Compassion in Action

Forsyth alum Mollie Macdonald '22 shares how scholarships buoyed her education.

Growing up in New Hampshire, Mollie Macdonald BS ’22 faced a challenge that many children never have to think about: access to dental care. Her family’s income was just above the threshold for government aid, leaving them in a difficult position when it came to covering essential expenses like annual dental visits.

She remembers finally being thrust into the dental chair by necessity to deal with painful—and expensive—problems. The dentist was patient and kind, and that made a lasting impression. The early experience not only shaped Mollie’s decision to pursue a career in dentistry but also instilled in her a deep commitment to compassionate care.

Fast forward to 2019, when Mollie arrived to the Predental Dental Hygiene program on the Boston campus, still on a thin financial edge. When the COVID pandemic hit during her spring semester, she moved back home—but still needed to report for her work-study job at the front desk of the Forsyth School of Dental Hygiene’s clinic.

Driving 90 miles roundtrip from her family home in Hampstead, NH, to Boston a few times each week to earn vital tuition dollars was made bearable by a scholarship from the Northeast Delta Dental Foundation. Established in 2011, the fund provides financial assistance for dental hygiene students with financial need who are in their second year or beyond, have at least a 3.0 GPA, and are residents of Maine, New Hampshire, or Vermont.

She used her $1,250 scholarship for tuition and to offset the unexpected pandemic-induced expenses of her commute: “I’m very grateful. It helped me in some tough times.”

Her role at Forsyth gave her invaluable insight into dental hygiene, prompting a shift in her career goal from dental school to pursuing hygienic practice. The small class sizes and dedicated faculty at MCPHS allowed her to thrive, and she gave back by tutoring and mentoring her peers later in her program.

As she neared graduation in December 2022, Mollie was again buoyed by the generosity of Northeast Delta Dental. She was awarded a second scholarship, for $1,750, which helped cover the costs of her board exams. She was licensed in March 2023 and now works at Concord Pediatric Dentistry, where she channels her personal experiences into making dental care understandable for the families she serves.

“I want to help the kids but also educate their parents on the importance of preventative care,” she shares.

Though she’s still early in her career, the work is already paying emotional dividends: “I’m overcome with joy when I can show children how to brush, and teach their parents about oral care. When people come in with a thousand questions, I feel overjoyed that I can help them to live a better life.”

As she looks ahead, Mollie is considering pursuing a Master’s in Public Health, potentially at her alma mater. She recently purchased her own home in Manchester, NH, and remains profoundly grateful to the Northeast Delta Dental Foundation for its role in her journey.