Past Scholarship Winners

*Due to the Pandemic, PCDS has not issued Scholarships since 2019

2019 Scholarship Recipients:

PCDS Scholarships were awarded at the May 15, 2019 CE program. (Seated l-r) recipients Caroline Hanna, Rima Modi and Sabine Page. (Standing, l-r) recipient Raffi Dadaian; Dr. Gregg M. Chialastri, former member of the Selection Committee; recipient Craig McKenzie; Dr. Stanley W. Markiewicz, former First District PDA Trustee. Not shown is recipient, Sarah So.

Raffi Dadaian:

Temple University Kornberg School of Dentistry, Class of 2021, recipient of a $2,250.00 scholarship. Raffi is a graduate of the University of California, Davis where his passion for dentistry started when he was moved by an article in the LA Times about widespread dental health neglect and impoverished countries in the world.  He set out to establish The Adaam Project, Healthy Teeth, a non-profit organization, aiming to educate underserved children in Armenia about proper dental hygiene and to equip them with the necessary tools for the maintenance of dental care.  Over 20,000 dental kits were donated over a 3 year period.  Raffi plans on staying in the Philadelphia/South Jersey area and hopefully eventually opening his own practice.

Caroline Hanna: 

Temple University Kornberg School of Dentistry, Class of 2020, recipient of a $2,250.00 scholarship. Caroline’s passion for dentistry started as early as high school when she interned in a Dental Clinic at Staten Island University Hospital.  Caroline is a graduate of Fordham University in New York. Throughout her undergraduate years she was a dental assistant at an office in New York City where she was able to witness how rewarding dentistry is.  She watched patients leave the office with smiles on their faces, and saw their oral health, emotional health and overall quality of life improve.  Caroline hopes to complete a General Practice Residency in the Philadelphia area and eventually open a practice in Philadelphia.

Rima Modi: 

Temple University Kornberg School of Dentistry, Class of 2020, recipient of a $2,250.00 scholarship. Rima earned a Bachelors in Dental Surgery from Dr. D.Y. Patil Dental College and Hospital in Pune, India.  She moved to the United States to attend New York University College of Dentistry for a Masters in Dental Biomaterials, however, while completing her Master’s Degree, she was accepted to Temple to earn her DMD degree, so she has put her Master’s on hold for now.  Rima’s passion for dentistry came from her own experiences as a patient wherein she was treated for amelogenesis imperfecta.  She believes that dentistry is beyond arts and science and is about being empathetic and sympathetic towards people.  Through her own experiences, she feels as though she can share and feel her patients’ anxiety and help them overcome their fears and give them the smile they deserve.  Rima eventually plans on practicing in Illinois.

Sabine Page: 

Temple University Kornberg School of Dentistry, Class of 2021, recipient of a $2,250.00 scholarship.  Sabine is a cum laude graduate of Rutgers University.  Dentistry has been a passion of Sabine’s since she was a little girl.  She plans to break down the barriers of dental phobias and teach patients that oral health education and disease prevention is important for everyday living.  She believes dentistry is the gateway for her to help others smile more.  Sabine’s ultimate goal is to open up her own general practice in either Philadelphia or the Lehigh Valley.

Sarah So: 

Temple University Kornberg School of Dentistry, Class of 2020, recipient of a $2,250.00 scholarship.  Sarah graduated from Temple University in 2015 with a Bachelor of Science in Biology.  In the summer of 2015, she was accepted into the Post-Baccalaureate Program at Temple University School of Dentistry.  Sarah believes that Dentistry is a combination of Art and Science, through which one works closely with people to help them maintain and regain oral health, as well as, self-confidence.  She has a long term goal for international medical and dental mission trips, through which she can help those living in impoverished areas with poor health facilities and lack of oral health education.

Craig McKenzie:

University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine, Class of 2021, recipient of a $2,250.00 scholarship. Craig is a summa cum laude graduate of Virginia Tech.  Craig’s passion for dentistry came from having positive dental experiences when he was a young child.  Craig believes dentistry is a highly gratifying profession that allows him to practice in a variety of settings while forming relationships with his community.  Craig’s ultimate goal is to be the dean of a dental school and to continue serving and advocating for the Dental Profession as a leader in organized dentistry.  Craig plans on practicing in Pennsylvania or in the northern Virginia area after residency.