A Dental Hygiene Legend Retires After 44 Years
After an extraordinary 44-year career in academia, Rebecca Wilder, RDH, MS, has retired from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. A trailblazer in dental hygiene education and faculty development, Wilder leaves behind a lasting impact on her students, colleagues, and the profession.
Rebecca Wilder, RDH, MS, officially retired from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Adams School of Dentistry on April 1, marking the end of a remarkable 44-year career dedicated to dental hygiene education, professional development, and mentorship. Throughout her tenure, Wilder shaped the future of dental professionals through her roles as a professor, administrator, and writer. The university’s first dean for professional development and faculty affairs, Wilder also led the Master of Science in Dental Hygiene Education Program and served as editor in chief of the Journal of Dental Hygiene. She is a longtime member of Dimensions of Dental Hygiene’s Editorial Advisory Board.
She credits her success to the invaluable mentoring she received and the unwavering support of her husband and family. As she embarks on retirement, Wilder reflects on a career filled with gratitude, calling herself “the luckiest woman around.” Her impact on dental hygiene education will be felt for generations to come.
