Committees

Awards

The Awards Committee is charged with determining the criteria to apply for IFDH awards, and for choosing the award recipients. These currently include the Innovation Awards, the Impact Awards, and the World Dental Hygienist Awards.

Education

The Education Committee plays a key role in elevating the profession of dental hygiene by enhancing our knowledge. The committee’s charge is to develop webinars and programs that can be accessed by members to increase their knowledge and strengthen the role of the dental hygienist in healthcare.

Global Oral Health Summit

Each year, the IFDH holds a summit to address important issues in dental hygiene. During the International Symposium year, the summit is held on-site at the symposium, followed by a virtual summit the following year. The charge of this committee is to develop a theme and determine speakers for the summit, to plan the event, and to potentially take part in presenting. Past themes have included sustainability in oral healthcare, advocacy, and the changing and evolving role of the dental hygienist.

Membership Committee

The Membership Committee, along with IFDH staff, reviews applications from countries that wish to become members of the Federation. In addition, the committee reviews individual applications to ensure they qualify for membership. In the 2024-2026 term we ask the committee to target new country members and to potentially reach out to dental therapist organizations. There are countries with dental hygienists but no association. This committee would help to identify these countries so we can reach out to assist in forming associations where desired.

Nominating Committee

The Nominating Committee helps identify emerging leaders for the IFDH and encourages them to run for Board/Officer positions. All IFDH delegates are part of this process by recommending fellow delegates based on their experiences working with them on various committees. The Nominating Committee takes extra initiative by reaching out to delegates and explaining the role of each Officer position to help those who may want to stand for election. The Committee consists of the President, President Elect, and Immediate Past President.

Research Committee

The Research Committee’s charge is to judge and award research grant submissions. Each year, the committee reviews all submissions and determines the monetary awards. This program is dependent on corporate sponsorship to determine the degree that research projects are recognized.

Social Media Committee

The Social Media Committee’s charge is to enhance our public media presence. Creativity and knowledge of various social media platforms are skills needed, along with a desire to keep content relevant, updated and engaging. This committee is very active, with developing and posting content frequently.

Social Responsibility Committee

This Social Responsibility Committee encourages members to create projects that improve the health of the underserved. Each International Symposium recognizes the projects that have made a difference in the lives of others, with a focus on a specific theme. The committee’s charge is to develop a unique theme and evaluate submitted projects based on that theme, and then determine which ones are eligible to present those projects at the International Symposium.