BLINN DENTAL HYGIENE STUDENTS EARN TOP AWARD AND SCHOLARSHIPS

  

Three students Blinn College dental hygiene students earned accolades at a recent state conference for their research and outstanding academic achievements.

Blinn’s student chapter of the American Dental Hygienists’ Association recently attended a joint conference of the Texas Dental Hygienists’ Association Student Annual Session and the Texas Dental Hygiene Educators Association Annual Session in San Marcos. Students and faculty participated in a variety of events, including professional development and governmental affairs in support of improving the public’s total health through advancement of the art and science of dental hygiene.

Second-year students Ashley Stevenson of Brenham and Morgan Davis of Waller earned second place for their presentation, “Laser Therapies of Dental Hygiene.” Theirs was one of 12 entries from associate and bachelor’s degree programs across the state.

Stevenson was awarded the B.J. Long Memorial Scholarship and Madelyne Mann of San Marcos received the Nicole Eusebio Memorial Service Scholarship for their outstanding leadership, excellent academic standing and service to the community.

“We’re incredibly proud of our students,” said Lisa Wiese, Dental Hygiene Program director. “Our students continually prove that some of the best dental hygienists graduate from Blinn College.”

As Texas student delegate to the Texas Dental Hygienists’ Association (TDHA), Stevenson attended the TDHA annual session as a voting member last September and gave a speech at this month’s conference.

“The conference is an excellent way to network with other students and preview the professional organization,” Stevenson said. “It serves as a nice reminder as to why we do what we do. It renews our spark and enthusiasm for dental hygiene.”

Students participated in “Hygienists’ Prep,” a quiz bowl-style activity that tested students’ knowledge for the licensing exam. First-year students Brittaney Weade and Arielle Bonneau were awarded for their creativity during the conference’s annual costume contest, in which students design costumes out of dental materials and display their creations with a five-minute routine.

“The students have a blast and learn more about dental hygiene in three days than they ever could have imagined possible,” said Marque Mathis, advisor of Blinn’s TDHA student chapter. “It’s a fantastic opportunity for them to learn, grow and represent Blinn among 24 other programs.”

Blinn’s rigorous Dental Hygiene Program prepares students for a career as a dental hygienist or for transfer into a bachelor degree program at a four-year university. Students get hands-on experience at the program’s dental hygiene clinic and highly-qualified faculty work closely with students in classroom and clinical settings.

Program entry is highly competitive, with admission limited to the top 14 applicants each Fall.

The Dental Hygiene Program annually hosts Give Kids a Smile, an initiative of the American Dental Association that provides free preventative dental services to qualifying local children. At their most recent Give Kids a Smile event, more than 50 children in Bryan-College Station received cleanings, x-rays, fluoride treatments and oral hygiene instruction at no cost.

For more information on Blinn’s Dental Hygiene Program, visit www.blinn.edu/twe/dental/Index.htm

Story courtesy of Blinn College.