ADHA Announces Recipient of 2007 Discus Dental/ADHA Distinguished Service Award – Catherine A. Berard, RDH, BSDH

Chicago, September 18, 2007—The American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA) has named Catherine A. Berard, RDH, BSDH, of Great Falls, Va., as a recipient of the 2007 Discus Dental/ADHA Distinguished Service Award. She was honored during the opening ceremonies at ADHA’s 84th annual session in New Orleans, La., on June 22nd.

The award is presented to ADHA members who have provided exemplary service to ADHA, its constituents, and its components. Each winner has a minimum of 10 years of ADHA active membership and association leadership, has advanced the art and science of dental hygiene through service to the association, and was nominated by their constituent.

Berard is currently practicing dental hygiene at the Dental Arts Center in Reston, Va.

Berard graduated from the University of Michigan School of Dentistry in 1973 with a Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene. A past president of the Virginia Dental Hygienists’ Association (VDHA) from 2004-2005, Berard currently serves as Governmental and Professional Affairs Council Chair for the VDHA as well as serving as a member on the Contract Review and Budget and Finance Committees. On the local level, she served as president for two terms (2002-2004) and currently serves as Chair for both the Legislative Committee and the Bylaws Committee for the Northern Virginia Dental Hygienists’ Association. In addition, Berard is a Director and Secretary for the VDHA Foundation which provides charitable and educational grants to both hygienists and hygiene students.

Berard serves on the Northern Virginia Community College (NVCC) Dental Hygiene curriculum advisory committee and as adjunct faculty at NVCC teaches an Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) course in their workforce development program.

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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