The Southern California Filipino Dental Society (SCFDS) awarded Willard Belen a scholarship after ranking first in its fourth annual scholarship competition held last April 18, 2006 at the Philippine Dental Association Building, Makati City. 
Belen, a fourth year student of U.P. College of Dentistry, was awarded a plaque and a check worth $1,400 (Php70,000).
Sixteen dental students from all over the Philippines joined the competition composed of a 40-point multiple choice question and a 150-point essay question. Dr. Ed de la Vega, executive director of SCFDS, served as the quizmaster.
Belen got 116 points, followed by a student from Fatima University with 104 points and a student from Centro Escolar University with 95 points. The second and third prizes were given Php1,000 and Php500 respectively. All the participants were given Php1,000 for joining the tilt. The awarding ceremony was held right after the grading of exam sheets.
This has been the third consecutive year that a UPCD student got the said scholarship. Rosa Maria Wilhelmina Gener was awarded in 2004; Irene Rodriguez in 2005.
