ADHA Announces Recipient of 2004 Distinguished Service Award-Barbara Posler

Chicago-August 16, 2004 – The American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA) has named Barbara Posler, RDH, of Albuquerque, N.M., as a recipient of the 2004 ADHA Distinguished Service Award.

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

Posler graduated from University of Detroit Mercy, in 1970. She is currently employed in private practice at Daniel DeFazzio, DDS and Brian Dennis, DDS. She has served as president of the New Mexico Dental Hygienists’ Association and ADHA delegate chair as well as other positions.

Posler, active in the community as well as legislatively, helped Senator Bingaman and ADHA draft the Children’s Dental Health Improvement Act in February 1999. She served on two committees to prevent the closure of a dental hygiene program, and has helped advance it from an associate program to a bachelor’s level program. Posler also helps organize and participates in the Healthy Smiles clinic, which offers an average of 130 children oral health exams, treatments, sealants and instruction. She has also contributed to the Special Olympics program by helping create mouth-guards for the athletes, as well as helping with oral health education and “healthy snack” seminars for the participants.

Posler 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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