ADHA Announces Recipient of 2007 Johnson & Johnson/ADHA Excellence in Dental Hygiene Award

Chicago—July 12, 2007—The American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA) has named Jenny K. Sheaffer, RDH, of Blue Bell, Pa., as a recipient of the 2007 Johnson & Johnson/ADHA Excellence in Dental Hygiene Award. She was honored during the opening ceremonies at ADHA’s 84th annual session in New Orleans, La., on June 22nd.

The award recognizes outstanding achievement and dedication to the profession of dental hygiene. With this award, ADHA and Johnson & Johnson recognize individual dental hygienists who have made “outstanding accomplishments that have a significant impact on the practice and future of the dental hygiene profession.” The recipients have at least 10 years of membership in ADHA, demonstrate an active involvement in the association, and were nominated by a colleague for their outstanding accomplishments.

Sheaffer graduated from Temple University with a Certificate in Dental Hygiene in 1972; Farleigh Dickinson University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Dental Hygiene in 1976; and Columbia University with a Master of Science degree in Education and Administration in 1977.

In addition to 7 years of clinical practice, Sheaffer was a full-time faculty member in the Department of Dental Hygiene at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, Pa., for 16 years. At Jefferson, she was responsible for teaching a variety of dental hygiene courses, served as Co-Coordinator of Continuing Education, and founded and served as faculty advisor to the dental hygiene honor society Beta Omega chapter.

In 1993 Sheaffer became a full-time faculty member and Senior Clinic Coordinator at Montgomery County Community College. Appointed as Director of the Dental Hygiene program in 2003, she is currently responsible for the leadership and management of the program. She also serves as advisor to the program’s Student American Dental Hygienists’ Association (SADHA) chapter.

Sheaffer is a past recipient of the Burlington Resources foundation Faculty Achievement Award and has twice received the Pennsylvania Dental Hygienists’ Association Academic Effort Award. She has presented and been published nationally and internationally on her teaching and research interests in the areas of radiology, dental materials, and dental hygiene.

Award recipients received a $2,500 check, awarded at the President’s Luncheon in New Orleans, La; complimentary round trip airfare and meeting registration, two nights' lodging at the Sheraton New Orleans, two days' per diem, and two complimentary tickets to the luncheon which was held on Sunday, June 24, 2007. The gifts were provided through the generous support of Pfizer Consumer Healthcare.

ADHA is the largest national organization representing the professional interests of more than 120,000 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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