Montana State University-Great Falls Receives Student Member
Community Service Award

The American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA) has named Montana State University, Great Falls—College of Technology, Dental Hygiene Student Chapter as a recipient of the Student Member Community Service Award. Montana State University was honored during the Saturday Plenary Session and ADHA Award Presentations at ADHA’s 86th Annual Session in Washington, D.C., on June 20.

This award recognizes outstanding student chapters of ADHA that have made a significant contribution to the community. At least 90 percent of an institution’s dental hygiene class must be student members of ADHA for the chapter to be eligible for consideration.

The Montana State University Dental Hygiene Student Chapter was honored for their sponsorship and participation in the “No Smile Left Behind” Sealant Day on March 28. The Sealant Day was held in conjunction with the Cascade Community Health Fair, which draws people from a 200-mile radius, including many residents from the rural areas of Montana. “No Smile Left Behind” provided free dental screenings, sealants, fluoride application and oral health instruction to children between the ages of 6-17. Children were seen on a first-come, first-serve basis. While dentists donated their time to provide the screenings, all 26 students from the dental hygiene program provided the remainder of the oral health services. A total of 580 hours was donated by the dental hygiene students for the event.

ADHA is the largest national organization representing the professional interests of more than 150,000 dental hygienists across the country. Dental hygienists are preventive oral health professionals, licensed in dental hygiene, who provide educational, clinical and therapeutic services that support total health through the promotion of optimal oral health. For more information about ADHA, dental hygiene or the link between oral health and general health, visit ADHA at http://www.adha.org.

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