Dr. Jillian Grant, a first-year prosthodontics resident, has been selected as the recipient of the 2026 David H. Wands Fellowship in Graduate Prosthodontics.
The Wands Fellowship is the most prestigious endowed graduate fellowship in dentistry at the University of Washington and one of the largest private endowments awarded through any graduate prosthodontics program in the country. Dr. Grant is the 17th recipient of the honor.
Established by Dr. David Wands, who graduated from the program in 1972, the fellowship aims to support and inspire its recipients to pursue an academic career, either full- or part-time, in prosthodontic education.
Dr. Grant grew up in New York and completed her undergraduate studies at Wake Forest University in North Carolina. After graduating, she returned home to earn her DDS from the Touro College of Dental Medicine in Hawthorne, NY, followed by a two-year general practice residency at Northwell Health, where she stayed as a member of the clinical faculty.
“I became interested in prosthodontics when I realized that restoring teeth could mean restoring someone’s ability to function in daily life,” said Dr. Grant. “The ability to chew, speak clearly, and smile comfortably can seem basic until it is taken away.”
During her time at Northwell, she treated many patients who had been turned away by other offices because their needs were far beyond routine care. That was when her interest in prosthodontics began to pique.
“[Prosthodontists are] able to look at a complicated case, organize the problems, and develop a path forward that restores function, comfort, and confidence for the patient,” said Dr. Grant. “That way of thinking made dentistry feel more meaningful to me.”
She eventually applied for and was accepted into the UW Graduate Prosthodontics program. “I chose UW because it stood out to me as a place with both history and high expectations,” said Dr. Grant. “UW has incredible alumni who have made significant contributions to dentistry and continue to lecture globally. The university’s emphasis on literature and evidence-based dentistry is strengthening the foundation behind my clinical decisions.”
Dr. Grant plans to put the $15,000 scholarship toward the tuition, expenses and training involved with graduate residency, which requires a great deal of time, commitment and resources.
When she finishes the Graduate Prosthodontics program, she wants to continue treating complex prosthodontic patients in an interdisciplinary environment. “I could see myself returning to hospital-based dentistry or academics in some capacity, because that is where I first saw how meaningful prosthodontic care could be for patients,” said Dr. Grant.
Dr. Wands established his Fellowship in 1999 as a genuine appreciation for the excellent quality of the graduate prosthodontic education he received at the UW. His professional reputation is a direct result of the education he received from caring UW prosthodontic mentors who stimulated his desire to give back to the prosthodontic program in many ways.
“I’m very happy that [Dr. Grant] has received this award,” said Dr. Van Ramos, the Director of the UW Graduate Prosthodontics program. “She has proven herself, in just one year, to be the perfect candidate. Dr. Wands is looking for residents who have a bright future in the specialty and have a natural talent for teaching; she is just that person.”
The Fellowship provides funding to support outstanding scholars and clinicians who have demonstrated the highest standards of moral character and are committed to clinical excellence, compassionate patient care, and outstanding scholarship, thereby motivating discovery and innovation in the prosthodontics specialty.
Dr. Wands was appointed Affiliate Professor in the UW Department of Restorative Dentistry and is a Life Member of the Academy of Prosthodontics and the Pacific Coast Society for Prosthodontics. He retired from his private prosthodontic practice in Olympia in 1992 and enjoys retirement as a master gardener and devoted saltwater and freshwater angler.