Maria Tirado

Maria Tirado

AVON PARK, Fla. – May 5, 2022 – South Florida State College (SFSC) student, Maria Tirado, has been awarded a $1,000 scholarship from Heartland Dental.

Tirado is a first-year Dental Hygiene student, who plans to graduate from SFSC in May 2023. She lives in Cape Coral, Fla. and travels approximately two hours one way to attend classes at the College.

“This scholarship means a lot to me, because I really need the support,” Tirado said. “The Dental Hygiene program is full-time, so it’s difficult to work. It would even be difficult to have a job on the weekend, because of all the homework and projects you do for class. I use my Saturdays and Sundays for that. This scholarship will help me with my books, food, and gasoline.”

Students who are awarded scholarships from Heartland Dental must be currently enrolled in an educational institution’s Dental Hygiene program and seeking an associate degree in Dental Hygiene. The scholarship is to be used in the semester following the award. The student must have a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or higher and they must commit to completing an externship at a Heartland Dental support office during their winter or spring break from their program.

Tirado will be eligible to complete her externship with Heartland Dental during SFSC’s winter break in December 2022, when she will be able to shadow their hygienists and team members.

SFSC offers a two-year Associate in Science in Dental Hygiene and an 11-month Dental Assistant Career Certificate. For more information about SFSC Dental Education programs, contact Danielle Ochoa, Health Sciences advisor, at 863-784-7027 or by email at healthsciences@southflorida.edu.

About Heartland Dental

Heartland Dental is the nation’s largest dental support organization providing non-clinical, administrative support services. What started from the entrepreneurial spirit of Rick Workman, DMD, with his single dental practice, has evolved into affiliating with over 2,300 doctors in over 1,600 locations across 38 states. The company is majority owned by KKR, a leading global investment firm. For additional information, please visit heartland.com. Follow us on LinkedInFacebookTwitter and Instagram.