The CDA Foundation’s board of directors plays a vital role in fulfilling our mission to support dental professionals, reduce barriers to care and improve Californians’ oral health through volunteerism and funding. Get to know Jennifer Stone, DMD, MPH.
Service-focused mindset began with student outreach
Service has always been a guiding principle in Dr. Stone’s career. While attending dental hygiene school at the University of Southern California, she led student outreach initiatives with Ayuda Humanitarian, a nonprofit organization that provides dental care and other services to communities in need around the world. Stone participated in service trips to Peru, Fiji, Thailand and Mexico.
Her experiences as a volunteer deepened her commitment to caring for underserved communities. She went on to attend A.T. Still University, where she pursued a dual doctor of dental medicine and master of public health degree to further her understanding of health equity and public health systems. She also got involved in organized dentistry, serving as the community outreach chair for the American Student Dental Association District 10.
Coming full-circle: The path to volunteer leadership
After graduation, Stone joined a rural federally qualified health center in Northern California, where she practiced for over five years and served as associate dental director for two years. During that time, she was also awarded the Student Loan Repayment Grant from the CDA Foundation.
Stone shared that the grant’s support affirmed her commitment to community-based care and that participating in the CDA Medi-Cal workgroup led her to pursue a volunteer leadership role with the Foundation.
“I was invited to join the Medi-Cal Workgroup to represent the perspective of rural FQHCs,” said Stone. “Through that experience, I saw firsthand the Foundation’s genuine commitment to advocacy, access, and compassionate service—values that strongly align with my own. “
In 2024, Stone was appointed to the Foundation Board of Directors, and in 2025 she joined the Disaster Relief Committee. Her involvement has only grown since then. She now serves as the Foundation secretary and chairs both the Disaster Relief and Grants and Awards committees. Being appointed chair of the committee responsible for her own Student Loan Repayment Grant was a powerful moment for Stone.
“Serving in that full-circle role is both humbling and inspiring, and I am deeply committed to advancing the Foundation’s mission of empowering and uplifting those who embody a spirit of service.”
‘Connections and conversations are involvement’
When asked what she would like her peers to know about getting involved, Stone responded: “Getting involved does not have to mean holding a formal title. It can be participating in your local dental society, reaching out to a representative, engaging in conversations at meetings or simply listening closely to your patients and sharing those insights. Connections and conversations are involvement.”