In July of 1970, the Canadian Dental Hygienists’ Association approved the initial constitution and bylaws and the Saskatchewan Dental Hygienists’ Association became a reality! The first annual meeting of SDHA was held in November of 1970 with ten members attending.
Since 1970, the association has had a liaison with the College of Dental Surgeons of Saskatchewan. Representation at their meetings occurred in 1973 when an SDHA representative was allowed to participate in auxiliary discussions. In 1976, this privilege was extended to include the complete spring and fall sessions, and in 1979 the SDHA representative was entitled to voting status.
Over the years, SDHA has contributed towards the advancement of dental hygiene in Saskatchewan. Briefs and letters have been submitted to the provincial government on the Proposed Dental Care Program for Children, and the Dental Profession Act as well as other items of mutual interest. In 1976, the number of continuing education courses for members increased and SDHA began receiving grants from the College of Dental Surgeons of Saskatchewan to provide continuing education programs. In 1981, the College of Dental Surgeons of Saskatchewan instituted continuing education credits as a requirement for licensure.
SDHA has also promoted relationships between allied oral health personnel in Saskatchewan by initiating a “Preventive Assistant Award” for Certified Dental Assistants and by organizing the first joint auxiliary meeting of all provincial auxiliary associations. In 1980, the first class of Saskatchewan Dental Hygienists graduated from Wascana Institute. SDHA also initiated a “Mary Geddes Memorial Award” for a graduate of the program. Mary Geddes was the first dental hygienist to register in Canada. She registered with the College of Dental Surgeons of Saskatchewan on April 1, 1950. She graduated from the University of Minnesota on June 12, 1948 and resided in Regina. Her brother was a well know Regina dentist Dr. Brett (Geddes was her married name).
The Saskatchewan Dental Hygienists’ Association became incorporated under the Societies Act in 1978. In 1996 SDHA was registered with “ The Non-profit Corporations Act” as a non-profit organization.
In 1994 SDHA hosted the CDHA conference for the first time. At that conference SDHA started down the road to self-regulation by submitting a proposal to the, then, Minister of Health, Louise Simard. SDHA became officially self-regulating in 1997 with the passing of the Dental Disciplines Act in the Saskatchewan Legislature. Upon self-regulation, the SDHA has continued as a corporation under the Dental Disciplines Act.
SDHA employed their first Secretary/Treasurer/Registrar in 1997. The first Council meeting of the SDHA was held on July 25-26, 1998 where the SDHA Administrative Bylaws were approved. In 1998 Continuing Education Guidelines were established.
The first Dental Professional Annual Scientific Session was held in conjunction with the College of Dental Surgeons, the Saskatchewan Dental Hygienists’ Association, the Saskatchewan Dental Assistants Association, and the Saskatchewan Dental Therapists Association in Saskatoon, Sask. in September 2002.
SDHA hosted the 14th Annual Canadian Dental Hygienists’ Association Conference in June 2003 in Regina, Saskatchewan. The Theme was “Expanding Horizons”.
In 2003 SDHA moved to policy governance style of administration in order to provide strategic leadership to the organization. This required amendments to the administrative bylaws to reflect the change in governance style and the employment of an Executive Director whose position assumed the duties previously held by the registrar.
SDHA set a Guinness World Record in Regina, Saskatchewan On October 20, 2003. “Most People Simultaneously Flossing Their Teeth”The Guinness World Record Certificate reads: Organized by the Saskatchewan Dental Hygiene Association, a total of 1,146 people flossed their teeth for 45 seconds on a single line of dental floss as part of National Dental Hygiene Week, at Campbell Collegiate High School, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada on 20 October,2003.
Event Organizers were Veronica Hermiston & Sheila Petrollini to celebrate National Dental Hygienists Week.
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