I see membership in our professional organization as the responsibility of "being" a professional and as an obligation of claiming that title.  It comes down to what we want to be seen as...licensed professionals or "tooth cleaners". If a hygienist is not a member, s/he gives up the right to complain about anything in the hygiene realm.
Margit Bergquist-Tracey RDH

You Get What You Pay For 

  Most of us, by our life experiences, have come to realize that we get what we pay for. I was coloring with my husband, Jim, and granddaughter, Kiera, using colors from the dollar store. They were terrible!! They broke, the color didn’t spread well and left pieces of color on my coloring book. Jim said, “Don’t you know you have to buy Crayola colors? We grew up coloring as kids and we always had Crayola colors…those are the good ones.” I went out to buy some and found the special gold box of 100 anniversary Crayola Colors! Needless to say, I was a big hit with Jim and Kiera. Those of you that grew up coloring, or colored with your kids, nieces, nephews or grandchildren, can appreciate this story, I hope.
  When you become a member of your dental hygiene professional association, you get what you pay for. 2003 is a special year for me, as it marks 30 years as a licensed and practicing dental hygienist. My membership in our association has made those years better for me mainly because of the members! It has blessed me with wonderful friends over the years and a wealth of cherished memories I would not have had if I had not been a member. I had a lot of mentors and hygienists who believed in me and helped me believe in myself. I know of no NDHA President who stepped forward and said: “I would really be great at this, I am going to nominate myself.” Most of us had doubts and fears of all we didn’t know and mostly the fear of doing something that could actually hurt our association. Our mentors helped us realize that they had those fears too. We realized we had similar and different fears. One member’s fear was another’s strength. I feared making a legislative blunder, but I had the strength of Kendra Haynes as my legislative chair who had developed wonderful liaisons with our lobbyist, Ron Jensen. I feared financial decisions, but had Dana Mabus as Treasurer and Lisa Lintner as past Treasurer who were wonderful advisors and resources. I enjoyed pursuing corporate sponsors and funding and saved our association a lot of money over the years. They would totally sponsor and fund our speakers for our continuing education courses at Fall and Annual Session. These courses allow hygienists to get their continuing education credits and maintain licensure to practice their profession. I enjoyed building the team concept and developed the “Nebraska Dental Team” logo with t-shirts, sweatshirts, koozies and coffee holders. In Washington D.C., I stood on the ADHA House of Delegates floor as your representative, and fought to have “accredited” placed before every “dental hygiene program” entry in the ADHA policy manual. A hygienist stood at the microphone and said that made us look like we were running scared. I countered with “we are standing strong, not running scared.” We support accredited dental hygiene programs, not preceptorship programs. We were slated to close that House session by 9:00 pm but we worked until after 1:00 am accomplishing this important task. We cared about the future of dental hygiene and the direction some people were trying to steer it by lowering the educational standards. If “we” don’t care, then who does? What will our profession be when and if our children or grandchildren choose to be dental hygienists?
  Becoming NDHA Fundraising chair was my first step of serving on the constituent (state) level. I know many of you reading this testimonial have something to give your association. It doesn’t begin with being NDHA President, it begins with your first baby step and realizing YOU CAN DO IT! You end up having so much fun and meeting such neat people and growing within yourself. You actually become a better person, almost empowered.
  I grow weary of all the questions like: Why should I become a member and what is in it for me? This IS your professional organization and you should join and ask what can I do for my association? How can I bring my strengths to make it better? Life is about choices. I look back over the last 30 years and I marvel at the hygienists who have made this association better for us by the choices they made and the strengths they chose to use. Carol Brown was a pioneer in her endless endeavors to bring local anesthesia to our state. Think of her when you administer your next injection. Kendra Haynes did a phenomenal survey to pursue and achieve what NDHA members wanted…protection of our profession. She helped to get the bill passed requiring that only a licensed dental hygienist from an accredited dental hygiene program could practice in Nebraska. Think of her as only you do the scaling in your office, not your dental assistant, as in Kansas. Lezley Riley worked for years on our strategic plan, updated our software and revised our registration process to a professional level. Think of her when you attend state meeting and move quickly through registration and have tickets to events and courses you registered for. Belinda Bridges and Sheri Hibberd developed our first web site and Belinda has been Webmaster for years making ours one of the best in the country (per ADHA guru Paul). Think of them when you jump on line to get the information you want for an upcoming course or resource. Dana Mabus worked endless hours to do data entry and compile our NDHA Directory with a wealth of information from Senator to e-mail addresses. Think of her when you use your directory and call or e-mail a member. Jan Hillis developed the baccalaureate degree completion program at Creighton University School of Dentistry. Think of her when you wish you could complete your BSDH. Think of the component meeting you didn’t miss because a hygienist on the calling committee cared enough to call and remind you. These are just a few examples of many dedicated members who cared enough to give back to their profession and association.
  My point is this: without these dedicated members, we would not have moved forward. We grow because of our members and their new ideas and their vitality. We rely on each other and we need each other. We have a wonderful profession that helps people every day to be healthier and happier and in return it provides us with an income to lead a wonderful life. You show you appreciate that when you pay your dues and support your professional association. It is more than the journal or the car insurance discount, it is about a bond of professionals who nurture, support, inspire, encourage and appreciate one another. To those of you who dared to step up to the plate and take a swing, I applaud you; to those that are contemplating it, I encourage you; to the rest, I challenge you to call any hygienist on the present or past executive board roster and ask them to help mentor you. We all are only a phone call or e-mail away. The years I have given on the component, constituent and national level can never repay all that you have given to me. I am blessed. I am a member of a wonderful association. The privilege has been mine and I thank you.

 

Gwen Marie Johnson, RDH, BSDH
NDHA Past President
NDHA Delegate