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From the President:
Dear Colleagues and Friends,
I hope the New Year finds you well. For many people the New Year prompts reflections of the past and hope for the future. As your newly elected NHDHA President, I have many aspirations and dreams for our profession! I feel together we can easily achieve many of the smaller goals in the year ahead. I would love to see the profession of dental hygiene become more readily recognizable by the general public (which, of course, includes our legislators). The simple act of displaying our license, ADHA membership, and diplomas proudly in our place of work can become a great conversation starter. We need to build value for our profession. The public does not yet appreciate what it took for us to get our license and our scope of practice. Distinguish yourself from other dental professionals, be proud of your training, your education (including continuing education), the rigorous exams, and boards certifications.
We continue to collaborate and forge stronger bonds with partnering organizations such as The NH Oral Health Coalition, NH Technical Institute, NH Dental Society, and many more! Together, we will work towards a common goal of improving oral health and opening access to affordable dental care to the people of NH.
Of course as President, I want to see membership grow.
I would like to see NHDHA grow through great training events and fun social outings. I believe growth is a product of relationships. If you're anything like me, you enjoy being in a room full of like-minded people, especially fellow hygienists. With that in mind, check out the courses we are offering this year -- many of them are out of our normal realm and we know you're going to love them! What could be more wonderful than yoga specifically designed for hygienists presented by hygienist Cathy Mook?! Another evening CE that I want to recommend highly is Communicating Mindfully with Dan Huston. I took his 12-week course at NHTI and it was life-changing!
In the year ahead, it would be great to have more involvement with the public! Things as simple as bringing attention to national events like Children's Dental Health Month (February) or National Dental Hygiene Month (October) by sponoring or creating an event in your community and inviting the local media to attend. As dental hygienists, many of us are health-minded and active, we can create teams to participate in a local Run/Walk. Another idea is a toothbrush trade-in at the Boys & Girls Club. These are just a few ideas, we would love to hear from you and how NHDHA can help facilitate!
Dental hygiene is a vital profession in both the public and private sector. We are an educated, talented, and passionate group. Together we can make a difference! I look forward to hearing from you! Please share what you envision for the next year and how NHDHA can help you realize your goals.
All the Best,
Pam Delahanty, RDH, CPHDH
NHDHA President and Student Liason
(603)547-5914
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