Member Moments
Member Moments is a special campaign sponsored by Haleon, a leader in oral
care and home of trusted brands Sensodyne and Pronamel, who are raising the
bar for health professionals, patients, and everyday health.
We are extremely proud of how much CDHA members give back to their
communities, clients, and the profession of dental hygiene. We are pleased to
partner with Haleon on this campaign to recognize and highlight members for
various achievements and honours.
Congratulations and well-deserved kudos to you all!
If you know of any deserving CDHA members who should be recognized, please
submit details to Angie D’Aoust at
marketing@cdha.ca.
Select a Year:
2025 Honours
Spring 2025 Honours
Featuring
- Ashleigh Peck
- Kiara Stefansson
- Iris Lin
- David Okunola
- Meaghan Bennett
- Laura Perri Voros
- Tayyaba Fiaz
- Bev Woods
- Tarik Abdulkarim
- Natasha Pelley
- Lindsay Van Dam
- Noreen Ocampo
- Paulette Dahlseide
Spring 2025 Honours
Ashleigh Peck
Congratulations to Ashleigh Peck, owner of Purely Mobile Hygiene,
who recently received a City of Kingston Accessibility Award,
acknowledging those making significant contributions to improving
access for everyone in the city. Ashleigh provides dental hygiene
services directly to people in their homes and retirement
communities, aiming to make oral health care more accessible.
Kiara Stefansson
Third-year University of Manitoba student Kiara Stefansson
received two of the School of Dental Hygiene’s most prestigious
awards: the Dr AW Hogg Scholarship and the Isbister Undergraduate
Scholarship in Dental Hygiene awarded to the dental hygiene
student with the highest academic standing.
Iris Lin
Congratulations to Iris Lin, whose PhD in oral biology and oral
and maxillofacial pathology was conferred by the University of
British Columbia (UBC) on Friday, November 29, 2024. Dr Lin had
previously earned a BDSc (ETP) and a MSc from UBC.
David Okunola
Dalhousie University student David Okunola was the recipient of
the Highest Academic Standing in Dental Hygiene Award and a
co-recipient of the KeatingBekkers Award in Dental Hygiene award.
The KeatingBekkers Award is given to a student in the School of
Dental Hygiene who shows exceptional promise, outstanding
attributes, and interest in the profession of dental hygiene.
Meaghan Bennett
Congratulations to Meaghan Bennett who, within her role as lead,
community health at Oulton College, received the 2024 Award of
Merit from the New Brunswick Dental Society, recognizing the
contributions of the Tooth Fairy Program in Moncton. Meaghan also
recently earned her Master of Health Studies, with a teaching
focus, from Athabasca University.
Laura Perri Voros
Laura Perri Voros graduated from the Doctor of Education program
at Western University (London, Ontario) on October 24, 2024. Laura
hopes to apply the knowledge and experiences learned from this
journey to advance the profession.
Tayyaba Fiaz
Congratulations to Tayyaba Fiaz for being presented with a
Diversity and Inclusion Appreciation Award from the Canada
Pakistan Affiliated Chamber of Trade (CPACT), in recognition of
her ongoing efforts and commitment to community health, and
continuous dedication to improving oral health accessibility.
Since 2021, Tayyaba Fiaz has been organizing, managing, and
participating in small- and large-scale community outreach dental
hygiene clinics in Montreal and its surrounding suburbs. These
clinics bring together volunteer dental hygienists to provide
essential oral care services to vulnerable populations, ensuring
access to quality oral health care for those in need. Through
Tayyaba’s leadership and dedication, she has fostered strong
connections within the dental hygiene community and expanded the
impact of these initiatives.
Bev Woods
CDHA board director for Ontario and founder of Gift From the Heart
Bev Woods was recently elected president of the Quinte West
Chamber of Commerce.
Tarik Abdulkarim
Congratulations to Tarik Abdulkarim, winner of Dalhousie
University’s 2025 Faculty of Dentistry Impact Award. The award
recognizes his impact as co-president of his class and his service
on several committees and boards. He was also the corecipient of
the Keating-Bekkers Award in Dental Hygiene, which is given to a
dental hygiene student “who shows exceptional promise, outstanding
attributes, and interest in the profession of dental hygiene.”
Natasha Pelley
Natasha Pelley’s SnuggleTooth Smile Mobile Clinic in St. John’s,
Newfoundland and Labrador, was the winner of the $10,000 Small
Business Grant 2025 from Zensurance in recognition of her
remarkable dedication and ambition to provide dental hygiene care
to underserved communities in her region.
Lindsay Van Dam
Congratulations to Lindsay Van Dam who has been selected as one of
Dalhousie University’s 2025 OpenThink Scholars. These are a select
group of PhD researchers conducting work that informs public
discourse, influences policy, and drives innovation. Scholars are
trained in communications and knowledge translation to engage
audience in their work beyond academia. Lindsay will be hosting a
blog, sharing evidence-based information and insights on the
importance of oral health, the role of oral health professionals,
and ways in which interprofessional education for collaborative
practice can support goals for integrated oral/health care teams
and systems.
Noreen Ocampo
Noreen Ocampo, founder of The Filipino-Canadian Dental Hygienists’
Society, was awarded the King Charles III Coronation Medal. The
medal recognizes individuals of all ages and walks of life who
have made a difference in their communities in the areas of
service, sustainability, and diversity.
Paulette Dahlseide
Congratulations to Paulette Dahlseide, DipDH, MSc, RDH (she/her),
CDHA member and board director from Alberta, on her appointment as
the Network for Canadian Oral Health Research (NCOHR) Indigenous
Peoples’ Health Working Group chair, effective March 1, 2025.
Paulette is a proud Métis woman and citizen of the Métis Nation in
Alberta. Living and working on Treaty 6 territory of the Cree, the
Nakoda Sioux, the Dene, and the Saulteaux, her family names are
Garneau, Lacombe, Lavallee, and Thomas with extensive history and
connection to the Métis homelands of the Red River and into
Northeastern Alberta.
With a Diploma in Dental Hygiene (1994), Bachelor of Science in
Dental Hygiene (2014), and Master of Science in Medical Sciences
(2024) from the University of Alberta, Paulette has been a dental
hygienist for 30 years. Her independent dental hygiene practice, a
storefront and mobile clinic, has been committed to bringing
accessible, preventive oral health care to patients in their
homes, community health centres, schools, and long-term care
facilities since 2010. As a researcher, her work focuses on
community-led, relational, and reciprocal approaches to knowledge
co-creation and translation. She currently works as an assistant
clinical professor in the Mike Petryk School of Dentistry and a
program lead for the Wâpanachakos Indigenous Health Program in the
Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry at the University of Alberta.
NCOHR Working Groups support the strategic goals and priorities of
the network. The mandate of the Indigenous People’s Health Working
Group is to build a foundation for conducting respectful oral
health research with Indigenous communities in Canada.
2024 Honours
Winter 2024 Honours
Featuring
- Lynda McKeown
- Cindy Isaak-Ploegman
- Joy Maderazo
- Annie St-Amand
- Bev Woods and the team at Gift from the Heart
- Danika Beaulieu
Summer 2024 Honours
Featuring
-
Canadian authors 6th edition of
Darby & Walsh Dental Hygiene: Theory & Practice
- Algonquin College Student Changemaker Award winners
- Luminta Dica
- Ilena Yim
- The Filipino-Canadian Dental Hygienists' Society
- Shannon Maitland
- Jenna Smith Sage
Spring 2024 Honours
Featuring
- Melissa Sedore
- Katherine Canning-Peddle
- Marisa Mannarino
Winter 2024 Honours
Cindy Isaak-Ploegman
Cindy received the 2024 Alumni of Distinction Award from the
University of Manitoba School of Dental Hygiene Alumni Association
for her distinguished career in dental hygiene at a gala on
September 27 at the Fort Garry Hotel..
Joy Maderazo
Joy Maderazo was recently honoured by her member of Parliament,
Peter Schiefke, with a Government of Canada Community Service
Excellence award. The award recognized her significant
contributions to the region of Montérégie-Ouest through the
provision of free dental hygiene clinics and working with people
with disabilities.
Annie St-Amand
Congratulations to Annie St-Amand, owner of independent dental
hygiene practice Hygiene Dentaire Mobile Aniso. Annie was recently
presented with a High Merit award for a small or medium-sized
business from the Haut- Madawaska New Brunswick Chamber of
Commerce.
Bev Woods and the team at Gift from the Heart
Bay of Quinte member of Parliament Ryan Williams recently
presented Bev Woods and the team at Gift from the Heart in
Belleville with a Community Champion Award, recognizing their
dedication to providing dental hygiene services to nearly 400
people each year. MP Williams noted, “the passion and care they
bring to our community makes a r eal difference, offering
essential services to those who need it most. Thank you, Bev, for
being a s hining example of kindness, compassion, and service in
the Bay of Quinte. Together, we are building a h ealthier and
stronger community!”
Danika Beaulieu
Congratulations to Danika Beaulieu, owner of Dental Hygiene of the
Bay, for being named Young Entrepreneur of the Year by the Chaleur
Chamber of Commerce (New Brunswick).
Summer 2024 Honours
Canadian authors 6th edition of
Darby & Walsh Dental Hygiene: Theory & Practice
A strong contingent of CDHA members and other Canadian dental
hygienists served as lead or co-authors of chapters 2, 4, 29, 52,
and 53 of the 6th edition of
Darby & Walsh Dental Hygiene: Theory & Practice.
Congratulations Laura MacDonald, Kathy Yerex, Mary Bertone, Dani
Botbyl, Lorraine Glassford, Lynda Mckeown, Ruth Busby, Sue Raynak,
Carolyn Weiss, and Heather Woodbeck, and thank you all for your
important contributions to dental hygiene education and the
profession.
Algonquin College Student Changemaker Award winners
Five CDHA member dental hygiene graduates from Algonquin College
in Ottawa received the school’s prestigious Student Changemaker
Award, given by the Board of Governors. The award was presented to
Sule Hamamcioglu, Priya Kumari, Lisa McLeod, Zeel Patel, and Tuli
Chakma in recognition of their community project, Heart of the
Matter, designed to provide complimentary oral health care to
individuals who could not otherwise access such services. Read
more in the Algonquin Times (https://algonquintimes.com/news/five-dental-hygiene-grads-receive-the-student-changemaker-award/).
Luminita Dica
Luminita, owner of Lumi's Dental Hygiene Care, was one of the 2024
Sunstar/RDH Award of Distinction recipients in the full-time
clinician category. These awards, now in their 23rd year, have
recognized more than 143 dental hygienists, including several
Canadians, who are influential change makers and leaders in their
field. Lumi was honoured at RDH Under One Roof in July 2024.
Ilena Yim
The Network for Canadian Oral Health Research announced the Oral
Health Research Externship Competition Winners for 2024–2025 which
included CDHA member Ilena Yim, BSc, MSc, who was awarded a
full-time research externship for fall 2024 to work with
Statistics Canada. Ilena is a PhD candidate in craniofacial
science and is supervised by Denise Laronde, DipDH, MSc (Dental
Science), PhD, in the Faculty of Dentistry, University of British
Columbia.
The Filipino-Canadian Dental Hygienists' Society
This group, which is led by Noreen Ocampo, and includes a number
of CDHA members, was the recipient of two awards in 2024. The
organization received an award from National Filipino Heritage
Canada for their advocacy efforts for health equity and providing
oral health education and dental hygiene services for underserved
populations in Canada and the Philippines. The society also placed
second in the International Federation of Dental Hygienists’
Social Responsibility Program with their project, “Going Miles for
Healthy Smiles.” Their project was showcased at ISDH 2024 in
Seoul, South Korea, in July.
Shannon Maitland
Shannon, owner of Complete Oral Wellness, was the winner of the
2024 Faces Magazine award for Ottawa’s Dental Hygienist of the
Year.
Jenna Smith Sage
Jenna, owner of Sage Dental Hygiene, won first place and the
People’s Choice Award in the North Okanagan Community Futures
Enterprize Challenge.
Spring 2024 Honours
Melissa Sedore
Melissa Sedore, owner of an independent dental hygiene clinic,
Dental Hygiene On Demand, received the Individual Business Award
at the Georgina Chamber of Commerce’s Business Excellence Awards.
Katherine Canning-Peddle
Katherine received the Business Award for Independent Living,
presented by The Honourable Joan Marie J. Aylward, Lieutenant
Governor of Newfoundland and Labrador. This award is presented to
a business (Oral Health Centre Mobile Smiles) that has displayed
an innovative approach and achieved substantial outcomes in
supporting the full inclusion of people with disabilities.
Marisa Mannarino
Marisa, owner of Dental Care in Motion was awarded a 2024 Canadian
Choice Award in the mobile dental hygiene category (Hamilton,
Ontario).
2023 Honours
Winter 2023 Honours
Featuring
- Shauna Hachey
- Katherine Peddle
- Palmer Nelson
- Kellie Watson
- Larissa Bubnowicz
- Lynda McKeown
Summer 2023 Honours
Featuring
- Mandy McGill
- Gerry Cool
- Christine Knights (Fairbairn)
- dentalcorp Academic Excellence Award winners
- Noreen Jill Ocampo
Spring 2023 Honours
Featuring
- Rovielle Rantael
- Lisette Dufour
- Trish Goulet
- Leigha Rock
- Jennifer Turner
Winter 2023 Honours
Shauna Hachey
Shauna was appointed by the Network for Canadian Oral Health
Research (NCOHR) executive committee as vice chair of the NCOHR
Disability and Oral Health Working Group (DOH-WG) effective August
28, 2023. Shauna is an associate professor in the School of Dental
Hygiene, Faculty of Dentistry, Dalhousie University, and an alumna
of the TUTOR-PHC (Transdisciplinary Understanding and Training on
Research in Primary Health Care) program at Western University.
Her research interests include the integration of oral health into
primary, acute, and long-term care, and novel community-led oral
health promotion, and she is currently leading a study on oral
health practices in long-term care, funded by the Canadian
Foundation for Dental Hygiene Research and Education.
Katherine Peddle
Representing the Newfoundland & Labrador College of Dental
Hygienists, Katherine Peddle was named chair of the Newfoundland
and Labrador Council of Health Professionals.
Palmer Nelson
Palmer was named by the Dalhousie University Dentistry Alumni
Committee as a recipient of its 2023 Outstanding Alumni Award.
Palmer has been a voice, mentor, and advocate for the dental
hygiene profession through her involvement with CDHA for eight
years, including as president in 2010–2011, the Newfoundland &
Labrador Dental Hygienists Association for nine years, and the
College of Dental Hygienists of Nova Scotia for five years. Palmer
and her dental hygienist daughter, Sydney, own and operate Coastal
Dental Hygiene, a mobile oral health service and clinic in Mahone
Bay, Nova Scotia.
Kellie Watson
University of Manitoba (UM) alumna Kellie Watson, a CDHA member,
dental hygienist, University of Saskatchewan faculty member, and
former registrar of the College of Dental Hygienists of Manitoba
and the Saskatchewan Dental Hygienists Association, was presented
with the Alumni of Distinction Award at the UM Alumni Awards
Evening.
Read more
about Kellie's numerous accomplishments in both Manitoba and
Saskatchewan and her tireless work to advance the profession.
Larissa Bubnowicz
University of Manitoba student Larissa, received this year’s
CADR–NCOHR Student Research Award sponsored by the Canadian
Association for Dental Research and the Network for Canadian Oral
Health Research. Larissa was honoured in the senior
clinical/pre-clinical research category for her research, “SDF
effective management of radiation caries: An in vitro study.”
Eighteen students received awards to present their research at the
2024 IADR/AADOCR/CADR annual meeting in New Orleans.
Lynda McKeown
Lynda was presented with a certificate from Lakehead University’s
Centre for Education and Research on Aging and Health in
recognition of her outstanding dedication and contributions to
palliative care. Lynda was nominated as a Palliative Care Champion
for being a dental hygiene colleague and mentor who, for the last
25 years, has served clients in their homes or in their long-term
care residence. She has been a role model for many of her
colleagues as she blazed a new trail to serve senior clients using
an innovative approach called palliative dental hygiene oral care.
Summer 2023 Honours
Mandy McGill
British Columbia CDHA member Mandy McGill was named a recipient of
the 2023 Sunstar/RDH Award of Distinction in the Public Health
category. This award recognizes dental hygienists who are
influential change makers. Mandy spoke at the 2023 International
Federation of Dental Hygienists’ Global Oral Health Summit on the
Maasai Mama Baby Project, which was highlighted in the spring 2021
issue of Oh Canada! magazine. That article by Mandy was also the
winner of our 2021 Oh Canada! Readers’ Choice Award.
Gerry Cool
CDHA and CRDHA Past President Geraldine (Gerry) Cool was awarded
the prestigious Stars of Alberta Volunteer Award from the
Government of Alberta in recognition of her many selfless
volunteer contributions and overwhelming community spirit. From
Carseland, Alberta, Gerry was one of only six individuals to
receive the award in 2022.
Christine Knights (Fairbairn)
St. Clair College recognized Christine with an Alumni of
Distinction Award in the Nursing/Health Sciences category. Before
opening her practice, Bright Smiles, in Chatham, Ontario,
Christine spent seven years in Calgary, Alberta, driving to lower
income areas and schools in an 18-metre Winnebago that served as a
mobile clinic. Christine’s mantra is she’s “not in practice just
to make a living, she’s in business to make a difference”.
dentalcorp Academic Excellence Award winners
CDHA student members Shane F, from Oxford College, Lauren K, from
the University of British Columbia, and Hannah W, from the
Canadian National Institute of Health were all recipients of
dentalcorp's Academic Excellence Award for 2023. Available to
graduating students of Canadian accredited colleges or
universities who are majoring in dental assisting or dental
hygiene, this dentalcorp award provides recipients with full
reimbursement of their program tuition and a contract at a
dentalcorp practice. Recipients are selected based on academic
accomplishments, extracurricular involvement, and the embodiment
of dentalcorp’s core values.
Noreen Jill Ocampo
Noreen received the Queen's Platinum Jubilee Service Award. This
award recognizes individuals nominated by members of their
community who have committed themselves to their fellow citizens
and to serving and improving their communities. York Centre member
of Parliament Ya'ara Saks noted Noreen's "commitment to service
and dedication in dental health and community engagement is deeply
commendable".
Spring 2023 Honours
Rovielle Rantael
University of Manitoba CDHA student member Rovielle Rantael won a
pair of prestigious scholarships at the School of Dental Hygiene’s
Awards Evening last November. Rovielle received the Dr. A.W. Hogg
Scholarship for highest standing in the second year of the dental
hygiene program, and the Isbister Undergraduate Scholarship in
Dental Hygiene, awarded based on eligibility for the dean’s honour
list and for the highest average in years one to three. She also
received the Manitoba Dental Association Scholarship in Dental
Hygiene.
Lisette Dufour
Lisette recently received the Canadian Association of Public
Health Dentistry’s Merit Award. This award recognizes the efforts
of those who have played a role in improving the oral health of
all Canadians. Although Lisette recently joined Health Canada’s
team that will be responsible for implementing the future Canada
Dental Care plan, she has been the Senior Oral Health Advisor in
the Office of the Chief Dental Officer of Canada at the Public
Health Agency of Canada for about 11 years overall. She is very
supportive of CDHA and a champion of Canada’s dental hygienists,
and has been described as having made a substantive contribution
to dental public health in Canada. As principal lead and technical
expert, she has been instrumental in the planning and
implementation of the oral health component of the Canadian Health
Measures Survey, cycle 7, currently being conducted by Statistics
Canada in partnership with Health Canada and the Public Health
Agency of Canada.
Trish Goulet
The Network for Canadian Oral Health Research (NCOHR) executive
committee announced Trish Goulet's appointment as chair of the
Indigenous Peoples' Health Working Group effective February 1,
2023. Trish is a member of Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation and
assistant professor at the University of Saskatchewan's College of
Dentistry. Her research focuses on access to care, health equity,
and systemic innovation. As a registered dental hygienist, she
initiated the first independent dental hygiene practice in
Manitoba, providing oral health care to vulnerable populations.
She earned a Juris Doctor degree and a Master of Laws from the
University of Manitoba.
Leigha Rock
Director of the School of Dental Hygiene at Dalhousie University,
Leigha Rock was elected as vice-president of the Canadian
Association for Dental Research (CADR), serving for the 2023–2025
term. Leigha began her term at the AADOCR/CADR Annual Meeting in
Portland, Oregon, and will be installed as president in 2025.
Jennifer Turner
DrBicuspid.com recently announced the winners of their
2023 Cuspies awards, including Jennifer Turner, RDH, who was
recognized as Dental Hygiene Educator of the Year. The winners of
these awards educate oral health professionals across the globe.
Many of this year’s winners were also women in leadership roles,
signifying the continued advancements women have made in driving
the future of dentistry and dental hygiene.
To read about even more great member moments, check out the achievements and
accomplishments of CDHA’s dental hygiene superheroes campaign by visiting
dentalhygienecanada.ca/healthcaresuperhero.