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Cora Ueland was the founder and first director of the University of Southern California (USC) Dental Hygiene Program and served as its director for 28 years, 1928-1956. Ms. Ueland received her dental hygiene certificate in 1920 from the University of Minnesota and went on to earn her Master’s Degree from USC. It was during her time at USC the Cora Ueland Loan Program was created for students to assist them in times of financial need. This loan program was transferred to CDHA and subsequently became a scholarship program that continues to this day.
During her tenure at USC, she served as the American Dental Hygienists' Association (ADHA) President from 1929-30. During her Presidential Address at the 1930 ADHA Annual Meeting in Denver, Colorado, she challenged the attending educators to “produce women who can educate and think in terms of highest service and that education is not a static thing, but is ever-changing to meet the requirements of the people.” Her address further stated, “ we urge members of our profession everywhere that ours is a needed and important profession, and that our responsibility is as great as that of any other line of human endeavor.”
To continue the goal of Cora Ueland to support and encourage dental hygiene students, CDHAF actively promotes and requests donations from anyone interested in dental hygiene students and education.
Applications for the 2024 Cora Ueland Scholarship will open in November 2023.
This scholarship was first established in the 1950s in the memory of Cora Ueland, founder, and director of the dental hygiene program at the USC. Supported by individual and component donations, the fund was distributed in the past as a loan to eligible students. In 1998, the CDHA Board of Trustees voted to convert the loan into a scholarship.
Four $1,500 awards are granted each year to two (2) first year and two (2) second year students. The second year scholarship award includes a CDHAF grant for CDHA New Professional Membership.
Student must be a member of the California Dental Hygienists' Association (CDHA) and have paid the 2022 student fees.
Student must be enrolled in an accredited dental hygiene program in California.
Student must have a grade point average of 3.0 or above (4.0 scale) from the time that they have been enrolled in the dental hygiene curriculum.
Recipients cannot be CDHAF Directors, CDHA Officers, Trustees, employees, or any of their relatives.
Student must be a Junior or Senior on the deadline date and this is the category they can apply for and be judged. Students cannot be a graduate on the deadline date and apply for the scholarship.
Maiyer Oswood – Sacramento City College Alyssa Acosta – University of the Pacific
2nd Year Student Winners
Rachel Dagbovie-Atsu – University of the Pacific Cindy Saelee – Sacramento City College
Nicole He – Cabrillo College Cindy Saelee – Sacramento City College
Ernest Kallal – Carrington College Sacramento Frankie Davis – Cerritos College
Marie Guilia Grob – Diablo Valley College (1st place) Christine Marie de Banate – Cerritos College (2nd place)
Elizabeth Grace Marie McCarty – University of the Pacific (1st place) Kimberlee Sokcheta Kiep – University of the Pacific (2nd place)
Rebeca Gomez – South Western College Karen Sakura Sanford – Diablo Valley College (a 2-time recipient)
Jasmine B. Whaley – West Los Angeles College Bridgid E. Gee – South Western College
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