Made possible through a generous $125,000 donation from Gary and Deborah Steinberg and a unique collaboration with Andrew Whitehead and the Association of Dental Safety (ADS), this two-part scholarship supports students pursuing careers as dental assistants
 who show an interest in infection control and dental safety.

"What a great investment in oral health!" said Jackie Michaels, Managing Director of the Dental Trade Alliance Foundation. "Dental assistants are a vital component of a dental team, and this program not only supports their education but also reinforces
 the importance of infection prevention."

Each year, up to 10 students will receive $2,500 scholarships for U.S.-based dental assistant programs. Upon graduation, each scholarship winner is required to complete the Certificate in Dental Infection Prevention and Control (CDIPC) through the ADS
 (formerly OSAP)-DANB-DALE Foundation, the fees of which will be covered by this scholarship (up to a $500 value).

In addition, all applicants – even those who were not awarded the scholarship - will receive a complimentary one-year membership to ADS, in an effort to further instill the importance of infection control for every dental assistant student ($120 value).

"After 30 years in the dental industry together, the chance to give back is incredibly meaningful to Andrew and me," said Gary Steinberg. "This scholarship is a great opportunity to support dental assistant students who are passionate about making every
 dental visit a safe dental visit."

For more information and to apply, visit: https://dtafoundation.org/apply/assistant-scholarships/

About the DTA Foundation:

The DTA Foundation's mission is to enable access to, empower personal ownership of, and increase the utilization of oral healthcare. The foundation achieves this through strategic partnerships, research, and education. For more information, visit www.dtafoundation.org.


About ADS:


Founded in 1984, the Association for Dental Safety (ADS) is the only membership organization dedicated exclusively to dental infection prevention and safety for both patients and providers. ADS empowers oral health professionals with evidence-based education,
 practical resources, and a collaborative community—all working together to make every dental visit a safe visit. To learn more about ADS, visit their website, myads.org.

Media Contact: Jackie Michaels

703.379.7755

https://dtafoundation.org/

jackiemichaels@dentaltradealliance.org

About the Dental Trade Alliance Foundation

The Dental Trade Alliance Foundation supports initiatives that advance oral health, strengthen the dental workforce, and expand access to care. Through scholarships, educational programs, and community partnerships, the Foundation invests in the future of dentistry and the professionals who serve patients across the country. 

About A-dec

A-dec is a leading manufacturer of dental equipment and solutions used by dental professionals worldwide. For more than 60 years, A-dec has been committed to supporting the dental profession through innovation, education, and industry leadership. 

To learn more about the vision behind the A-dec Scholarship Fund, watch Empowering the Next Generation of Dental Professionals | A-dec + DTA Foundation.

Media Contact: Jackie Michaels

703.379.7755

https://dtafoundation.org/

jackiemichaels@dentaltradealliance.org

The DTA Foundation Prepares for National Brush Day on November 1st and Asks the Public to Join the DentSquad! 

Arlington, VA / September 22, 2025 – National Brush Day is celebrated in the United States every year on November 1st, the day after Halloween, to promote children's oral health and encourage good tooth-brushing habits recommended by dental professionals. On this day (and every day!), parents are urged to make sure their children brush their teeth for two minutes, twice a day (2min2x). 

This year, the Dental Trade Alliance (DTA) Foundation is excited to continue our #NBDDentSquad initiative as part of the National Brush Day 2025 awareness campaign.  Our DentSquad heroes will work diligently to rally dental patients, families, and professionals nationwide to join the fight against tooth decay and plaque while spreading the word about the importance of good oral health.  

Families are invited to join activities featuring the #NBDDentSquad heroes: Captain Paste, Doctor Brush, Floss Fury, and The Cool Rinse. Each hero brings their unique superpowers to combat plaque and promote healthy smiles, making oral care fun and engaging for kids and families across the country. 

To further the mission of ensuring healthy smiles for all, the DTA Foundation is asking families to join the fight by sharing photos of their completed DentSquad coloring sheets or activities. Tag #NBDDentSquad on social media or upload them to nationalbrushday.com to be entered for a chance to win one of five $100 Amazon gift cards.  

In addition to the fun DentSquad activities, the DTA Foundation is providing free downloadable resources to help families, dental professionals, and organizations spread the word about National Brush Day. These downloadable materials can be found here and can be shared via email, social media, websites, and in-office displays. Resources include: 

• Social media graphics and captions 
  
• Downloadable DentSquad coloring and activity sheets 
  
• Email templates for practices and companies 
  
• National Brush Day 2025 logo and posters 

“National Brush Day is an incredible opportunity to bring families together around fun, healthy habits," said Liz Meyers, Chair of the DTA Foundation. "We’re excited to see kids and parents across the country join the DentSquad, celebrate their smiles, and make brushing twice a day a regular practice.” 

For questions about this campaign, please contact Jackie Michaels, Managing Director, at  jackiemichaels@dentaltradealliance.org or (703) 379-7755. 

About the DTA Foundation 

The DTA Foundation’s mission is to enable access to, empower personal ownership of, and increase the utilization of oral healthcare. The foundation achieves this through strategic partnerships, research, and education. For more information, visit www.dtafoundation.org. 

The DTA Foundation and the Unfunded List Announce Partnership to Empower Grant Applicants in the Oral Health Sector. 

The DTA Foundation, a nonprofit committed to advancing oral health access and education, and the Unfunded List, a nonprofit focused on philanthropy education are teaming up to empower grant applicants in the field of oral health.

Every year, the DTA Foundation awards seed funding enabling oral health projects to pilot new initiatives and become competitive for larger and more sustainable funding. The primary purpose of the partnership is to review grant proposals and grant proposals drafts for organizations applying for, or who have previously applied for, grants from DTA Foundation. 

Through this partnership, Unfunded List and DTA Foundation will combine their expertise and resources to ensure that every grant applicant receives helpful and candid feedback and the opportunity to discuss their proposal. By leveraging Unfunded List's extensive network of proposal reviewers and DTA Foundation's deep understanding of oral healthcare needs, the partnership will offer tailored guidance to grant applicants, empowering them to refine their proposals and increase their chances of securing funding.

Of the partnership, Margaret Chapman, Unfunded List Board Chair, said "We are thrilled to be working with Dental Trade Alliance Foundation to provide candid and helpful feedback to everyone who applies for their grants. Each year the Foundation funds great oral health care programs at community organizations around the country. Thanks to this partnership, it won't just be the grant winners who benefit. Every single person who applies to the program will receive substantial benefit and most of them will see their fundraising improve."

"This partnership with Unfunded List to expand opportunities for organizations working to improve oral health outcomes is so exciting," said Sarah Miller, Executive Director of the DTA Foundation. "By equipping our DTA Foundation grant applicants with more tools and resources, we are hoping to help them, and oral health initiatives, become more competitive in the broader funding space.”

Together, Unfunded List and DTA Foundation are committed to driving meaningful impact in the oral health sector and beyond. Through this partnership, they aim to unlock new opportunities for innovation, collaboration, and progress in the field of oral health care.

For more information about this program or to volunteer as a proposal reviewer for it, reach out to Sarah Miller, Executive Director of the DTA Foundation or Dave Moss, Founder of Unfunded List. 

About Unfunded List

Unfunded List is a nonprofit with a mission to educate about philanthropy. Twice a year, we receive proposals from all over the world and, with the help of hundreds of expert proposal evaluators, each proposal is thoroughly reviewed. Helpful and candid review improves proposals and Unfunded List has provided feedback reports to proposal authors raising money for everything from historic preservation, to the Arts, to climate change prevention, to fingerprint scanners for babies in refugee camps. We have also reviewed proposals for hundreds of local charities, after school programs, and community health organizations. After a recent impact study, we learned that organizations that completed our review process in 2016 were raising an average of 213% more money by 2022. 

Unfunded List has been funded by the MacArthur Foundation, the Tecovas Foundation, and Kettering Philanthropies and conducted partnerships with Adeso, George Washington University, MIT, Skoll World Forum, the Circle for Justice Innovations, Social Venture Partners Vancouver, and others.

About DTA Foundation

Introducing the Relaunched Emerging Leaders Committee
Charting a Course for the Future of Dentistry

The Dental Trade Alliance (DTA) and the DTA Foundation are proud to announce the establishment of a re-envisioned Emerging Leaders Committee, aimed at fostering the next generation of leaders within the dental industry. The committee is excited to introduce its newly elected chair, Chane Moline, along with a group of dynamic individuals who represent the future of dentistry. 

Chane Moline: is National Director of Sales at Belmont Business Media, publisher of journals Decisions in Dentistry and Dimensions of Dental Hygiene. Chane leads the team offering clients access to a full suite of digital products and services utilizing Belmont’s first-party targeting data. Prior to this role, Chane Moline spent nine years at Envista, starting in inside sales and progressing to outside sales, and ultimately becoming a Sales Training Manager.

JOINING CHANE ON THE COMMITTEE ARE:

Zachary Kulsrud: Zac is the director of marketing at Pulpdent, a dental research, sales, and manufacturing company based in Watertown, Massachusetts. He worked previously as the group editorial director for Endeavor Business Media, publishers of Dental Economics and RDH magazine.

Emily Kemberling: Emily is the Solutions Manager and Key Accounts representative at Directa USA in Newtown, Connecticut, with over 16 years of experience in the dental industry. Previously, she held positions at Keystone Industries and Blackstone Industries. 

Christie Bailey: Christie is the Director of PR & Global Business at PULPDENT, brings over a decade of experience in branding, business development, marketing strategy, and global sales leadership. Christie has cultivated a unique skill set that fuels innovation and drives revenue growth, while embodying a passion for progress and a commitment to making a meaningful impact. She looks forward to nurturing the next generation of industry leaders with equitable opportunities through the DTA Emerging Leaders Committee.

Amelia Williamson DeStefano, MA: Amelia is group editorial director of the Endeavor Business Media Dental Group, where she leads the publication of high-quality content that empowers oral-health professionals to advance patient well-being, succeed in business, and cultivate professional joy and fulfillment. She holds a master's in English Literature from the University of Tulsa and has worked in dental media since 2015.

In celebration of its relaunch, the Emerging Leaders Committee is thrilled to invite industry professionals to a special . This engaging event will take place May 16th at 4pm on the fourth floor of the Anaheim Hilton in the El Capitan room right before the DTA Reception. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn from seasoned experts, network with fellow professionals, and gain valuable insights to enhance their leadership capabilities. And hear more on the committee’s upcoming programs, including a summer webinar and speed mentorship event at the DTA’s Annual Meeting.

For Immediate Release

The Dental Trade Alliance Foundation and
UNCF (United Negro College Fund) Announce the New
Dr. Robert Tanner Freeman Dental School Scholarship

WASHINGTON, DC / JUNE 23, 2021 - The DTA Foundation is excited to announce a new scholarship initiative in partnership with the UNCF (United Negro College Fund). The Dr. Robert Tanner Freeman Scholarship will provide scholarships to underrepresented minorities looking to start their dental education. This dental scholarship will be the first of its kind established through UNCF and is focused on increasing diversity and improving access to the oral healthcare profession.

UNCF has helped more than 500,000 students earn their college degrees since its founding, and the DTA Foundation is proud to partner with them in developing a first-ever dental student scholarship. This partnership aims to increase diversity in the dental field and provide improved access to higher education.

This new DTA Foundation scholarship initiative is made possible by our Founding Anchor Sponsor, Patterson Dental, and Founding Partners, Benco Family Foundation and 3M. Their leadership and generosity will greatly benefit oral health and the dental industry for years to come.

The Health Policy Institute recently noted in their Racial and Ethnic Mix of the Dentist Workforce in the U.S, “The racial mix of the dentist workforce does not reflect the U.S. Population.” According to a Journal of American Dental Association study, Elevating dentistry through diversity, “Today, dental schools have student populations that are more diverse but still do not reflect the current U.S. population. And it does not seem to be moving in that direction.”

This new scholarship initiative aims to change that.

“Diversity in many professions across the United States is severely lacking and often doesn’t represent our population’s needs,” said Dr. Michael L. Lomax, president and CEO, UNCF. “This is why this new scholarship program is vital—literally—to the health of our nation. We appreciate the gift from the DTA Foundation and look forward to expanding this partnership.”

“We are committed to strengthening the dentists who keep patients healthy in communities all over the country,” said Tim Rogan, Senior Vice President & General Manager, Patterson Dental North America. “Supporting their passion aligns with our values, and through our contribution to the Dr. Robert Tanner Freeman Scholarship, we’re excited to help increase diversity throughout our industry, and to continue advancing dentistry as a whole.”

“When dental professionals come from a variety of backgrounds and ethnicities, the entire oral care industry and patients around the world benefit,” said Eric Wenzel, United States and Canada Area Vice President, 3M Oral Care Solutions Division. “3M is proud to be a Founding Partner of the Dr. Robert Tanner Freeman Scholarship, and to play a part in supporting this inspiring work that increases access and opportunities for underrepresented minorities across the dental profession.”

“The Benco Family Foundation (BFF) recognizes the problems: lack of underrepresented minorities - primarily Black/African American, Native/Indigenous, and LatinX  - and the tuition barrier. And, the BFF wants to be part of the solution by helping create the Dr. Robert Tanner Freeman scholarship,” said Rick Cohen, Benco Dental Managing Director and former DTA Foundation Chair. 

Still in the early stages of development, the Dr. Robert Tanner Freeman Scholarship will be established to have a lasting impact on historically underrepresented minorities in the dental field. Additional support is needed to double or even triple the impact, which will greatly determine the type and number of scholarships that can be awarded.

If you are interested in supporting this new scholarship, contact Sarah Miller, Executive Director, at sarahmiller@dentaltradealliance.org or (703) 379-7755.

###

About Dr. Robert Tanner Freeman
Robert Tanner Freeman was the first African American to receive a degree in dentistry from an academic institution. Freeman was born around 1846 in Washington, D.C. He trained under Dr. Henry Bliss Noble, who encouraged him to formally train for a dental career. Freeman applied to two schools and was rejected on racial grounds. He then applied to the Harvard Dental School after its founding, and in March of 1869, he was one of only six to receive the Doctor of Dental Medicine degree. After graduation, Tanner moved to Washington, D.C., and practiced dentistry until his death on June 14, 1873. The Washington Society of Colored Dentists, established in 1900, renamed itself in 1909 the Robert Tanner Freeman Dental Society in honor of America's first African American dentist.

The determined, pioneering spirit of Dr. Robert Tanner Freeman is the reason why we feel it only appropriate to honor the legacy of Dr. Robert Tanner Freeman by naming this scholarship after him. The goal is to provide financial support and mentorship to aspiring dental students.

About Dental Trade Alliance Foundation

The DTA Foundation’s mission is to increase access to and utilization of oral health care by broadening literacy of oral health’s impact on overall health. Its vision is a healthy smile for all. The DTA Foundation works to achieve this mission through its partnerships, grants, and scholarships programs. Find out more about DTA Foundation at www.dtafoundation.org.

About UNCF

UNCF (United Negro College Fund) is the nation’s largest and most effective minority education organization. To serve youth, the community and the nation, UNCF supports students’ education and development through scholarships and other programs, supports and strengthens its 37 member colleges and universities, and advocates for the importance of minority education and college readiness.

UNCF institutions and other historically Black colleges and universities are highly effective, awarding nearly 20% of African American baccalaureate degrees. UNCF administers more than 400 programs, including scholarship, internship and fellowship, mentoring, summer enrichment, and curriculum and faculty development programs.

Today, UNCF supports more than 60,000 students at over 1,100 colleges and universities across the country. Its logo features the UNCF torch of leadership in education and its widely recognized trademark, ‟A mind is a terrible thing to waste.”® Learn more at UNCF.org or for continuous updates and news, follow UNCF on Twitter at @UNCF.

About Patterson Companies Inc.

Patterson Companies Inc. (Nasdaq: PDCO) connects dental and animal health customers in North America and the U.K. to the latest products, technologies, services and innovative business solutions that enable operational and professional success. Our comprehensive portfolio, distribution network and supply chain is equaled only by our dedicated, knowledgeable people who deliver unrivalled expertise and unmatched customer service and support. Learn more: pattersoncompanies.com. 

About 3M

At 3M (NYSE: MMM), we apply science in collaborative ways to improve lives daily as our employees connect with customers all around the world. Learn more about 3M's creative solutions to global challenges at www.3M.com  or on Twitter @3M  or @3MNews.

About Benco Family Foundation

The Benco Family Foundation supports solutions for oral health or community issues that are innovative, sustainable, measurable, and impactful and that drive community change and improve the lives of people.