By Kelsi Matylewicz/Benco Dental Social Media Intern Do you know a dental hygienist who has positively impacted dental hygiene, science/patient care, his or her community, or the general public? This is a chance to be in the spotlight. According to Dimensions, The World Dental Hygienist Awards, established by the Sunstar Foundation, is looking for a hygienist who matches that criteria. Nominations for the 2016 awards are open now through December 2015, the winners will be announced in April 2016.

The Sunstar Foundation will present awards in four categories: research; activity/project; student research; and student activity/project. Recipients of the World Dental Hygienist Awards will receive a cash prize, as well as paid expenses to the International Symposium on Dental Hygiene in Basel, Switzerland, on June 23 to June 25, 2016.

A little bit of information on each category:

1. Research Category and Student Research Category – The entry may include both quantitative and qualitative analyses that provide important new insights that contribute to the body of knowledge in dental hygiene.
2. Activity/Project Category and Student Activity/Project Category – The entry should provide details of the activities that have made a key contribution to patients, the community or to the general public and the positive impact it made on individuals.

The cash prizes are as follows:

Research Category – $5000

• $3000 issued to the winner
• $2000 donation made in the winner’s name to a dental hygiene program chosen by the winner

Activity/Project Category – $3000

• $2000 issued to the winner
• $1000 donation made in the winner’s name to a community project chosen by the winner

Student Research Category and Student Activity/Project Category- $2000

• $1500 issued to the winner
• $500 donation made in the winner’s name to a dental hygiene program chosen by the winner

To learn more about the contest specs: https://sunstarawards.com/HowToEnterDentalHygienistAward.html