G.E.H.A Solutions Oral Health Access Scholarship

G.E.H.A Solutions Oral Health Access Scholarship

Overview: Supported through a partnership with the UMKC School of Dentistry, the Rinehart Foundation, and G.E.H.A Solutions, this scholarship supports students committed to improving oral health access within underserved communities. It aims to remove financial barriers for aspiring dental professionals while promoting service, leadership, and community impact.

Partners: The Rinehart Foundation at the UMKC School of Dentistry and G.E.H.A Solutions (an indirect wholly owned, for-profit subsidiary of Government Employees Health Association, Inc., one of the nation's leading dental network leasing companies).

Award Amounts

• UMKC Dental Hygiene Students: Five recipients each receiving $20,000
• UMKC Dental Students: Five recipients each receiving $50,000

Eligibility Requirements

• Junior or senior Dental Hygiene (DH) student OR Third-year or fourth-year Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) student
• Submit a completed application, personal statement, and current resume
• Commit to full-time practice (30+ hours/week) as a dental hygienist, dentist, or specialist in the U.S. within a Dental HPSA for at least one year
• Cannot be under any other service obligation during the same time (e.g., military, national health service corps, public health, or any loan forgiveness program)

Geographic Scope

• United States, specifically Dental Care Health Professional Shortage Areas (Dental HPSA) as designated by the United States Health Resources and Services Administration Bureau of Health Workforce

Timeline

• Application Deadline: December 7th (annual)
• Award Notification: Early January
• Award Distribution: January (contingent upon final approval and receipt of full funding from G.E.H.A Solutions to the Rinehart Foundation)

Service Obligation

• Service agreement is between the UMKC student and the Roy James Rinehart Memorial Foundation
• Student must sign a service contract and adhere to requirements to avoid repayment penalty
• Recipients choose their HPSA practice site (must be within a designated Dental Care HPSA)
• Service obligation must begin within three months after degree completion
• Full-time practice defined as minimum 30 hours per week
• Service obligation term is one year from date commences full-time practice
• Deferment supported for medical reasons, military service, or full-time advanced residency program (military service or residency programs do not count toward service requirement)
• Repayment penalty: Full amount of scholarship plus interest, costs, and fees of collection required if commitment not met
• Rinehart Foundation has discretion to waive repayment based on extraordinary circumstances (e.g., disability, death)

Contact

Richard Bigham Assistant Dean for Students Programs bighamr@umkc.edu