland School of Dentistry 

Erin Gal — Stony Brook School of Dental Medicine 

Daniel Adum — Howard University College of Dentistry 

Harsh Chheda — Columbia University College of Dental Medicine 

John Maewad — Tufts University School of Dental Medicine 

Roxana Garcia — Columbia University College of Dental Medicine 

Troy Bartels — The University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Dentistry 

Tengda (Winston) Li — University of California San Francisco School of Dentistry 

Trishla Gandhi — Oklahoma University College of Dentistry 

Yeon Ji Kim — University of Minnesota School of Dentistry 

2026 Dental Hygiene Scholarship Recipients (Lawrence and Sally Cohen Endowed Scholarship Fund for Dental Hygiene) 

Emma Housekeeper – Lancaster County Career and Technology Center  

Tam Bui – Northeast Wisconsin Technical College  

Shanyla Garris – Virginia Commonwealth University 

Atiria Simms – Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry 

2026 Dental Hygiene Scholarship Recipients  

Ali Ali — New York University 

Ashli Snyder — North Idaho College 

Gabrielle Sommers — University of Minnesota 

Hannah Fullerton — University of New England 

Minah Duncan — Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences 

Sophia Petrini-Poli — UNC Adams School of Dentistry 

Yasmin Hassan — Pacific University 

“Every scholarship represents an investment not only in an individual student, but in healthier communities and the future of oral healthcare,” said Jackie Michaels, Managing Director of the Dental Trade Alliance Foundation. “We are continually inspired by these students’ passion for service, leadership, and improving access to care. Thanks to the generosity of our donors, we are able to help remove financial barriers and support the next generation of dental professionals.” 

Since launching its scholarship program, the DTA Foundation has awarded scholarships to hundreds of students pursuing careers in dentistry and dental hygiene, helping build a stronger, more diverse oral healthcare workforce and expanding access to care nationwide.