ISDS Foundation Awards $27,000 to Help Illinois Dental Schools

The ISDS Foundation Board requested a “wish list” from each dental school administration and asked them to identify where these requested funds would be most needed for each educational program to succeed and most visible to those donating to the endowment. Below are the monies that will be awarded at this year’s ISDS Annual Session and where the monies were used.

UIC College of Dentistry awarded $9,000

The University has been the grateful recipient of ISDS Foundation endowments in recent years. Students have directly benefited from the financial support, which covered the cost of multiple call monitors in our predoctoral clinics, increasing the efficiency and safety of patient care. They have also benefited from funds that allowed renovation of the fourth-floor student commons areas, allowing study desks as well as collaboration and socialization spaces. Most recently, the UIC-COD created an enhanced commons area on the fifth floor and is adding display monitors to the walls in order to share important announcements and information, as well as highlight the many student successes that occur throughout the year.

With their continued focus on student experience and success, the college has committed an outside space adjacent to the building to create a “Plaza” which will provide an additional social and seating area for students to enjoy downtime

during breaks in their study and clinical training. The endowment would provide financial support for the upgrade to the outside space, including associated costs to create a pleasant landscape design and the all-weather furniture.

Midwestern University College of Dental Medicine-IL awarded $9,000

The ISDS Foundation’s support is crucial in helping the university overcome current challenges in dental education and community care, especially as they work to reach patients with limited access to treatment—including those with special needs. The funds makes it possible for the college to acquire a Midas 3D printing unit.

The Midas unit will play a crucial role in expanding access to care, particularly at outreach events like Heal Elgin, where students and faculty deliver vital dental services to communities that often lack them. By enabling the production of same-day, precise, and customizable 3D-printed restorations with minimal post-processing, the unit streamlines workflow, boosts efficiency, and leads to better patient outcomes. This allows for superior treatment options and faster turnaround times during public health missions, benefitting both geriatric and pediatric patients by enhancing their dental health, confidence, and quality of life. Additionally, students will benefit from hands-on training with advanced chairside digital workflows, equipping them with the skills needed to embrace leading-edge techniques in their future careers.

SIU School of Dental Medicine awarded $9,000

A goal of the university is to inspire greater awareness of dentistry as a rewarding and accessible career path, particularly for students from underrepresented and economically disadvantaged backgrounds. By providing clear information about the benefits of a dental career—alongside practical guidance on how to prepare—we aim to increase both the diversity of the dental workforce and improve access to care.

Their Pathways to Dental Careers Program offers dynamic, hands-on workshops led by dental students and faculty. Participants gain direct experience with the tools and techniques used in dentistry, exploring everything from making dental impressions and basic suturing to oral health education. These immersive sessions give students a real sense of what it’s like to work in the field. To expand our reach and impact, the funds will support the costs of essential dental materials and equipment: impression trays and materials, dental stone, models, suturing kits, wax, burs, sutures, curing lights, composite materials, and additional educational resources. This funding will allow more students to participate and help us make dentistry a visible and viable option for a broader, more diverse group of future professionals.