Academic Awards
The Maryland Pathways to Bright Futures Program is providing a $2,000 academic award for individuals seeking to study and work as a dental professional (dental assistant, dental hygienist or dentist). Applicants must be planning to work in Baltimore City, Eastern Shore or Western Maryland.
Award Information
The Pathways to Bright Futures (PBF) Academic Award is an initiative that is part of the Pathways to Bright Futures program managed by the Maryland Department of Health Office of Oral Health. The PBF program will assist youth living in health professional shortage areas with pathways to the dental professions.
The Pathways to Bright Futures Academic Award is based upon the applicant’s desire to seek a dental career and work as a dental professional (Dental Assistant, Dental Hygienist or Dentist) in a Maryland Dental Health Professional Shortage Area (Dental HPSA) - geographic regions identified by the Health Resources and Services Commission as an area experiencing an alarming shortage of dental health professionals. To be eligible for this award, the applicant must be a U.S. citizen, who is in the process of applying for admission to a dental program, and be planning to practice in one of the three HPSA regions in Maryland:
- Baltimore City
- Eastern Shore (including: Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s, and Talbot Counties)
- Western Maryland (including: Allegany, Carroll, Frederick, and Washington Counties)
The one-time $2,000 award will be awarded based upon proof of application to a dental program, demonstration of the desire to work in one of the three Maryland Dental HPSA areas, and past academic merit, i.e., GPA. Students who are part of a pre-dental program are eligible to apply. Proof of participation in a pre-dental program is required and should be included with your application. The number of academic awards available to eligible students has increased to ten during this year’s award cycle.
The application deadline is Friday, January 31, 2025.
Questions?
Please email your questions about this initiative to info@mdac.us.
