Brighter Smiles, Brighter Futures
Learning how to be a dentist is expensive, to which many University of Utah School of Dentistry (UUSOD) students can attest. The total cost of tuition and fees for all four years of dental school is over $200,000 for in-state students. For out-of-state students, the total jumps to over $350,000. Those are staggering numbers that many students struggle with during their education and even years after graduating when they find themselves in debt. “The financial burden of dental school is much larger now than it has ever been,” says Walker Seely, UUSOD Class of 2028.
The UUSOD is a young school, especially compared to other dental schools across the nation. Since receiving its initial accreditation from the American Dental Association in 2012, over 300 students have graduated. Despite being one of the leading dental schools in the U.S., one area that is still a work in progress is providing scholarships to students. Currently, the UUSOD offers 20+ scholarships for which the highest amount awarded is $5,000 a year. Sadly, even with a very positive clinical reputation, to minimize student loan debt, some applicants choose to attend another dental school that is less expensive or has more scholarship opportunities. For students who choose to attend the UUSOD, they must rely on external scholarships and loans to cover their costs.
Prestigious scholarships such as the Rhodes or Fulbright are helpful in covering part of the educational costs for students in other fields of study. The Rhodes scholarship is offered to postgraduate individuals and allows them to study at the University of Oxford. In the 2023-2024 academic year, the scholarship provided students with a stipend of about $24,100 per year. The number of years that are covered by the scholarship is dependent on which studies the students pursue. The Fulbright scholarship provides individuals with the opportunity to study abroad and participate in cultural exchange programs. It offers monthly stipends to students that range between $1,600-$2,500 depending on the cost of living in the host country.
Several students at the UUSOD, however, are recipients of scholarships that cover their entire tuition, allowing them to dedicate their time and energy to their education and their patients. These scholarships are not as well known as the aforementioned but are significantly more valuable. There are two of note: the Health Professional Scholarship Program (HPSP) for military students and the National Health Service Corp (NHSC) for students who are passionate about community service. They are the best scholarships of which many know very little.
According to Veterans Affairs (VA), “VA HPSP exists to fill the hardest to recruit and retain critical locations across the US in support of our US Veterans.” HPSP scholarships provide full tuition to students, including required fees. Students are also given a monthly stipend of $1,300 a month, as well as additional monies to cover supplies such as books and computers. In return for the covered costs, HPSP requires students to work as permanent full-time VA employees after graduation for a minimum of two years.
The Health Resource and Services Administration, a federal agency, provides the funding for the NHSC scholarship for students up to four years. The funding includes tuition, required fees, reasonable educational costs, and a monthly support stipend. In return, students must commit to one year of service for each year they receive the scholarship with a two-year minimum. Additionally, upon graduation, students must practice at an NHSC-approved site in a Health Professional Shortage Area, such as a rural health clinic, private practice, or school-based health program. In the 2024 application cycle, the program expected to give out 180 awards. The program also anticipated receiving more applicants than the funds could cover, making for an extremely competitive selection process.
Both the HPSP and NHSC scholarships value service, which aligns with the UUSOD’s own mission and values. The mission of the dental school is to advance health by:
caring for the underserved,
educating dentists and dental scientists for the future, and
advancing oral and overall health through research and influencing health care policy.
Its values are centered on compassion, innovation, belonging, and creating a humanistic culture. One of the NHSC recipients, Dr. Chinedu Ahanonu, UUSOD Class of 2025, says, “This scholarship goes hand in hand with the school’s mission of caring for the underserved, which supports my mentality as a dentist. It’s as simple as that.”
During the admissions process, one of the six domains in which applicants are evaluated is service. It’s crucial that the students who want to attend the UUSOD show a commitment to engaging with their communities. Kendel Craig, UUSOD Class of 2026, half-jokes that she serves her community by providing “a lot of fillings.” Because the dental school prioritizes service, many of the students admitted are a natural fit for these scholarships and those who received them not only deserve them, but also take full advantage of them. The scholarships allow students to provide care to patients with a vast array of needs while championing the importance of oral health and its connection to overall health. Along with Seely, Dr. Ahanonu, and Craig (mentioned above), five other students took the time to share their thoughts on why they applied for their respective scholarships, how it has helped their education, and what their plans are after graduation.
HPSP Recipients
“I applied for the HPSP to help make those opportunities possible… as well as serve the country that has given me so much. I was born in Russia, where I might not have had the same opportunities for my future, and I was fortunate to have the chance to immigrate to the United States. I applied for the HPSP to help make those opportunities possible, as financial limitations would have otherwise made it difficult, as well as serve the country that has given me so much. I also later discovered that the military recently extended maternity leave to six months - a rare and valuable benefit - which made me even more grateful for the path I chose. After graduating, I am interested in moving to the Northeast to complete a Navy general practice residency (GPR), which is one year of additional training in general dentistry in a hospital setting. In fact, I likely would not have pursued residency at all if not for the scholarship. I believe in providing care that truly prioritizes patients, ensuring they receive the treatments they need without financial barriers standing in the way - and military dentistry will allow me to do just that.”
“The school provided me with opportunities to interact with mentors as well as be a mentor to others. My grandfather served in World War II as a Nigerian soldier in the Allied Forces, and I will follow in his legacy by serving in the U.S. Navy. I feel a sense of pride for serving in the military and am excited for how my service, my training, and my commitment will impact the rest of my life. If my future children choose to follow in my footsteps by joining the military, I hope to be a source of inspiration for them. Receiving the HPSP and attending the UUSOD has shaped my vision of the future. The school provided me with opportunities to interact with mentors as well as be a mentor to others. I recognize the obligation to help train future dentists because of the education I received from those who came before me. Even though military dental residents are the highest paid residents, I strongly believe chasing dollars shouldn’t be someone’s primary motivation for this field. I plan to set aside time and resources to do pro bono work throughout my career. I’m on the hunt for a dream location to set up shop and perform high-end cosmetic dentistry.”
“I love how full of pride all the students are; they inspire me to keep working toward my goals. I am in a unique situation with the HPSP in that they agreed to provide me with two years of tuition in exchange for three years of service. Once I graduate from the UUSOD, I will serve in the Navy. I’d also like to expand my horizons through traveling. Until then, I’m enjoying my time at the school. I love how full of pride all the students are; they inspire me to keep working toward my goals. If you’re interested in applying for the HPSP, you shouldn’t do it for the money. A general dentist earns much more than a military dentist. You should apply for the benefits: travel, insurance, up to 30 days off a year. The military will even pay for one year of a residency program. If you have any questions during the application process, my advice is to be persistent and share all your thoughts and concerns. Hound recruiters and search for a new one if a better fit is needed. Do not settle for less than what you deserve and seek out the answers you need.”
“Having my tuition covered makes a world of difference because I can focus on becoming a well-rounded dentist and working with underserved communities. I applied for the scholarship because of my high school role model, a University of Southern California (USC) dental student who was in the Air Force HPSP. We met through my Eagle Scout Project: a free dental clinic day for the underserved in my community in collaboration with USC dental students and local dentists. That project inspired me to become a dentist and serve in the military like my role model did. Having my tuition covered makes a world of difference because I can focus on becoming a well-rounded dentist and working with underserved communities. I’m not pressured to specialize, apply to a general residency, or find a job because the military offers various avenues based on what your goals are. The scholarship is a great opportunity for anyone seeking to have job security, mentorship, a community, to serve their country, and to experience different parts of the country/world. After graduation, I plan on doing a one-year Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD) program through the Navy, and then serving in the military for four years. Outside of dentistry, I serve my community through my local church youth group and local outdoor climbing/canyoneering group.”
“The scholarship’s focus on serving those who have protected our country resonated with me and was a large influence on my decision to apply. I grew up in a low-income family, so I know firsthand about the barriers that exist that prevent easy and affordable access to higher education. If not for the kindness and acts of service my family was shown growing up, I would not be where I am today. Service has the potential to reroute the trajectory of someone’s life, and I want to pay it forward. I applied for the scholarship after hearing about the impact it had on dentists I had shadowed in preparation for applying to dental school. The chance to attend school at no financial cost and graduate with no student debt was too good to pass up. Additionally, the scholarship’s focus on serving those who have protected our country resonated with me and was a large influence on my decision to apply. The scholarship also helped me finalize my decision to attend the UUSOD instead of one of the other schools that had sent me an offer. My values align with the UUSOD, the clinical experience opportunities to treat underserved populations are exceptional, and the location of the school allows me to stay close to my support system. My current career goal is to apply for an endodontics residency and AEGD. Following that, I will practice dentistry in the Air Force and either remain there or enter the civilian sector as an endodontist. If you’re on the fence about applying for the scholarship, I encourage you to apply after educating yourself about it and talking with a recruiter or other recipients. The application should not be taken lightly but is worth the effort.”
NHSC Recipients
“While giving cosmetic smiles to patients is something I will be doing, that is only scratching the surface. I want patients’ new smiles to improve their quality of life. Having come from a small town in Montana, I’ve seen firsthand how access to healthcare can make a difference in a community. The values of both the dental school and the NHSC align with my own. While giving cosmetic smiles to patients is something I will be doing, that is only scratching the surface. I want patients’ new smiles to improve their quality of life, from eating and sleeping to holding a job, aspects that many of us take for granted. I’m excited to return to Montana to give back to my community. My advice for those interested in applying for the NHSC is to keep track of dates and deadlines. If you are interested in the 4-year scholarship, you will want to be looking into the application process while you are interviewing.”
“The scholarship allows me to do good in my community through methods such as strategizing treatment plans for patients with complex needs. I applied for this scholarship because it provides more opportunities to practice dentistry in the field in which I’m most interested. The scholarship supports my commitment to service and encourages me to seek out more clinical experience, which the UUSOD offers. This has given me more skills and flexibility to find ways to improve access to dentistry. That is all possible because of the scholarship. The application process for the scholarship was simple and straightforward, and the only advice I can give is to just apply for it. The applicant pool is competitive but having your name in the running means you’re already putting in the work to be considered. The scholarship allows me to do good in my community through methods such as strategizing treatment plans for patients with complex needs. It’s no question that the need for dentistry is great, but I believe that quality of life will improve if oral health is improved.”
“I try to be a light to my patients, colleagues, and loved ones. If I can help them smile a little bit more than they did yesterday, then I’m on the right track. I’m able to focus on becoming the best dentist I can be because of the scholarship. I applied to dental school during the height of the Black Lives Matter movement and wondered if medical school would have been the better option to treat more people who looked like me. However, I realized the connection of oral health to systemic health is often overlooked, so the scholarship provided a way in which I could still serve my community. The NHSC is a fantastic option for those pursuing general dentistry as it makes it easier for students to work with a similar population of patients who are seen at the dental school. Following graduation, I plan on working at a Federally Qualified Health Center. Staying within the public health sector would allow me to focus on providing patients with the best care possible. There will always be people who are struggling with some aspect of their lives. I try to be a light to my patients, colleagues, and loved ones. If I can help them smile a little bit more than they did yesterday, then I’m on the right track.”
Thank you to the students who contributed their time to help make this article possible:
- Chinedu Ahanonu, DDS, Class of 2025
- Dele Opeifa, DDS, Class of 2025
- Kendel Craig, Class of 2026
- Andrea Crane, Class of 2026
- Michael Park, Class of 2026
- Benjamin Passey, Class of 2026
- Dasha Walker, Class of 2026
- Walker Seely, Class of 2028
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