Recent graduates of a California dental school or board-approved dental assisting or dental hygiene educational program who meet eligibility requirements can apply for up to $5,000 through the CDA Foundation’s Webb Family Grant to support their education or training expenses.

Eligible educational programs may also apply for the grant.

The 2023 application cycle closes Friday, Sept. 15. 

Webb Family Grant returns with expanded purpose: More care for more patients

Founded in 2014 and named for Russell Webb, DDS, and Kathi Webb, founding contributors of the CDA Foundation, the grant was last awarded in 2019 — to Priyadarshini Agrawal, DMD, who continues to work in public health today and is now a Foundation board member.

The grant resumes its annual application cycle and continues with its original purpose to support California dental students’ education and efforts to increase access to care, but the grant has expanded eligibility to include (1) students or recent graduates of a board-approved dental assisting or hygiene program and (2) educational programs approved by the Dental Board of California or Dental Hygiene Board of California.

Richard Graham, DDS, CDA Foundation chair, said, “Although we’re starting to see some strong gains in dental office staffing throughout the state as a result of some grants and training programs, including CDA’s own Smile Crew CA and Dental Assistant Training curriculum, practices across California are still struggling to hire auxiliary staff.”

“The retooled Webb Family Grant expands eligibility to dental assistants and hygienists to support their education and training and ultimately help with relief efforts for dental offices and deliver more care to underserved populations,” Dr. Graham added.

Eligibility criteria, funding preferences and application process

Interested applicants should read the guidelines for complete details on funding preferences, eligibility criteria, award distribution and reasons for disqualification, but eligibility criteria for individuals include:

• Be a graduate of a CODA-accredited predoctoral dental education program within the last three years of the award cycle or be positioned to graduate from such a program within six months of the time of application; or
• Be a graduate of a Dental Board of California-approved dental assisting educational program within the last three years or be positioned to graduate from a such a program within six months of the time of application; or
• Be a graduate of a Dental Hygiene Board of California-approved dental hygiene educational program within the last three years or be positioned to graduate from such a program within six months of the time of application.

Applicants who have a disadvantaged background with economic, social or other obstacles and who have past or current experience living or working in a rural, highly disadvantaged or health professional shortage area will receive funding preference.

Educational programs may apply if they are approved by either the Dental Board of California or the Dental Hygiene Board of California and provide a summary of their educational program. They will also be required to provide the Foundation with a report on how the grant disbursement was used after one year.

Apply online through the CDA Foundation by Sept. 15

The 2023 application cycle opened Aug. 15 and closes at 11:59 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 15. Access the Webb Family Grant guidelines and application. From there, you can also learn more about past grant recipients and the CDA Foundation’s mission to support dentists, dental professionals and organizations statewide in their efforts to provide care to underserved communities.