ADHA Announces Recipient of 2004 Distinguished Service Award-Tanya Riffe

Chicago-August 5, 2004 – The American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA) has named Tanya S. Riffe, RDH, BS, of Ravenel, S.C., as a recipient of the 2004 ADHA Distinguished Service Award.

The award recognizes outstanding achievement and dedication to the profession of dental hygiene.

Riffe, who works for the Medical University of South Carolina Maxillofacial Prosthodontics Clinic, in Charleston, has been an active member of the dental hygiene community for more than 25 years and has held numerous positions with component and constituent dental hygiene associations, including president. Most recently, she served as an ADHA Institute of Oral Health liaison and the smoking cessation liaison.

Her work within the community has included research and development of a videotape titled “Oral Hygiene Procedures for the Bedridden Patient,” which was awarded a grant by the Health Sciences Consortium and kept on file as the only video dealing with the issue. Currently serving as president of the Yul Brynner Head and Neck Cancer Foundation, she is the first dental hygienist member of this association and has actively recruited more dental hygienists to join.

Riffe was honored during the opening ceremonies at ADHA’s 81st annual session in Dallas on June 23.

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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