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The Winner is ...

Annual Conference brings with it recognition for many who have achieved something for the Association, its membership or for themselves professionally.

Each year, ADAA invites all of its members to nominate other members for recognition in many different areas and a committee of trustees and Council members gather to select scholarship winners, winning Journal authors and winners in all categories from the many nominated.

The awards ceremonies at the First House of Delegates were opened by then-president Kay Mosley, CDA, who explained that the ADAA Distinguished Corporate Award is presented annually to an individual from a dental or dental-related company who has, through personal and professional efforts, enhanced the dental assisting profession as well as our association. This year's recipient is Larry Farrell, Vice President of Sunstar Butler. Mr. Farrell was the first Associate ADAA member and has acted as a consultant to the ADAA Foundation since its inception. He is the initiator of the ADAA Pride Awards and the Sunstar Butler ADAA School Lecture Series.

Ms. Mosley then relinquished the podium to Debra Von Alman, Chair of the Awards Committee, for most of the remaining presentations.

The Sullivan-Schein Awards of Excellence are presented to winners nominated from each of their home districts. Nominations are based on the individual's accomplishments that enhance the dental assisting profession in areas of local and state association development, communications, leadership, membership development and community service. From the pool of District Recipients, the ADAA Awards Subcommittee chooses one awardee for recognition as the national Award of Excellence recipient.

For the second year in a row, the national recipient of the Award of Excellence was also the Eleventh District's winner of the award. This year's national winner was Rosana Rodriguez, CDA, CDPMA, of Peoria, AZ. The list of activities and accolades about Ms. Rodriguez is lengthy but a few include her support of the students at the Rio Salado College dental assisting program in Arizona and the fact that she meets personally with each one to urge them to join the ADAA. She has served as the president of the Arizona DAA and worked tirelessly with the "Give Kids a Smile" program that donates free dentistry to children statewide. She is a board member of the dental assisting program at Phoenix College and has served as liaison between the Arizona DAA and the Arizona Dental Association.

District Recipients of the Award include:

Third District: Judy Woolridge, CDA, Virginia Beach, VA, recognized for her dual roles as active ADAA promoter and loyal member and her ardent support and volunteer participation in the local and statewide "Mom Project" that brings dentistry to underserved children in Virginia. Last year, Ms. Woolridge was nominated for the member team award presented by the Virginia Dental Association and received an engraved crystal sculpture.

Fifth District: Marjorie B. Cole, CDA, Anniston, AL, recognized for her long-term commitment to the Alabama Dental Assistants Association as president and participant in all state committees and as a delegate to many annual sessions. Ms. Cole also provided instructional programs concerning dental health to school children and professional groups and worked in dental clinics for indigent children. Through the years she was recipient of many awards based on her work and dedication to dental assisting matters in Alabama.

Seventh District: Brenda Golde, RDA, CDA, Alexandria, MN, recognized for her years of service to the state association including its presidency and then her return to the state association to serve in a capacity other than president. She has been actively involved in the state Expanded Functions Committee as well as the Minnesota Board of Dentistry Policy Committee.

Eighth District: Monica Jones, CDA, Emporia, KS, recognized for her consistent service to the Kansas Dental Assistants Association including continuing to serve as state secretary-treasurer after completing a term as president. She has stepped in to fill needs for the association including service as a judicial and legislative committee member and program committee chair.

Ninth District: Karen Sitton, CDA, The Colony, TX, recognized in general for her long years of service to the ADAA as a member and officer of the Dallas County Dental Assistants Society and the Texas Dental Assistants Association, but specifically for her work in securing sponsorship for the state's website funding and for creating and posting the documents on the site. As social chair of the Dallas County Society, she was responsible for finding a permanent meeting place, and continues to contribute her knowledge of computer science to the maintenance of the state's website.

Tenth District: Andrea H. Henderson, CDA, Port Orchard, WA, recognized for her continuing support of state and local ADAA activities including the promotion and onsite administration of the state's annual continuing education seminar. In addition, Ms. Henderson has worked with WSDAA's Legislative Day and has volunteered regularly with Special Smiles, Smile Rescuers and Children's Dental Care Month.

Twelfth District: Mary E. Gum, RDA, Lindsey, CA, recognized for her volunteer work in Tulare Kings County, California, where she organized dental assistants to aid the dental society in visiting schools in rural areas to examine children and their families who cannot afford dental care. In addition to hands-on care, they also conduct dental health education. She has tirelessly conducted personal, promotional efforts to draw new members to the ADAA and has served her state and local components consistently and over long periods of time.

Achievement Award: For demonstrating the most outstanding achievements in promoting the objectives of the Association and furthering the profession of dental assisting--awarded to Seventh District Trustee

Natalie Kaweckyj, RDA, CDA, CDPMA, COA, COMSA, MADAA, Minneapolis, MN, for her active representation of MDAA to the Minnesota Board of Dentistry in legislative matters. She has played a pivotal role in redefining expanded functions for the state and in developing questions for the state board's licensure procedures and continuing education requirements. She has assisted other states with legislation, is active in other areas of professional interest and is president elect of the MDAA.

New Member Award: Utilizing the same criteria as the Achievement Award, the New Member Award is presented to a member of no more than five years' standing. This year's award was presented to Kim Knapp, COMSA, Jacksonville, FL, who was recognized for her enthusiastic work as chair of the Florida DAA's membership committee, particularly with motivational presentations to dental assisting students. Additionally, Ms. Knapp volunteers with Florida Baptist Convention Mobile Dental Unit and has also been instrumental in the formation of a new ADAA local component.

Sunstar Butler/ADAA Pride Awards: Recognition is granted in three categories for the Pride Award including Business, Clinical and Education for dental assistants who have demonstrated loyalty to self as well as to the profession through hard work, motivation of others and enhancement of the career of dental assisting on a state, local or national level.

Recognition was given this year to Andrea Henderson, Port Orchard, WA, who also received the Tenth District Sullivan-Schein Award of Excellence and to Natalie Kaweckyj, Minneapolis, recipient of the 2004 Achievement Award.

In the area of education, Connie Myers Kracher, CDA, MSD, Ft. Wayne, IN, was recognized for her continuing achievements in dental assisting education at Indiana University-Purdue University where she has enlarged the scope of the program to include expanded functions, orthodontic assisting and laboratory assistants. Ms. Kracher holds a Masters of Science in Dentistry and was 2002 winner of the ADAA's Journal Award for her article "Pouring Rights" concerning the sale of carbonated beverages in schools.

Journal Award: For the best member-written, educational article in an ADAA publication. Presented this year to Esther Andrews, CDA, RDA, RDH, MA, Berwyn, IL, for her September/October 2003 Journal article "Specialized Dentistry" providing information on the requirements of dental practice in the areas of general dentistry, dental specialties and dental disciplines. This article is now an ADAA course as is Ms. Andrews' earlier Journal article "Alternative Medicine in Dentistry."

Loyal Assistant Award: Presented to the member holding the longest consecutive employment record with one employer. The 2004 honoree is Ruby J. Roach, CDA, RDA, of Fresno, CA. Ms. Roach is a former Twelfth District Trustee and national ADAA Vice President and has been employed by Drs. Thompson and Clarke of Fresno and Selma, CA, since 1964.

The prestigious ADAA/Colgate Community Volunteer Award is presented annually to a study group, local or state ADAA component responsible for implementing a community program concerned with some aspect of preventive oral health. This year's recipient was Northeast Pennsylvania Dental Assistants Society. Members of this geographically wide-ranging component provided assistance in a variety of community service programs totaling 12 programs in all from November 2003 through March 2004 and including Head Start and day care children, high school teenagers, servicemen and women, homeless clinics, church charities and youth groups. Approximately 500 individuals were served. Participating members included Diane Kelchner, Maryann Karpal, Colette Jesikiewicz, Pat Brooks and Kelly Sickler.

OTHER RECOGNITION

New this year was the ADAA/Procter & Gamble Student Essay Competition for student members of the ADAA. Requirements for the essay are that it be dental-related and a minimum of 500 words. The initial winner of the contest was Katie McCray of the College of Southern Idaho. She wrote about her experiences as a new dental assisting student--its struggles and rewards. Ms. McCray's instructor at the College is long-time ADAA member Tonya Bowcut. Second place winner was Michelle Young of Ozarks Technical Community College, Springfield, MO. She too wrote about her experiences on the way to certification. Ms Young's instructor is ADAA member Janet Sell.

The ADAA/Procter & Gamble Poster Competition now in its second year yielded first, second and third place winners. The competition is broadly defined to include both clinical and administrative entries in dental-related subjects. The winners are: First Place, Cindy Phuong Lam of City College of San Francisco, Anna Nelson, CDA, RDA, Program Director; Second Place, Patty Kelly, Northeast Metro Community College, White Bear Lake, MN, Teresa White, instructor, and Theresa Thelen, Daytona Beach Community College, Daytona Beach, FL, Mary Ann Pietras, instructor.