People Watching

Mother of Dental Hygiene Awarded Honorary Degree

Esther M. Wilkins, RDH, DMD, received an honorary Doctor of Science in Health Science degree from the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS), Boston, this past May at the university’s commencement ceremony. She was honored because of her many accomplishments, spanning more than 66 years, in the fields of dental hygiene, dentistry, and education. Wilkins is an icon in dental hygiene. She authored the popular dental hygiene textbook, Clinical Practice of the Dental Hygienist, with a ninth edition published this year. She is the founding director of Dental Hygiene at the University of Washington School of Dentistry and a clinical professor at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine. Wilkins changed the field of dental hygiene with her research, accomplishing such feats as expanding the hygiene curriculum to include a study of the disease process, caries prevention, and periodontal therapy. She is also an editorial advisory board member for Dimensions of Dental Hygiene.

Winner of Distinguished Service Award Announced

The American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA) awarded the 2004 Distinguished Service Award to Patricia Osuna, RDH, BS, of Redondo Beach, Calif. The owner of a consulting firm-Professional Insights-that provides consulting services and market research evaluations on dental and dental hygiene products to manufacturers, Osuna was honored for her commitment to the field of dental hygiene and her dedication to altruism through the Special Olympics. She has been active in the California Dental Hygienists’ Association for more than 25 years, serving as constituent and component president, ADHA Annual Session Delegate, and chair of the committee to review association policy in relation to the hygiene profession. A dedicated supporter of the Special Olympics, which provides athletes with intellectual disabilities a chance to compete, she has coached volleyball, softball, and basketball teams as well as organizing annual dental screenings for the participants. She also worked with dental students to create a mouth guard that was suitable for Special Olympic athletes.

Philips Oral Healthcare Hires Hygienist

Miranda Beeson, RDH, MS, joins Philips Oral Healthcare, Snoqualmie, Wash, as the manager of professional relations for North America. She is responsible for leading key strategic initiatives in the dental hygiene field and collaborating with educators, researchers, and professional associations. An alumna of Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Va, she served as a faculty member and worked in clinical practice both while a graduate student. She has been active in dental hygiene organizations as a representative for the Student American Dental Hygienists’ Association and as president of the Old Dominion University student chapter of Alpha Eta, the national honor society for allied health professions.