MDAF Selects 2021 Recipients for Dental Scholarship Program 

A 2013 graduate of Abeka Academy in St Louis, David’s inspiration to become a dentist came from the example of a now retired dentist who helped his family with dental care in a difficult financial time. This act of kindness spurred a desire to give back to others. Whether on a mission trip to Brazil or through the Adopt a Grandparent organization and now with the local JayDoc outreach at school, David has found ways to serve others. He plans to use leadership skills developed in these efforts to lead similar projects after graduation.

Morgan graduated from John F Hodge High School in small St James, MO in 2016. She says purple is her favorite color so she found her calling in childhood when her dentist donned a pair of purple gloves. Morgan knows firsthand the difficulty of finding dental care in rural communities and that has fueled her professional focus with volunteer time at ServeKC, Cass County Dental Clinic and Micah’s Ministry. She credits being class president the first two years of dental school with developing leadership and communication skills.

The pandemic’s impact on reduced access to dental care for people taught Dev lessons in perseverance and leadership. As Executive Director of the JayDoc Clinic, he worked tirelessly after it shut down due to lack of PPE supplies to get it reopened this past January. Along the way he developed a new triage system for patients. A 2014 graduate of Marquette High School in Chesterfield, MO, Dev says he’s more determined than ever to help the underserved through organizations like the MDA.