From Chairside to Worldwide, This Hygienist Makes Oral Health Education Click

On July 10, 2026, at the International Symposium on Dental Hygiene in Milan, Italy, Sunstar, in partnership with the International Federation of Dental Hygienists, celebrated the 2026 winners of the 7th World Dental Hygienist Awards. Presented by the Sunstar Foundation and GUM, Sunstar’s global oral health brand, the awards honor the exceptional contributions of dental hygienists worldwide. One of those dental hygienists was Whitney DiFoggio, MA, RDH, a clinician, educator, and social media innovator who was highlighted in the “entrepreneur” category.

And entrepreneur she is! DiFoggio is founder of Teeth Talk Girl (@teethtalkgirl), where she makes oral health education fun, engaging, and evidence based. Through her YouTube channel, YouTube.com/TeethTalk, social media platforms, and website, teethtalk.com, DiFoggio creates educational content for both the general public and oral health professionals, building a community where everyone can better understand the importance of oral health.

Receiving the Sunstar World Dental Hygienist Award was a transformative experience for her. “It was my first international dental hygiene conference, and one of the most rewarding parts was connecting with dental hygienists from all over the world. There was so much camaraderie, passion, and excitement for our profession, and I left feeling incredibly inspired,” DiFoggio notes. “It was such a powerful reminder that while we may work in different countries and in different ways, we’re united by a shared passion for helping others.”

Her inspiration to become a dental hygienist came when she was a child because she loved visiting the dentist! “My dentist was so fun, and she was a recent graduate at the time. I remember thinking I wanted to be just like her. I pursued a pre-dental track during my undergraduate studies. While completing shadowing and observation hours, I realized I was much more interested in what was happening in the hygiene room than in the restorative side of dentistry. I decided to try dental hygiene first, just in case that was the path I wanted to take. Once I started dental hygiene school, I fell in love with the preventive side of oral healthcare and the opportunity to help people maintain their health before problems develop. I never looked back!” DiFoggio expresses.

DiFoggio remains dedicated to lifelong learning and she is a current doctoral student in health science at Old Dominion University. To manage all of her work in clinical practice, content creating, running her business, and school, she has reduced the number of days she works clinically to one per week. This enables her to stay connected to the profession while freeing time for her other endeavors. “I’ve learned that balance doesn’t necessarily mean giving everything equal time; sometimes it means being intentional about where your time and energy are needed most during different seasons of life. There are still busy weeks, and I’m definitely still figuring things out, but I’ve learned the importance of setting priorities, being realistic about what I can take on, and giving myself permission to adjust when needed. You don’t have to do everything at once to make progress toward your goals,” DiFoggio explains.

DiFoggio combines her clinical experience and communication expertise to bring oral health literacy to the world. Through her content, community-building, and philanthropic efforts, DiFoggio is dedicated to making oral health accessible, approachable, and engaging for all.

The Sunstar World Dental Hygienist Awards honor dental hygienists from across the globe for their commitment and impact on the field of oral health. The other 2026 winners are: Elmer E. González, MBA, PhD, RDH, CDA, in academia; Shelley Brown, MEd, BSDH, RDH, FADHA, in public health; Stefania Morittu, as a full-time clinician; Janet Williams Oshun, RDH, as a new dental hygienist; and Andrea Butera in research.