Kelli Swanson Jaecks, RDH, received the Sunstar/RDH Award of Distinction along with Mary Bobbett, RDH, of Henderson, Nevada; Suzan Chopik, RDH, of New Lenox, Illinois; Tammy Filipiak, RDH, of Mosinee, Wisconsin; Michelle Hurlbutt, RDH, of Upland, California; Deborah Krueger, RDH, of Salisbury, North Carolina; Tracey Thompson McGonagle, RDH, of Marblehead, Massachusetts; and Linda Mann, RDH, of Dallas, Oregon.
The eight dental hygienists were honored in a ceremony at the RDH Under One Roof conference in Chicago in 2003.
Swanson Jaecks recently said of her experience: "Being awarded the Sunstar/RDH Award of Distinction in 2003 set me on a path of upward mobility within my personal and professional life! Winning this award gave me the confidence I needed to break out of my daily clinical grind and pursue other dreams and goals.
"Since then I have furthered my education with a master's degree, fostered new friends and professional relationships across the country, been published multiple times in national magazines and journals, and have become involved in endeavors that truly move the profession of dental hygiene forward.
"Registering for the award involved sitting down and really crystallizing my thoughts surrounding my beliefs about dental hygiene, my patients, and my actions in clinical care. Registering for the award was an act of focusing and illuminating, to myself, some of my core work/life values.
"In short, becoming a Sunstar/RDH Award of Distinction recipient changed my life! I am proud to be a past winner and encourage all hygienists who have a passion for something more to apply!"
The deadline for the 2010 RDH Sunstar Award is March 31, 2010. Interested hygienists can participate in the nomination process by clicking here.
