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The 2026 Dean's Scholarship for Leadership & Excellence

UMSOD Alumna Receives National Dental Association's Highest Honor

Leslie E. Grant, DDS ’86, MPSA, is the 2025 recipient of the National Dental Association's (NDA) highest honor, the Legacy Award, which recognizes individuals whose lifelong commitment and extraordinary contributions have left a lasting impact on the dental profession, oral health equity, and the NDA community. Comprising 39 state and local chapters throughout the United States and Caribbean, the NDA promotes oral health equity among people of color by advocating for the needs of and mentoring dental students of color and raising the profile of the profession in the community.

The prestigious award, which was presented last month at the NDA annual conference in Kansas City, Mo., celebrates those who have paved the way for future generations through service, leadership, and an enduring legacy of excellence.

“Your influence as an educator, advocate, and trailblazer has enriched our profession, empowered future generations, and strengthened the legacy of the National Dental Association,” reads the award inscription. “With deepest gratitude, we recognize your enduring contributions and transformative impact on the communities we serve.”

Grant also was the 2018 recipient of the American Association of Women Dentists’ (AAWD) Lucy Hobbs Taylor Award, the organization’s top honor. Named after the first woman to earn a doctorate in dentistry, the award honors an AAWD member who has a record of accomplishment in one or more areas of dentistry, such as clinical dentistry, organized dentistry, academia, government, anthropology, archeology, philanthropy, or consulting. In 2015, The Daily Record named Grant one of Maryland’s “Top 100 Women,” a list that recognized outstanding professional achievement, community leadership, and mentoring. In 2006, Ebony magazine named Grant as one of the “One Hundred Most Influential African Americans.”

The 2025 Dean's Scholarship for Leadership & Excellence

In 2021, the University of Maryland School of Dentistry (UMSOD) established the Dean’s Scholarship for Leadership & Excellence to celebrate and support outstanding student leaders who aspire to have a positive impact on their communities.