The winners have been selected for the DALE Foundation’s Liz Koch Memorial Scholarship. The scholarship was open to all dental assistants, DANB certificants and others in field, and is intended to help oral healthcare professionals reach their professional development goals and support their mentorship activities.

In total, the scholarship committee received over 100 applications from dental professionals across the country. There were many qualified and outstanding applicants, and selecting the winners was a difficult task. The scholarship committee named Rebecca Horne and Kandra Luna as the 2014 winners.

Rebecca Horne, CDA, of Massachusetts, found her passion for dental assisting while she was in school. Today, Horne works in an orthodontic practice, where she helps coordinate a team of employees and two offices. She will use her scholarship award to earn DANB’s Certified Orthodontic Assistant (COA) certification. “I believe we can lead by example,” she says. “I plan on continuing to inspire those around me to see what a dental assistant can achieve.”

Kandra Luna, CDA, EFDA, EFODA, of Oregon, has always believed in dreaming big, and with the encouragement of her mentors, she graduated from a dental assisting program. She now works at a general dental practice while pursuing her bachelor’s degree. Luna will apply her scholarship award toward her DANB Certified Dental Assistant (CDA) certification, which she earned earlier this year. Her next goal is to work in dental assisting education and help students achieve their goals. “I am motivated to help others accomplish their goals and strive to do their best,” she says.

Additionally, the scholarship committee recognized 11 finalists:

• Marisa Bouikidis

• Tanya Broadway

• Heather Brooks

• A’yesha Freeman, CDA

• Amelia Garcia, CDA

• Jeannie Gillam, CDA

• Elizabeth Polak-Silva, CDA

• Guadalupe Rodriguez

• Karina Schraufnagel, CDA

• Sarah Serpico, CDA, CPFDA

• Tyler Winter, CDA

The Liz Koch Memorial Scholarship is named in memory of Liz Koch and her many years of service and contributions in support of dental assistants. Liz served as Chief Operating Officer of DANB and the DALE Foundation until her untimely passing in 2011. Liz believed in the potential of DANB and the DALE Foundation, but even more so, she believed in the potential of others. This memorial scholarship embodies Liz’s values and belief in the power of lifelong learning.

Information about the 2015 Liz Koch Memorial Scholarship will be available in spring 2015.

Individuals and organizations interested in donating to the Liz Koch Memorial Scholarship can donate online or mail a check to the DALE Foundation, 444 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 970, Chicago, IL 60611.