Meet Evelyn Ganan Sumba – our first dental assisting scholarship student
Get to know our newest scholarship which supports the next generation of dental assistants while advancing infection prevention and patient safety.
New this year, the DTA Foundation is expanding its commitment to the future of dentistry by offering Dental Assisting Scholarships. The Gary & Deborah Steinberg Dental Assistant Scholarship recognizes the critical role dental assistants play in the dental practice—particularly their responsibility for infection prevention and creating a safe environment for patients and the entire dental team.
In its inaugural year, the program will award ten $2,500 scholarships, and the Infection Control Certificate and Certification programs ($500 Value) from the Association for Dental Safety (ADS). This scholarship program was made possible through the generosity and vision of Gary and Deborah Steinberg and Andy and Debbie Whitehead, who share a commitment to strengthening the dental assisting profession and advancing infection prevention and patient safety.
And perhaps there is no better way to introduce the impact of this new initiative than through one of its first recipients: Evelyn Ganan Sumba.
A Desire to Make a Difference
Evelyn caught the attention of the scholarship committee with the sincerity of her application and her determination to build a career centered on helping others.
When she first met Gary Steinberg and Andy Whitehead, she put that motivation simply:
“I want to do something to change people’s lives.”
In her scholarship application, Evelyn explained why dental assisting appealed to her:
“I decided to pursue a career as a dental assistant because I enjoy helping others and being part of a healthcare team. I like that dental assistants work closely with patients while also supporting the dentist during procedures. It feels rewarding to be part of helping people feel more confident in their smile and making sure they have a positive experience in the office.” At the time, Evelyn was only a few months into her dental assisting program, but her commitment to her education and chosen profession was already clear.
Evelyn is a student at the Westchester School for Medical and Dental Assistants in Westchester, New York, and lives nearby in Stamford, Connecticut. She expects to graduate this fall and plans to begin her career as a dental assistant, helping champion patient and practitioner safety with every dental visit.
At just 19, Evelyn is supporting herself while attending school and building a new life in the United States. She came to the U.S. from Ecuador in 2021 and has embraced dental assisting as a pathway to a meaningful healthcare career. Central to that career is an understanding of infection prevention and control—knowledge Evelyn is developing during her education and plans to continue strengthening throughout her professional life.
Now completing her internship, Evelyn is eager to finish her education and begin working in dentistry. She credits her teachers, including Tahi Gillian, as well as the scholarship and its donors, with encouraging her to complete her education and enter the dental workforce.
Investing in Dental Assistants—and Safer Dental Care
The scholarship comes at an important time for dentistry. Dental practices across the country continue to face challenges of recruiting and retaining qualified dental assistants. At the same time, dental assistants have an essential role in maintaining the infection prevention protocols that protect patients, practitioners, and other members of the dental team.
Andy Whitehead explained the thinking behind the initiative: “There aren’t enough dental assistants right now, and we wanted to make infection control a focal point of the solution.”
Gary Steinberg added: “They’re the ones that handle infection control, prep the office, and make sure the patients and employees are safe. It’s important to support people like Evelyn.” That combination—supporting the dental assisting workforce while strengthening infection prevention education—is at the heart of the scholarship program.
Following completion of her dental assisting training, Evelyn will also receive access to the Infection Prevention Certificate and Certification programs through the Andrew & Debbie Whitehead Education & Certification Scholarship Program. This additional scholarship support provides recipients with opportunities to further their infection prevention education through programs developed by ADS in collaboration with DANB and the DALE Foundation, helping them build upon the knowledge and skills gained during their dental assisting education.
Evelyn already understands the importance of infection prevention. The additional education will help her further develop those skills and carry them into the dental practices and communities she will serve.
Creating Opportunity—and Building a Legacy
Even before learning she had been selected, Evelyn expressed what receiving the scholarship would mean to her: “Receiving this scholarship would not only help ease the financial burden of my education, but it would also encourage me to keep pursuing my goals and making a difference in the lives of future patients.”
Her ambitions do not end with dental assisting. After gaining several years of experience, Evelyn hopes to continue her education and eventually become a dental hygienist. The clinical, patient-care and infection prevention skills she develops as a dental assistant will provide an important foundation for that next step.
For Gary Steinberg, who has spent 35 years in the dental industry, the scholarship represents something larger than financial assistance. It is an opportunity for those who have benefited from careers in dentistry to invest in the people who will shape its future.
When developing the initiative, Gary asked: “How do we translate our success to others and provide new opportunities to people who may not have the chance otherwise?”
Today, he is challenging colleagues and companies throughout the dental industry to consider two equally important questions:
“How are you giving back?” and “What will be your legacy?”
The answers can begin with students like Evelyn. By investing in the education of future dental assistants—and providing them with the infection prevention knowledge needed to protect patients and practitioners—the dental industry has an opportunity to address an immediate workforce need while helping build a stronger, safer profession for the future.
Learn more about the Gary & Deborah Steinberg Dental Assistant Scholarship and the Association for Dental Safety (ADS).
To learn how you or your organization can support DTA Foundation scholarships and help create opportunities for the next generation of dental professionals, contact Jackie Michaels at JackieMichaels@DentalTradeAlliance.org.