ADEA/MouthWatch Patti DiGangi Scholarship for Dental Hygiene Innovation
Scholarship Sponsored by American Dental Education Association
The ADEA/MouthWatch Patti DiGangi Scholarship for Dental Hygiene Innovation is a financial aid program designed to support dental hygiene students in achieving their academic and professional aspirations. Patti DiGangi, a pioneer, mentor, and advocate in the field, has dedicated her life to broadening and enhancing career paths for dental hygienists. Her unwavering commitment to dental hygiene and pursuit of excellence has inspired her to guide others towards realizing their potential.
The scholarship, named to honor her contributions, acknowledges dental hygiene students who aspire to revolutionize oral health through leadership and innovative care delivery. It is available to dental hygiene students who have successfully completed at least one year of an accredited dental hygiene program and have maintained good academic performance.
Program Details
The scholarship, valued at $1,000, is granted to a student pursuing dental hygiene at the associate, baccalaureate, or master’s degree level.
Qualification Criteria
Applicants must:
- Be a full-time student in an accredited dental hygiene or public health program in the United States or Canada, having completed at least one year of the program.
- Have a good academic record.
- Showcase achievements in research, community service, leadership, personal growth, etc. that align with career objectives.
- Hold an ADEA Individual Membership.
- Ensure that their ADEA profile is updated as the scholarship application will utilize this information. This can be done at adea.org/myadea.
- Agree to adhere to the ADEA Code of Conduct for Meetings, Conferences, Events, and Virtual Communities, which can be found on the ADEA website. This is mandatory for all ADEA program participants or scholarship recipients.
Application Procedure Checklist
Applicants must submit the following items by Sept. 15, 2025, via the ADEA online application process:
- A recommendation letter from a dental hygiene faculty member highlighting the applicant’s attributes.
- A summary of learnings derived from achievements in research, community service, leadership, personal growth, etc. that are relevant to the applicant’s career objectives.
- A recent curriculum vitae.
- Academic transcripts from the applicant’s school registrar confirming academic standing.
Anonymous applicant data will be utilized to enhance ADEA scholarships and may be published. Identified information (e.g., biographies) of successful applicants will be published on the ADEA website, shared with your home institution, and may be used in ADEA promotional material. By applying for this scholarship, you acknowledge that you have read and understood how your information may be used.
Award Notification and Announcement
Applicants will be informed of the scholarship results by Dec. 5, 2025.
The scholarship awards will be announced at the 2026 ADEA Annual Session & Exhibition, which will take place from March 21 to 24, 2026, in Montréal, Canada.
Go to Scholarship Application