Dental Hygiene Loses Beloved Leader

Winnie Furnari, MS, RDH, FAADH, FAAFS, FADE, is the 2022 recipient of Dimensions of Dental Hygiene’s Esther Wilkins Lifetime Achievement Award passed away on April 20. Furnari was highly regarded for her efforts to expand the career possibilities of dental hygienists to include forensic science as well as her dedication to the ethical principles of the profession. Nationally known for her expertise in forensic dentistry and disaster preparedness, she utilized these skills to help identify the remains of the deceased during the 9/11 tragedy. This passion for forensics has helped to create a new career path for dental hygienists. Additionally, as an adjunct clinical professor of dental hygiene at the New York University (NYU) College of Dentistry for more than 20 years, Furnari instilled the importance of ethics to her students, developed the college’s ethics committee and its protocols, and encouraged a commitment to ethics in the NYU White Coat Ceremony. Beloved by her family, friends, students, and colleagues, Furnari will be greatly missed.