Scholarship established in Pa. hygienist's memory

A Pennsylvania man has established a scholarship fund to help dental hygiene students pay for dental instruments. The scholarship is in memory of his wife Susan Abby Belli, RDH, who was killed in a bicycle accident in July.

Carl Belli of Greensburg, PA, set upthe Susan A. "Abby" Belli Endowment Scholarship at Westmoreland County Community College (WCCC), his wife's alma mater.

Susan, a mother of two children, decided to go back to college to become a dental hygienist while raising her family. She worked for pediatric dentist Keith Gjebre, DMD, of Greensburg, who described her as a dedicated hygienist who was well liked by both patients and staff.

The scholarship will be given to a nontraditional, financially challenged student who decided to go back to college and pursue a dental hygiene career as Susan did. Eligible students must be enrolled in the dental hygiene program at Westmoreland County Community College, and will be granted the scholarship to offset the cost of instruments.

Private monetary donations to the scholarship fund may be sent to WCCC Education Fund, c/o Susan A. "Abby" Belli Endowment Scholarship, 145 Pavilion Lane, Youngwood, PA 15697. Dental and hygiene industry manufacturers interested in making monetary or instrument contributions should contact Debra Woods, executive director of the WCCC Education Foundation.