Newswise — Pittsburgh (June 11, 2016) — More than 2,000 individuals gathered in Pittsburgh, Pa., on June 8-14, 2016, for the 2016 American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA) Center for Lifelong Learning at the 93rd Annual Session. The ADHA is proud to announce its various award winners from this year’s event — awardees who epitomize the commitment and professionalism of those involved in the field of dental hygiene, and who are dedicated to improving the public’s oral and overall health.
Below are the 2016 award winners:
ADHA Award for Excellence in Dental Hygiene (sponsored by Johnson & Johnson). The winners of these awards personify what those in the dental hygiene profession strive to exemplify to their patients, communities, and the world through a career dedicated to improving oral and overall health.
* Winner: Karen Leigh Neiner, RDH, BSDH, MBA; Chicago, Ill.
* Winner: Olga A. C. Ibsen, RDH, MS, FAADH; Bronxville, N.Y.
Esther Wilkins Future Leader Award (sponsored by Hu-Friedy). Awarded to a dental hygienist demonstrating leadership within five years of graduating from a dental hygiene program.
* Winner: Laura A. Smith, RDH, BS; Sykesville, Md.
Irene Newman Award (sponsored by Colgate). Awarded for outstanding advancement of the art and science of dental hygiene.
* Winner: Jacquelyn L. Fried, B.A., RDH, MS; Baltimore, Md.
Alfred C. Fones Award. Awarded for lasting contributions to the dental hygiene profession over the last 25 years.
* Winner: Karen O. Skaff, REDH, Ph.D.; Nicholasville, Ky.
Colgate/ADHA Community Outreach Award. This award honors components that have implemented significant community outreach programs that focus on preventive oral health care.
* Winner: Joan E Wood, RDH, Founder & Director of Supply A Smile; Canandaigua, N.Y.
Student Member Community Service Award (sponsored by Colgate). This award recognizes a student member chapter that has demonstrated outstanding community service activities.
* Winner: SUNY Broome Community College; Binghamton, N.Y.
Crest Oral-B/ADHA Award for Clinical Dental Hygienists. This award acknowledges the contributions dental hygienists make in their patients’ lives, particularly when it comes to the impact of patient education and the critical role oral health plays in total health.
* Winner: Danielle Pietraszewski, RDH; Berkley, Mich.
Crest + Oral-B/ADHA Educator of the Year. Awarded to an educator who demonstrates excellence in teaching, mentoring and helping students achieve their goals.
* Winner: Winnie Furnari, RDH, MS, FAADH; Yonkers, N.Y.
ADHA Sigma Phi Alpha Journalism Award (sponsored by Johnson & Johnson). This award recognizes one student at the baccalaureate level, and another at the master’s level. These students have written a review or original research paper that contributes to dental hygiene’s overall body of knowledge and meets the rigorous quality standards of the ADHA’s Journal of Dental Hygiene.
* Master’s/Doctoral Category: Dina M. Canasi, DHSc, MSDH, RDH; Tampa, Fla.
Hu-Friedy/ADHA Master Clinician. Awarded for the demonstration of expertise in bringing clinical practice and patient education together.
* Winner: Melissa A Obrotka, RDH, BA; Highland Lakes, N.J.
