New Award Honors Mentorship
The American Academy of Dental Hygiene is honoring a dental hygienist who fosters fellowship, creates a supportive environment, and shares his or her wisdom with colleagues with its new Winnie Furnari Mentor of the Year Award.
It is the privilege of the American Academy of Dental Hygiene Inc (AADH) to establish the Mentor of the Year Award in honor of Winnie Furnari, MS, RDH, FAADH, FAAFS, FADE. The 2025 Mentor of the Year Award recognizes a dental hygienist who has demonstrated an extraordinary ability in fostering fellowship, creating a supportive environment, and sharing his or her wisdom as a mentor.
The first annual award of its kind, the Winnie Furnari Mentor of the Year Award recognizes Furnari’s unparalleled legacy. The recipient’s leadership should stand out as a beacon of integrity and vision, driving progress within the AADH organization. The winner needs to exhibit the same attributes of innovative thinking, leadership, and dedication to service that Furnari displayed.
Furnari was a trailblazer known for her innovative and out-of-the-box thinking and firmly believed in the potential of individuals to achieve extraordinary feats when given opportunities. She held leadership roles as president of the New York Dental Hygienists’ Association, the New Jersey Dental Hygienists’ Association, and the AADH. Additionally, she served as a clinical professor at New York University College of Dentistry, where she taught forensic dentistry and catastrophe preparedness. Furnari was also a member of the New York Forensic Society and worked with the New York City Medical Examiner’s Office as the lead dental hygienist during recovery operations related to 9/11. She passed away in 2023.
This prestigious award recognizes individuals nominated by their peers for their exceptional leadership and mentorship in the profession. Each year, the AADH will honor one recipient who has made and/or continues to make a lasting impact through his or her influence and guidance.
Nominees for the Winnie Furnari Mentor of the Year Award should exhibit the following qualities:
- Leadership: Builds trust through collaboration, accomplishes goals, is focused and creates structure
- Commitment: Guides, advises, and provides practical resources
- Compassion: Supports and guides mentees in their professional growth
- Honesty: Fosters confidentiality, listens, but provides own opinion
- Inspires: Engages mentee in goal setting, offers suggestions for possible courses of action
Requirements include:
- Participated in the dental hygiene profession in practice, scholarship, community service, and/or leadership
- Member of the AADH for a minimum of 4 years
- Current resume or curriculum vitae
- A 1-page letter of recommendation
If you have an outstanding mentor or know of a colleague who is an AADH member who demonstrates the qualities that Furnari displayed, please submit the nomination form available at aadh.org.
From Dimensions of Dental Hygiene. May/June 2025; 23(3):12.
