"Growing up, I hated to smile. I was congenitally missing #7 and spent my teen years without a tooth. After 4 years of braces, an implant, and a crown, I finally learned to smile. I could not believe how much one tooth could change my whole perspective. This is when I became interested in dentistry. I knew then that I wanted to be able to change lives by improving not only their physical appearance but their confidence as well.

Although dental school is a difficult journey, the relationships you build and the patients you get to help make it all worth it. One of my most rewarding experiences in dental school has been being part of Tau Sigma and raising money to help veteran patients afford dental care. This year I got to treat a few veteran patients and see first hand the impact this fund has.

After dental school, I hope to pursue a residency in periodontics and eventually be an adjunct professor. I believe teaching is extremely important as it not only helps you grow but helps the next generation of dentists become the best they can be. My goals come with a financial burden and the Iowa Dental Foundation scholarship will help decrease the financial burden and allow me to continue to focus on my patients and provide them with the best care I can. A faculty member recently told me, 'You have the potential to be a great dentist.' My goal is to surpass those expectations by listening, learning, and focusing on my patients' needs and goals."

"I am a first-generation American. Like many immigrant households, my parents have sacrificed tremendously to give me a future not available to them in China. They continue to work 12-hour days to invest their efforts into my education. At times, this meant their own health has been sacrificed, in part due to poor understanding of their health, in part due to the lack of time to care for themselves. I was inspired to become a dentist after watching my parents suffer from severe periodontal disease. Now as I complete my training, I hope to become even more proficient in research and patient care so that I can more broadly apply my skillset to safeguard a community’s oral health. Looking back at my roots as an immigrant and a first-generation college student, my academic journey was littered with trials. These challenges shaped my education and molded my goals. I hope to give back through community involvement and teaching. Like the mentors who inspire me, I hope to be a part of a student’s journey to become a dentist."

"I've been interested in dentistry since middle school. My oldest sister was studying to become a dental assistant and I would look over her shoulder and ask questions. It was interesting to me and I wanted to know more. I shadowed my dentist in high school and was fascinated at the intersection of art, health care, and working with people.

After high school, I studied Human Physiology at the University of Iowa. While earning my bachelor’s degree, I worked in the Business Office at the College of Dentistry, gaining experience on the back end of dentistry. I had the pleasure to stay at the college as a dental student. During my first year as a dental student, I was connected to an organization, Everyone For Veterans (E4V), that provides free dental care to combat veterans and their families. I was happy to help their efforts by organizing a successful letter writing campaign to recruit more Iowa dentists to participate in the program. I have also been involved in research while in dental school, focusing on Iowa Medicaid members' awareness and preferences of their Dental Wellness Plan. It has been a rewarding experience to help deserving populations.

I will be entering into my fourth year and am excited to see what the future holds. I plan to stay around the area and practice as a general dentist. I am grateful to the Iowa Dental Foundation for awarding me this scholarship to reduce my financial burden."

"My interest in dentistry was initially sparked at Camp Tanager in Mt. Vernon during an OHI session with students from the University of Iowa College of Dentistry. I was a young camper at 'Hemophilia Camp' and I loved brushing the pink plaque disclosing dye off of my teeth. High quality oral care is a key part of the preventative treatment of hemophilia and thus was an important part of my early life. This focus on oral care and my interest in dentistry came full circle during the summer between my D1 and D2 years when I went back to camp to see the cycle start for a new group of young campers.

In the years between those visits to camp, a future in dentistry looked to be unlikely. Challenges stood in the way including a learning disability and ADHD. These presented a significant challenge in high school and eventually undergrad, so much so that I found myself on academic suspension during my second semester at DMACC. However, looking back now I see how those challenges helped me prepare for dental school. In clinics I have enjoyed the opportunities dentistry has given me to help those in need, be that helping a patient overcome dental anxiety to get the treatment they need, to seeing a pediatric patient make improvements to their oral health. Along with patient care, I greatly enjoy working with my fellow students while tutoring in the sim clinic or offering guidance to a student who may be struggling with a new ADHD diagnosis. 

As a father of two and husband of 12 years, I am grateful for the time the IDF scholarship will allow me to spend with my family. As a non-traditional student, dentistry will be my second (third?) career but the only one I have had to stop working to pursue. A loss of income is tough for any family and the IDF scholarship gives me back time that otherwise would have been taken up by more tutoring, or other jobs needed to help make ends meet."

"I am so grateful to be awarded an Iowa Dental Foundation scholarship. I have known I wanted to become a dentist since I was 16 years old. I had braces, oral surgery, implants, and partial dentures all before I could drive a car; throughout the whole process, I loved going to my dentist appointments and the end-result was breathtaking. From then on, I wanted to help give others the gift of a beautiful smile. 

As a first generation college student, I had no idea what kind of training was required of a dentist. And now, after seven years of college, I have learned so much about the science and art behind dentistry from the countless mentors I’ve worked alongside, but more importantly, I have been immensely impacted by the patients I am able to treat on a daily basis. It is the most rewarding feeling to alleviate a patient’s pain, restore their smile, or help them get insured so they can afford comprehensive dental care.

Throughout dental school, I have been involved with the Pediatric Dental Club, Student Research Program, Dental Public Health Club, and Student Advisory Board. After dental school, I will practice as a general dentist in Iowa serving underserved populations. I will also have my hands full raising my newborn son, Maddox, alongside my husband. Thanks to the IDF’s generous financial gift, I will have less financial concerns as a new dentist and can focus on treating my patients to the best of my ability."

"I decided in high school I was going to go into dentistry. Something about the field was intriguing for me and seemed like a great career. What I did not realize is how rewarding it would be. How blessed I am to have met some of the most caring, intelligent, kind, and compassionate individuals that would help shape me throughout my career.

I first went into the Dental Assisting Program in 2009 when I was 17 years old. I graduated as president of my 2010 dental assisting class and was awarded several scholarships during my program. Prior to graduation, I was offered a position from one of my clinical rotations. I worked there for about two years when I realized that I wanted to go further. I then registered for the Dental Hygiene Program and continued to work as a dental assistant while completing my pre-requisite courses in the evenings. It was a long road of hard work and dedication, but I finally got my call to start the Dental Hygiene Program at Des Moines Area Community College for fall of 2021. I still remember that day like it was yesterday!

I am now a 2nd year dental hygiene student at Des Moines Area Community College and was again named president of my 2022 dental hygiene class. This is something I am immensely proud of. My passion for dentistry and dedication for success allows me to whole-heartedly be the best president I can be for my student body! I have grown to love each of our girls, and we all have incredible bonds with each other, some of which I know will be lifelong friends! I am so blessed for all the opportunities I have been given and worked hard for, and this is just one more thing to be proud of!"

"Initially I wanted to pursue a career in nursing and help take care of others. As I worked my way through high school it really wasn’t an interest for me anymore. I was stuck and I wasn’t sure which path to take. I knew for sure for my first year I wanted to attend Iowa Central Community College. My mom and I had sat down to look at programs that they offered. As soon as I saw dental hygiene it had just stuck with me. I toured the ICCC campus and fell in love with their program. Although my path has changed and I am now working towards becoming a dental assistant. I am beyond excited for this journey and I am so happy I chose a career where I will still be taking care of and helping others."

"I turned my adversity into an opportunity. I am the daughter of two wonderful parents who migrated from Laos, seeking a better life for their children. My interest in dental hygiene comes from a personal cultural perspective because oral care was not practiced for many generations in a developing nation. Dental hygiene caught my attention after caring for my beloved grandmother who passed from oral cancer. My family is my motivation on becoming a successful dental hygienist. My goal in life is to be a dental hygiene educator. I am passionate about helping and teaching others about the importance of oral care. Graduating from college would be an important milestone in my life. I have a family who will stand by me throughout my journey. The Iowa Dental Foundation scholarship will help me relieve financial pressure from the program expenses. I am beyond humbled to be chosen by the Iowa Dental Foundation for the scholarship reward. I will never forget the assistance along the way and I will pay it forward by doing the same for others."