OUR HISTORY
The Virginia Dental Hygienists’ Association Foundation (VDHAF) was established in 1994 by the executive board with the leadership of President, Margaret Lappan Green, MS, RDH, FADHA, as an innovative and visionary way to provide for continuing education and professional development of our dental hygienists and students. The Foundation is an enduring endowment of benefactor, Alice B. Hinchcliffe Williams, RDH, MS. T
The mission of the 501 (c) (3) organization is to perform the charitable, educational, research, and scientific activities of the Virginia Dental Hygienists’ Association (VDHA).
The specific purposes shall be to:
- Ensure the development of and make available educational projects and programs to meet the needs of the profession, dental hygiene educators, and public
- Initiate and provide financial assistance for research in dental hygiene that will benefit the profession and promote public welfare
- Develop and release materials primarily directed toward the attainment of the purposes of the VDHA in the areas described herein
The Board of Directors is composed of no less than eight in number and shall consist of the VDHA President, Immediate Past President, Treasurer, VDHA Ways and Means Committee Chairperson, VDHA Continuing Education Committee Chairperson, Two Elected Directors: Treasurer and Secretary, and one Presidential Appointee.
Alice Hinchcliffe Williams, RDH, MS Merit Scholarship for Post Licensure or Graduate Degree Scholarships Awarded:
2015-2016 Dawn Southerly
2016-2017 No applicants
2017-2018 Jennifer Souter
2018-2019 Jamie Knupp
2019-2020 Samantha Vest
2020-2021 No applicants
2022-2023 David Wein
2023-2024 Melissa Sullivan and Amme Sunders
RECENT GRANT AWARDS
- Speaker sponsorships to assist local VDHA components with continuing education programming expenses.
- Funding of VDHA’s Delegation of 10 to ADHA 2021 Virtual Annual Conference and HOD
- Rally Day at the Capitol providing an advocacy training session and breakfast for students, faculty and dental hygienists from across the state.
- Grant awarded Alice B. Hinchcliffe Williams, RDH, MS, Graduate Scholarship funded annually through the Institute for Oral Health.
- Funded 8 registrations for the ADHA Annual Conference for student chapter members of ADHA at VCU and GCC.
ONGOING FOUNDATION ACTIVITIES
- Funding for the annual VDHA Scientific Session’s 16 continuing education hours.
- Contributions to the ADHA Institute for Oral Health
- Developing future leaders through program funding, mentoring and leadership programs including student participation in the VDHA House of Delegates
- Supporting advocacy for the profession with student participation in VDHA events such as Rally Day and House of Delegates meeting, Executive Board meetings and receiving Advocacy presentations within the Dental Hygiene schools/programs by VDHAF Directors
- Funding for Student Delegates and 6 first year/junior dental hygiene students to participate in VDHA’s Professional Development Workshop.
- Sponsoring full weekend package for 18 Student Delegates to participate in the VDHA’s House of Delegates.