ADHA Announces Recipient of 2011 ADHA/Esther Wilkins Future Leader Award sponsored by Hu-Friedy—Monica Colleen Stephenson, RDH, BS

CHICAGO, July 6, 2011—The American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA) has named Monica Colleen Stephenson, RDH, BS of Pocatello, Idaho, as the recipient of ADHA/Esther Wilkins Future Leader Award. She was honored during the Plenary Session at ADHA’s 88th Annual Session in Nashville, Tenn. on June 18.

Stephenson earned her bachelor’s degree in dental hygiene from Idaho State University (ISU) in 2007. She has been a member of ADHA since 2005, and served as president of her student chapter at ISU from 2006-2007. She has served as secretary for the Portneuf Valley Component since 2007. Stephenson acted as secretary for the Idaho Dental Hygienists’ Association (IDHA) from 2009-2010, and is currently IDHA vice president. She was selected as IDHA’s Annual Session Chairperson for 2009 and 2010. Stephenson works part-time as a dental hygienist for the Idaho Falls Dental Group in Idaho Falls. She also works as an adjunct faculty member in the department of dental hygiene at ISU, where she serves as the student chapter advisor. She plans on pursing a master’s degree in dental hygiene at ISU this coming fall.

Sponsored by Hu-Friedy, this award was created to recognize dental hygienists who exhibit a strong commitment to the dental hygiene profession and have demonstrated leadership in ADHA within five years of graduation from an accredited dental hygiene program.

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 www.adha.org.

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