ADHA Announces Recipient of 2009 Colgate/ADHA
Community Outreach Award

Chicago, July 6, 2009-The American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA) has named Pinellas County Dental Hygiene Association as a recipient of the Colgate/ADHA Community Outreach Award. It 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 components that have implemented significant community outreach programs focusing on preventive oral health care. The winning component organizations demonstrated collaboration with appropriate nondental and dental partners, innovation and creativity in application of proven strategies, and a congruence of program strategies with established objectives.

The “Head Start Caries Intervention Program” was implemented in Pinellas County, Fla., to treat at-risk children enrolled at Head Start centers throughout the county. It aimed to reduce the prevalence of dental caries in underserved, high-risk populations by providing fluoride varnish applications. Its goals helped meet objectives of Healthy People 2010 by increasing community awareness and action, increasing oral health knowledge, and enhancing general overall and oral health through fluoride varnish applications. The award was accepted by Maryellen D. Tilly.

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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