Dental Hygiene Scholarship Application
The Dental Trade Alliance Foundation partnered with the Benco Family Foundation to offer the Lawrence and Sally Cohen Endowed Scholarship Fund for Dental Hygiene.
In recognition of Lawrence and Sally Cohen’s unwavering commitment, as well as their individual contributions to the Benco Family Foundation, and to the success of dentistry, Benco Family Foundation proudly introduced a dedicated scholarship program for deserving students beginning their careers in dental Hygiene starting in 2024. We extend profound gratitude to the Benco Family Foundation for providing a generous $1M Legacy gift, enabling scholarships to be available to dental hygiene students from underrepresented communities and backgrounds. This endowment ensures that aspiring dental hygienists can receive financial support for years to come.
In 2025, we invited all DTA members to support hygiene students via our 2025 Annual Meeting Paddle Raiser so we can provide even more hygiene scholarships to deserving students.
Application Open Now
Applications Open Jan 15 – March 15, 2026
The application for this scholarship can be accessed here. Students have until April 15th to complete their application. After which, reviewers will review all applications, and then aim to notify all applicants of the outcome in the summer.
Dental hygienists are vital members of the dental team and are more often than not the trusted partner between the patient and the dental office. Our application process is designed to aim greater accessibility to the dental hygiene profession, emphasizing its importance, while also identifying individuals who demonstrate unwavering passion and commitment to the industry.
Criteria & Guidelines
Before applying for the scholarship, all applicants are required to meet the following criteria:
- Been accepted into an in-person 2 year dental hygiene program based in the United States
- Have financial need
- Are dedicated to expanding access to oral healthcare for underserved communities
- Be able to demonstrate their passion and commitment to dental hygiene
Thank You Benco Family Foundation
The first ever hygiene scholarship offered by the DTA Foundation was made possible by the Benco Family Foundation. The Benco Family Foundation is dedicated to improving the dental health and quality of life in their local communities and around the world. Since 2005, the Benco Family Foundation has achieved this mission by supporting numerous oral health solutions and community organizations that are innovative, sustainable, measurable and impactful. Several of those initiatives are still impacting communities to this day, and will continue for a very long time.
Thank You Paddle Raisers
In 2025, the DTA Foundation opened up their annual Paddle Raiser to include hygiene scholarships in addition to dental scholarships. In this first year, we raised over $20k for hygiene students alone. We can’t wait to support even more students this year – thank you for raising your paddle!