Premier Dental Partners Endows SIU School of Dental Medicine Scholarship
The American Dental Partners Foundation and Premier Dental Partners have endowed a $15,000 scholarship at the Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine (SIU SDM).
Dr. Michelle Pavlak-Hawkins, a partner at Premier Dental Partners, presented the SDM with the contribution on Tuesday, June 16. The Premier Dental Partners Scholarship Award will allow the School to present a significant annual financial award to a Year 3 or Year 4 SDM student in good academic standing.
“The Premier Dental Partners Scholarship Award will nicely complement our recently established SIU SDM Dean’s Scholarship Awards,” said Bruce Rotter, dean of the SIU SDM. “Ultimately, our goal at the School of Dental Medicine is to provide a compelling promise to support our students through scholarship in a manner befitting our distinguished legacy of excellence in dental education.”
Both Pavlak-Hawkins ‘05 and the founder of Premier Dental Partners Dr. Sheldon Cohen ‘76 are alumni of the SIU SDM. Premier Dental initiated the process of establishing a scholarship partnership between Premier Dental Partners and the SIU SDM in honor of Dr. Cohen at his retirement.
“American Dental Partners established a foundation to help students complete their dental education and, in turn, support their local community,” Pavlak-Hawkins said.
Future scholarship recipients will need to display attributes of a professional capable of entering a dental group practice, specifically including teamwork skills, clinical excellence and leadership.
“The SIU SDM provided the foundation for my dental training,” added Pavlak-Hawkins. “The dental school environment helped me realize that I enjoyed the camaraderie and support of group practice. I believe it is important to help other students achieve their goals in becoming dental professionals.”
Premier Dental Partners has 10 locations across St. Louis, St. Louis County and St. Charles County.
Photo: Dr. Michelle Pavlak-Hawkins, a partner with Premier Dental Partners, presents SIU SDM Dean Dr. Bruce Rotter with a check for the scholarship endowment.
