Durham College’s (DC) Terri Strawn, a professor in the Dental Hygiene program, has been elected as the new president of the Ontario Dental Hygienist’s Association (ODHA), representing one of the largest health-care professions in the province.

A regulatory body that advocates for the profession and ensures the public receives safe and effective oral care, the ODHA counts more than 13,000 registered dental hygienists in Ontario amongst its members. Strawn looks forward to her term as head of this growing and vital organization while continuing to find ways to work with the government and other health-care providers to deliver more efficient and cost-effective services.

One of the ODHA’s most important focuses is providing access to oral care that Strawn, during her one-year term, will continue to advocate for while also trying to increase public awareness about the link between oral health and the rest of the body.

“This makes our services as prevention professionals essential for improving oral health and helping Ontarians live healthier lives,” said Strawn. “With more than 250 independent dental hygiene clinics and mobile practices across the province, the public — especially low-income families, the uninsured and long-term care residents — has increased access to affordable oral care treatment.”

Strawn, who practises dental hygiene at the Whitby Dental Centre as well as teaching at DC, has been a volunteer director on the ODHA board since 2009.