Links for Volunteerism Opportunities
CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS FOR ORAL HEALTH
In NJ you can assist children is obtaining needed oral healthcare - volunteer and/or contribute with:
American Dental Hygienists’ Association Institute for Oral Health
Scam Alert 6/7/2023:
The Division of Consumer Affairs (Division) is warning all licensed professionals about individuals impersonating New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs (DCA) investigators, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents, DEA investigators, New Jersey Drug Control Unit investigators, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigators, and other law enforcement personnel, as part of an extortion scheme.
The impersonators are contacting licensees by telephone or letter, stating that they are the subject of an investigation. The callers are demanding money to clear up the matter, or threatening to revoke the individual’s license. Please be advised that the Division of Consumer Affairs will not contact licensees by telephone to discuss investigations or demand money.
Anyone receiving a telephone call from a person purporting to be any of the above mentioned individuals seeking money, should refuse the demand. We encourage you to report the call to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. You may also report the call to the Division at AskConsumerAffairs@lps.state.nj.us
ADHA Institute for Oral Health (IOH) - Apply for Needed Funds
IOH administers funds for a variety of projects.
Congratulations to the MJKD Award
Winner
Amy Shah, RDH, MDH, is this year's recipient of the MJKD Faculty Mentorship Award! Amy is a member of Southern Component and on the faculty at Rowan College of Burlington County. She will receive the award during the Opening Session of the Annual Conference in October.
Bright Smiles, Bright Fultures
Delivering Health Education to Children
Calling all dental professionals!!!
The Colgate Bright Smiles, Bright Futures program is looking for volunteers for visual examinations on children 12 years and younger at locations throughout New Jersey and New York.
CLICK HERE to view the letter from Omar Sanchez, RDH, NJDHA's Public Health Issues Director, with dates and locations listed.
You can email newyorkbsbfteam@gmail.com any dates you are interesting in volunteering for, and more information on the screening process will be emailed to you.
Dental Hygienist Spotlight is an opportunity with NJDHA to tell your story and show those in our state and beyond how you make a difference in your community, state, nation, or world as a dental hygienist volunteer. NJDHA’s goal with Dental Hygienist Spotlight is to share the journey of various dental hygienists through NJDHA. It is to demonstrate how we, as dental hygienists, make a difference in such diverse and unique ways each day to impact others’ lives and enhance overall health. We want to empower other dental hygienists to engage in your journey and possibly create a pathway in their lives to serve others as a dental hygienist volunteer. We want to shed light to others on the multiple opportunities to volunteer as a dental hygiene professional and the numerous variations to accommodate your schedule to volunteer. Nominate yourself or a fellow hygienist today!!
Looking for an NJDHA Spotlight for January 2025
SHARE YOUR STORY, OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW
Email form to: centraloffice@njdha.org
Congratulations to Amy Shah, RDH, MDH
The Mars Wrigley Foundation Healthier Smiles Program has awarded Amy Shah, the dental hygiene program director at Rowan College of Burlington County, $5000 to launch the pilot program
"Veterans Smile Day"
Another Year of Success for the NJ Special Olympics Healthy Athletes Special Smiles Program-
Participation by NJDHA Members, Dental Hygiene Program Faculty, & Dental Hygiene Students
The Special Olympics of New Jersey welcomed the New Jersey Dental Hygienists’ Association to its upcoming Special Smiles event. Healthy Athletes Special Smiles Program for the 2024 Summer Games for the Special Olympics was held from June 7-9 and NJDHA members and dental hygiene program students attended to volunteer their time and skills.
The NJ Special Olympics Smiles Program was a success again, with the inclusion and diversity of dental hygiene volunteers joining through our NJDHA outreach. The NJ Special Olympics welcomed any dental professional, dental and dental hygiene student for their Healthy Athletes “Special Smiles” event at The College of New Jersey. Oral health screenings were provided for the athletes by the dental hygienists, dentists, and dental students volunteering. Dental hygiene students promoted continued oral health by checking in athletes, fabricating mouthguards, and providing oral health instruction for the athletes after screenings.
A huge additional thanks to the dental hygienists, faculty, and students for diving into this outreach this year to support the oral health of these athletes and their caregivers oral health knowledge. For more information on future Special Olympics event volunteering opportunities in Fall 2024 for dental hygienists and dental hygiene students, please watch our NJDHA website and social media outlets for more information. View photos from the volunteers at the Summer 2024 Special Smiles Event below. Thank you to all who give back!
Email us to see how you can help: centraloffice@njdha.org
RAM aims to improve oral health awareness and offer free services to those who might not have regular access to dental care. Pamela Graboso-Saul RDH, MSDH, and Professor Lynn Tobin from Middlesex College were among the volunteers who provided medical and dental screenings, preventive care, and patient education. Patients expressing their gratitude highlight the need for improved access to health care and give volunteers motivation to do so again.
The American Dental Hygienists’ Association continues to serve its members with a productive House of Delegates. This year’s decisions will make our Association more efficient, attract new members, and advance policies that reflect our 21st Century profession.
The ADHA HOD is the annual business meeting of the Association, in the same way NJDHA General Membership Meeting is the Constituent’s business meeting. The outcome of our House of Delegates is
A new slate of Officers and Directors
Directors
District I: Carmen Negron-Dupee BSFCS RDH
District II: Carolynn Wahl RDH BSDH PHDHP FADHA
District III: Sheri Moore RDH BSHS FADHA
District IV: Renee Spencer RDH FADHA
District V: Jerelyn Smith RDH FADHA
District VI: Carrie Fowler RDH
District VII: Carissa Renae Regnerus RDH MA FADHA
District VIII: Christina Emmert RDH PRP FADHADistrict IX: Joanna Allaire RDH BSDH MDH FADHADistrict X: Laura Green RDH MEd FADHADistrict XI: Pamela Larrabee RDH BAS MA
Officers
President: Erin Haley-Hitz RDH BSDH MS FADHA MAADH
President-elect: Lancette Van Guilder BS RDH PHEDH CEAS FADHA
Vice President: Jessica August CDA RDH BSDH MSDH
Speaker of the HOD: Valoree Althoff MHA BSDH CPP-T PRP FADHA
Immediate Past President: Becky Smith CRDH EdD FADHA
Treasurer: Chante Miller CRDH CLSSGB MBA
A Bylaws amendment that gives the responsibility of amending the Bylaws to the ADHA Board of Directors, similar to the responsibility NJDHA Board of Directors has for our Constituent’s Bylaws.
A new category of membership entitled New Professional Members, who can be targeted for discounted rates and special programs to introduce them to the profession and foster their involvement and loyalty to the Association.
Two policy statements supporting professional growth and autonomy.
A policy statement supporting the reduction of barriers new dental hygienists face in getting licensed.
A policy statement broadening support of loan forgiveness to dental hygienists
A definition of free sugars and a policy statement supporting the limitation of free sugars in the diet.
Special thanks to our District II Director
Carolynn Wahl RDH BSDH PHDHP FADHA
Our NJDHA Delegation
Chair
Howard M Notgarnie RDH EdD FADHA
Delegate
Stacy Onofrietti RDH MS PhD CHP FADHA
Delegate
Mary Buttery RDH
Alternate
Kim Attanasi PhD BCMAS RDH FADHA
Alternate
Sue Scherer BS RDH
Delegate
Pamela Graboso-Saul RDH MSDH
The Special Olympics of New Jersey wants to welcome the New Jersey Dental Hygienists’ Association to its upcoming Special Smiles event. Click the button below to access the volunteer instructions.
Cooper University is currently searching for extraordinary dental hygienists. Scan the QR code for more information or visit Jobs at CooperHealth.org...
Dental Hygiene Student Spotlight is an opportunity with the NJDHA to tell your story as a student in a NJ program and show those in our state and beyond how students make a difference in their institution, community, state, nation, or even globally as a volunteer. NJDHA’s goal with the Dental Hygiene Student Spotlight is to share the journey of various dental hygiene students throughout NJ. It is to demonstrate how dental hygiene students make a difference in such diverse and unique ways each day to impact others’ lives and enhance overall health through any avenues that they can. Nominate yourself or a fellow student today!!
Looking for an NJDHA Student Spotlight for January 2025
SHARE YOUR STORY, OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW
Email form to: centraloffice@njdha.org
Dorothy (Dodie) was a practicing dental hygienist for 63 years and held license #71 in the State of NJ. It all began in 1950 when she received a two-year certificate from the dental hygiene program at West Liberty State College (now University) in West Virginia. Following that, she enrolled in three summer sessions at West Virginia University, while her husband got his master’s degree.
Dodie was employed by a private dental office for one year for Dr. G. Lansing Taylor in New Jersey, before she married and moved to Virginia. There she taught school for one-and-a-half years until she could take her Virginia state board. At that time, the Virginia Bureau of Dental Health hired Dodie, who was the first state-hired dental hygienist. They provided her with surplus World War II equipment and assigned her to Rockbridge County. For two years, Dodie covered 16 rural grade schools, many of which had a single light hanging from the ceiling in the classrooms and did not have running water. There she would educate children on how to brush their teeth and the importance of oral health prior to doing a prophylaxis and four applications of sodium fluoride treatments. In addition to providing dental care to these rural communities, Dodie was responsible for raising the funds for this service which she did by petitioning local service organizations. The cost at the time was $1.50 per child. In 1955, she returned to Dr. Taylor’s practice, then located in Summit, NJ where she had started. She spent an additional 18 years in that office.
In 1970, Dodie was hired by Dr. Arthur K. Milne in Basking Ridge, who’s practice was bought by Dr. Joseph Micale in 1993. Dodie continued to work for Dr. Micale, and will be retired on January 4, 2014. Over the course of her 44 years at this practice, Dodie continued to keep current by taking many more than required hours of continuing education. She became Miss Dodie to many of her patients, had the privilege of working on 3 and 4 generations of families, and volunteered at local wellness events for adults and children.
In 2011, Dodie was one of eight dental hygienists nationwide who was awarded the Sunstar Award of Distinction for excellence in the field. She is the first hygienist in the history of the award to be in practice for over 55 years, and was awarded this honor not only as “a testament to the longevity of a dental hygiene career, but also an inspiration to patients and colleagues alike,” according to Sunstar spokeswoman Cathleen Terhune Alty, RDH.
During the course of her career, Dodie was married and widowed twice, and raised a daughter, who was the joy of her life.
Dodie was active in her community over the years, volunteering dental hygiene services at Methany, a school for children with developmental challenges, and served in various positions for the ADHA and NJDHA. A former board member, Dodie remained active with Visiting Nurses Adult Day Care Center. She was also an active member of the Basking Ridge Garden Club, and Bonafides, a fund-raising association for local charities.
