HYGIENIST HERO®

Hygienist Hero

Read the stories of the 2009
HYGIENIST HERO^® Honorees

Who is a HYGIENIST HERO^®?

YOU are. Dental hygienists are an integral part of the dental team, and go above and beyond daily clinical practice. You are a dental hygienist who donates time to charities to enhance oral healthcare in your community. You are an inspiration to all.

In appreciation for your extraordinary efforts, the American Dental Hygienists’ Association has created a recognition program to honor your contributions. This program is sponsored by Johnson & Johnson Healthcare Products Division of McNEIL-PPC, Inc., maker of LISTERINE^® and REACH^® Products. The honorees for the HYGIENIST HERO^® program were recognized at the 2009 ADHA Annual Session, Washington, DC.

Congratulations 2009 HYGIENIST HERO^® Honorees!

HYGIENIST HERO^® Recognition Program from the American Dental Hygienists’ Association and Johnson & Johnson Healthcare Products Division of McNEIL-PPC, Inc.

Jennifer Via Clayton, RDH

Boise, ID

The Idaho Special Olympics Special Smiles program that Jennifer began in 2001 has grown from one of the smallest programs in the United States to an internationally recognized success. At the Special Olympics 2009 World Winter Games in Idaho, Jennifer and a team of nearly 300 volunteers from around the world screened and treated athletes at the first-ever “Miles for Smiles” mobile dental unit. The significance of “Miles for Smiles” was highlighted at the opening ceremony with an athlete sharing that a volunteer had discovered oral cancer in time to save his life. Jennifer said, “In these moments of appreciation for a life saved and restored, being in the dental profession brings smiles to more than just our patients.”

Denise Maus, RDH, BS

Wichita, KS

Denise has made patient education her personal mission at the Kansas Mission of Mercy (KMOM), a free dental care project sponsored by the Kansas Dental Charitable Foundation. After several years of volunteering, Denise started advocating for more detailed patient education, and in 2005 was asked to create a patient education component for the next KMOM project. Denise organized and inspired dozens of volunteers from the university dental hygiene program and nearly 600 patients were instructed on proper brushing and were provided with pamphlets, toothbrushes, and floss to improve their oral health. Patient education is now an integral part of KMOM projects, and Denise feels she’s making a difference in peoples’ lives. “I love my profession and the opportunities it has provided for me to help others.”

Linda Meeuwenberg, RDH, MA, MA

Winter Park, FL

Being launched into early retirement by a disability has only fueled Linda’s passion for educating people about oral health. Her 25 years of working with the Shelby Michigan Migrant Health Services taught Linda the impact that oral health education has on the lives of the children she encountered. For the past 3 years, she has devoted herself to presenting oral healthcare programs for a wide variety of organizations in both Michigan and Florida. One of the most rewarding projects of her career was beginning an oral screening and education program for children of the working poor at the Orlando Compassion Center & Food Bank. The center now has a dental treatment room and a volunteer medical staff. Linda’s dream of taking her educational mission to other countries will be coming true later this year when she'll volunteer with healthcare and dental professionals in South Africa and Haiti.

Ilya Babiy, RDH, BSDH

Troutdale, OR

Ilya knew that he wanted to become a volunteer with the Medical Teams International mobile dental clinics in Portland, Oregon, even before he became a licensed dental hygienist. In 2007, he began volunteering several days each month on the organization’s traveling dental vans at clinics sponsored by local churches, drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers, hospitals, public schools, and social service organizations. Whether Ilya is reassuring elementary school children who are waiting to be anesthetized for dental treatment or congratulating rehab patients on their progress, connecting with his patients has opened his eyes to the change he can bring to peoples’ lives. “There’s a world of need out there and our skills and abilities can make a difference.”

Patricia Doyle, RDH, BS, FADPD

Seattle, WA

Patricia started her “dental-mental” service years ago when she began volunteering at Harborview Medical Center’s Mental Health Services Outpatient Programs. She quickly recognized that oral healthcare was an unmet need among people suffering from long-term, chronic mental illness. At Harborview and in private practice with her brother, Patricia has provided clinical services to these patients, and she’s taken her advocacy well beyond the clinical setting. Patricia has been an advocate for public sector dental services for those unable to afford private care and, as an affiliate instructor at the University of Washington, has taught dental students and practicing professionals about dentistry and psychiatric disorders. As a “labor of love,” Patricia has reached out to hundreds of people. “But it’s not about the numbers,” she says, “It’s about helping one person at a time.”

Judith Shimamoto, RDH, BA

St. Louis, MO; Presently, living and working on Kwajalein in the Marshall Islands

After her sons were grown and on their own, Judith decided to use her dental hygiene skills for a personal adventure. When she found a position as a clinical dental hygienist with a US contractor on a US military installation, she was off to the small island of Kwajalein in the Marshall Islands. Over the years, Judith has been active in the Greater St. Louis Dental Hygienist’s Association and involved with various community volunteer projects. Her new community in Kwajalein has provided her with the most rewarding and interesting outreach opportunities of her long career. She has initiated and collaborated on many creative, interactive projects that have helped educate children and adults on Kwajalein and neighboring islands about the importance of oral care. She’s grateful for the “opportunity to share something of value with the people who live in this beautiful island community.”

Diana L. Corbin, RDH

Flint Hill, VA

Diana’s full-time job in pediatric dentistry requires that she practice dental hygiene “through the eyes of a child,” but this didn’t blind her to the very real needs of the adult community in her area. Her passion for her work led Diana on a quest that resulted in the opening of the Culpeper Dental Clinic in 2008. For just $15, patients can visit a dentist for x-rays, a comprehensive exam, and restorative services. Diana recruits and coordinates the volunteers, interviews patients, schedules appointments, and ensures each patient has a plan to maximize their visit. With a newly expanded staff of hygienists, her goal for preventive care is being realized as well. She knows the clinic services benefit her patients’ health and confidence, and loves being able to make patients smile again!

Dona Gabzdyl, RDH, BS, MBA

Elk Grove Village, IL

Dona was part of a determined group who fought to pass a bill in their community allowing dental hygienists to provide oral healthcare to people with limited access. When the bill became law, she made a personal commitment to help the underserved receive the care they need. In keeping with her pledge, Dona became a pioneer hygienist volunteer for the Northwest Community Mobile Dental Clinic and received the Elk Grove Township Service to Community Award for her efforts. Her outreach extends beyond the clinical setting. Dona gives presentations in elementary schools and is involved with oral health projects with the Brownie Girl Scout Troop she leads. She also participated in a pilot research project to help increase awareness of the need for dental care among rural working people. Despite a long list of professional accomplishments, Dona is “most proud to contribute time to serve those with limited access to oral healthcare.”

Lisa Handa, BS, RDH, RDHAP

San Mateo, CA

As community chair for the Peninsula Dental Hygienists’ Association, Lisa’s positive, “can-do” attitude toward spreading the word about oral health has made a difference. In her first year of service, volunteers assembled and sent 500 oral care kits to troops in Iraq. Lisa has enthusiastically recruited colleagues to help provide oral screening and education to more than 1100 at-risk children at a local dental clinic. Her oral health programs range from education on preventive care at the local children’s library, to continuing education for professionals in collaboration with United Cerebral Palsy that raises awareness of oral care issues in special-needs patients. With her tireless devotion to oral health, Lisa has helped open the eyes and hearts of her peers to the importance of giving back, and renewing the joy of helping others in those who thought they had nothing left to give.

Jessica Huffman, RDH, BSDH

Charlotte, NC

Jessica’s love of volunteering began in dental hygiene school where she had the opportunity to give her time and services to schools, nursing homes, and a children’s dental clinic. Since graduating, her outreach efforts have become more frequent and focused on providing oral health and nutrition education to underserved children. Jessica engages elementary school children in oral care with costumes, books, and instructions on how to make teeth “happy” and, twice a month, she provides dental care throughout the county on a mobile dental bus. Jessica also volunteers at an organization dedicated to providing care for single mothers and their babies. There she educates young women about oral health during pregnancy and the importance of establishing good oral hygiene habits with their newborns. Jessica hopes that her own volunteerism will inspire other dental professionals to volunteer their time and services to underserved communities.