HDS Foundation awards $21,000 in scholarships to 7 Maui dental hygiene students

The HDS Foundation, the state’s only philanthropic organization solely dedicated to improving access to oral health care, promoting oral health education, and reducing oral health diseases, recently awarded a total of $21,000 in scholarships to seven dental hygiene students from Maui. 

The seven dental hygiene students attending dental hygiene programs at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and University of Hawaiʻi Maui College each received a $3,000 scholarship. The recipients are:

• Caitlin Raquel Baclay of Lahaina, Maui, a student at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa.
• Samantha Buechler of Kihei, Maui, a student at University of Hawaiʻi Maui College.
• Emmie-Lynn Campos of Wailuku, Maui, a student at University of Hawaiʻi Maui College.
• Geila Guzman of Kahului, Maui, a student at University of Hawaiʻi Maui College.
• Joanna Javier of Kahului, Maui, a student at University of Hawaiʻi Maui College.
• Sarah Singh of Lahaina, Maui, a student at University of Hawaiʻi Maui College.
• Kaitlyn Yamada of Kula, Maui, a student at University of Hawaiʻi Maui College.

For the 2025-26 school year, a total of $122,000 in scholarships were awarded to eight dental students and 14 dental hygiene students.

“The HDS Foundation is dedicated to ensuring that communities across the state have healthy smiles. For HDS, part of this commitment means funding scholarships and other programs to support our local workforce,” said Dr. Diane Paloma, HDS president and CEO. “We hope that after graduation, these students will work in Hawaiʻi and serve the communities and families that continue to nurture them.”