ADA Foundation Charitable Assistance Grants

ADA Foundation Charitable Assistance Grants

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: American Dental Association (ADA) Foundation
Last Updated: January 22, 2026

Summary

The ADA Foundation Charitable Assistance Grants provide critical financial support to dentists and their families facing hardships due to medical conditions, accidents, or age. Grants assist with essential living expenses for dentists and their dependents under 18, awarded on a one-time basis. The program emphasizes the importance of other funding sources and requires applicants to have sought all available assistance. Decisions are final, and renewals are possible based on changing circumstances, ensuring ongoing support where needed.

Overview

ADA Foundation Charitable Assistance Grants The ADAF charitable assistance grants offer financial help for dentists and their families during difficult times. Specifically, these funds help dentists and their dependents when the dentist cannot work due to accidental injuries, advanced age, a physically debilitating illness or other medical condition (or any combination of these). Eligibility rules also allow the spouses of deceased dentists to apply. Funds are awarded to help with daily living expenses and emergency needs of dentists and qualified dependents to age 18. Grants are generally made on a one-time basis and vary in amount. Amount of Grant In determining the amount of any Grant to be awarded, the Committee shall consider the particular circumstances of each applicant, including, but not limited to: The applicant’s financial income, assets, and expenses; The average daily living expenses in the applicant’s geographic region and justification for any category that exceeds the regional average; The applicant’s age and medical condition(s); The opportunity and effort made for assistance from other sources; and Other criteria as deemed relevant by the Committee. Award decisions made by the Committee are final. Decisions will not be reconsidered by the Committee unless the applicant submits new information showing that their circumstances have materially changed since they applied. Duration of Grant Grants may not exceed twelve (12) months. The Committee has discretion to award a Grant for a period of time shorter than twelve (12) months.If the applicant’s situation (e.g., personal, financial, medical) is likely to change within the next twelve (12) months, the Committee may choose to consider an award of less than twelve (12) months, but in any event no less than three (3) months.Grant Recipients may apply for renewal of a Grant. Any renewal of a Grant may not exceed twelve (12) months, and the Committee has discretion to award a renewal of a Grant for a period of time shorter than twelve (12) months. Payment of Grants Grants shall be paid to Grant Recipients in monthly installments unless determined otherwise by the Committee.If a Grant Recipient dies before the expiration of the period for which the Grant was awarded, the Grant terminates effective as of the month of the Grant Recipient’s death (i.e., the month during which the Grant Recipient dies will be the final month of the Grant). Any Grant payments made after the month of death shall be refunded to ADAF.

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. Dentists, their dependents (defined below and including dependents of deceased dentists), and spouses of deceased dentists are eligible to apply for a Grant if accidental injury, advanced age, physically debilitating illness, or a medical condition from which they suffer—or a combination thereof—prevents them from gainful employment in or out of dentistry, resulting in an inability to be wholly self-sustaining (i.e., unable to meet their essential daily living expenses and/or emergency living needs). Dependents are limited to a dentist’s current spouse and blood-related or legally adopted children currently under the age of 18. Dependents include the dependents of deceased dentists (provided such dependents are under the age of 18). A deceased dentist’s spouse, if married to such dentist at the time of his/her death, is also considered a dependent; however, if a deceased dentist’s spouse remarries, they are no longer eligible for a Grant as of the month after they remarry.Grants are not transferrable. Grants do not automatically transfer continuing assistance to the dependent(s) of a dentist following such dentist’s death; rather, a dependent is required to submit a new application.In keeping with ADAF’s status as a public charity, applicants are not required to be members of the American Dental Association or state or local dental societies. Prior to seeking funds from ADAF, an applicant must have applied for (or otherwise sought) all funding resources provided by federal, state, and local governments for which the applicant is eligible and provide a list of all applications made.

Ineligibility

Grants are not intended to cover (or defray) the costs of an applicant transitioning from independent living to institutional care if that transition can be funded by other sources such as Medicaid, long-term care insurance, and similar resources.