Awards

ODHA is proud to offer the following Awards and Scholarships: 

ODHA Future Leader Award

The ODHA Future Leader Award recognizes the next generation of leaders in the dental hygiene profession. This award may be presented each year to one graduating student from each of the accredited dental hygiene programs in Oregon.  

Award recipients will be nominated by their faculty based on their potential to pursue leadership roles in our professional association. Award recipients must be student members of ADHA and demonstrate active participation in their student chapter of ADHA. Only one graduating student may be nominated from each school. 

Dennis Muir Scholarship and Awards of Excellence

The Dennis Muir Scholarship Award began in 1990 in honor of Dennis Muir, a longtime supporter of preventive oral healthcare and community volunteerism. During his long working career with Proctor & Gamble, and in his retirement, Dennis has been involved in community service. This scholarship has been established and primarily funded by donations and sales of license mats.

To be eligible for the Dennis Muir Scholarship, the applicant must be an Oregon resident, a first year dental hygiene student attending an Oregon program, and have at least a 3.0 GPA at the completion of the first term/semester of their dental hygiene program.

Applicants are evaluated on their scholarship, leadership, compassion, ethical standards, community service, and communication skills.

One Scholarship is presented each year at the ODHA Annual Meeting. The top applicant from each school not receiving the Dennis Muir Scholarship will be presented with an Award of Excellence.

Click here for more information on the Dennis Muir Scholarship and Awards of Excellence  

 

Lois Whitford Memorial Scholarship

The Lois Whitford Memorial Scholarship is a scholarship that was formed in 1997 by ODHA's Professional Development Council to honor the memory of Lois Whitford. Lois was a very influential leader within Oregon Dental Hygienists' Association and the American Dental Hygienists' Association.

This scholarship is offered annually in the spring to the graduating dental hygiene students and is based on the submission of an essay selected by a committee of former students of Lois Whitford.

Click here for more information on the Lois Whitford Memorial Scholarship 

Lynn Ironside Access to Care Award

The Lynn Ironside Access to Care Award recognizes an ODHA member who has made a significant contribution to increasing access to dental care for underserved patients. This award was established by ODHA in 2016 to honor Lynn Ironside for her many years of work to increase access to care for underserved patients and to advance the dental hygiene profession. Lynn’s advocacy work with ODHA led to Oregon becoming one of the first states to create an opportunity for dental hygienists to practice without the supervision of a dentist so that they could increase access to dental care for underserved patients.

This award is presented annually at the Oregon Dental Hygiene Conference. Nominations should be received by October 16th each year. Self-nominations are encouraged.

Click here for more information about the Lynn Ironside Access to Care Award