This year, Benco Dental is giving back with every enrollment in its Benco Select rewards program. With every enrollment or re-enrollment, the nation’s largest independently owned dental distributor will donate a portion of the fees to the Dr. Robert Tanner Freeman Endowment.

The Dr. Robert Tanner Freeman Endowment is the first dental school scholarship offered through the United Negro College Fund, in partnership with the Dental Trade Alliance Foundation. Its goal: To help end underrepresentation of Black, Native, Indigenous and LatinX communities in dental education.

Although diversity in dentistry has been increasing over the last 15 years, according to the Health Policy Institute, “the racial mix of the dentist workforce does not reflect the United States population.” This scholarship aims to continue increasing diversity in dentistry and allow for greater access to higher education.

Through 2022, Benco will donate a portion of Benco Select enrollment and re-enrollment fees to the Dr. Robert Tanner Freeman Endowment, a dental school scholarship.

Benco Select is dentistry’s first loyalty rewards program. When enrolled into this membership program, dentists receive benefits, including discounts and the ability to earn BluChips, which they can later redeem on all Benco purchases, including supplies, equipment, and services. Since the inception of BluChips, Benco customers have earned over three billion BluChips, which have been redeemed for equipment and services, account credit, donations to worthy charities and products that help dentists across the country enrich their practices.

How does Dr. Robert Tanner Freeman inspire dentists and dental students nationwide during Black History Month and year round?

The scholarship’s namesake is the first professionally trained black dentist in the U.S., Dr. Robert Tanner Freeman. He entered Harvard Dental School in 1869, just four years after the Civil War ended. Freeman was born in Washington D.C. in 1846 into slavery, according to BlackPast.org. After his family gained their freedom from slavery, they took the surname “Freeman.”

Freeman apprenticed with Dr. Henry Bliss Noble, a local white dentist, who encouraged and helped Freeman gain entrance to Harvard. Before Freeman was granted acceptance to Harvard, he was denied entrance by two other dental schools, yet he persevered. After graduating, he returned home to Washington D.C. to practice and mentor other Black youth interested in dentistry.

Today, Dr. Freeman remains an inspiration to dentists and dental students nationwide.