EXCELLENCE IN ORAL HEALTH
AWARD WINNERS
EXCELLENCE IN ORAL HEALTH
AWARD WINNERS
EXCELLENCE IN ORAL HEALTH AWARDS

Each year, we honor outstanding individuals and organizations who are dedicated to improving oral health in Kansas. Below are the past award winners.

Click here to nominate someone for the 2024 Excellence in Oral Health Awards or here for the Ron Alexander Outstanding Dental Champion Award. The deadline to submit a nomination is Monday, September 23 at 5 pm. The winners will be honored at the Conference on Oral Health on Friday, November 8 at the Kansas State Olathe Campus.

Please call 785-235-6039 or email info@oralhealthkansas.org with any questions about the awards nominations. Thank you!


Annual Excellence in Oral Health Awards

2023
Outstanding Dentist: Nuvia Lemus-Diaz, DDS
Outstanding Dental Hygienist: Shawn Oprisiu, RDH
Outstanding Community Leader: Debra Trybom, RDH
Outstanding Volunteer: Megan Brungardt, RN
Bob Bethell Outstanding Policy Maker: Sarah Fertig, JD

2022
Outstanding Dentist: Dr. Nader Rastgoftar, DDS
Outstanding Dental Hygienist: Christina Cook, RDH, ECP II
Ron Alexander Outstanding Dental Champion - Davette McCoy, RDH, ECP III
Oustanding Organization: South Central Kansas Medical Center
Bob Bethell Outstanding Policy Maker: Representative Barbara Ballard

2021: Click on the names to view the 2021 award winners
Outstanding Dentist: Dr. Grant Smith
Outstanding Dental Hygienist: Katelyn Freund
Bob Bethell Outstanding Policy Maker: Senator Pat Pettey

2020: Click on the names to view the 2020 award winners
Outstanding Community Leader/Volunteer: Carol Logan
Outstanding Dentist: Emily Day, DDS
Bob Bethell Outstanding Policy Maker: Representative Will Carpenter

To see recipients from previous years click on the tabs below:

  • Outstanding Community Leader/Volunteer: Jerri Jones
  • Outstanding Dental Hygienist: Laura Gigstad, RDH
  • Outstanding Dentist: Dr. Owen Poulson, DDS
  • Outstanding Community Leader: Denise Maseman
  • Outstanding Dental Hygienist: Jennifer Brucker
  • Bob Bethell Award for Outstanding Policy Maker: Jon Hamdorf
  • Outstanding Volunteer: Jenna Weikel
  • Ron Alexander Outstanding Dental Champion: Niki Sadler
  • Outstanding Organization: Plastic Surgery Center Cleft Lip and Palate Team
  • Outstanding Volunteer: Carolyn Weinhold
  • Outstanding Dental Hygienist: Lesley Johnson, RDH
  • Outstanding Dentist: Dr. Jon Siebrasse, DDS
  • Outstanding Dental Champion: Julie Parnell
  • Outstanding Dentist: Dr. Nick Rogers
  • Outstanding Dental Champion: Kevin Robertson
  • Outstanding Organization: Comfort Care Homes, Inc.
  • Outstanding Dentist: Dr. Mollie Day
  • Outstanding Dental Hygienist: Mildred Bergstrom
  • Outstanding Dental Hygienist: Nicole Moser
  • Outstanding Dental Champion: Teresa Schwab
  • Outstanding Community Leader: Dr. Allison Lesko
  • Outstanding Dentist: Dr. Lucynda Raben
  • Outstanding Organization: Delta Dental of Kansas Foundation
  • Bob Bethell Award for Outstanding Policy Maker: Rep. Susan Concannon
  • Lifetime Achievement Award: Karen Finstad
  • Outstanding Community Leader: Judy Johnston, MS, RD/LD
  • Outstanding Dentist: Dr. Charles Squire
  • Outstanding Hygienist: Denise Maus, RDH
  • Outstanding Organization: Heartspring
  • Outstanding Volunteer: Kathy Heerwald & DCI Students
  • Outstanding Dental Champion: Greg Hill, JD
  • Bob Bethell Award for Outstanding Policy Maker: Kathy Weno, JD, DDS and the Bureau of Oral Health
  • Outstanding Community Leader: Norma Barkus
  • Outstanding Dentist: Dr. Deana Bender
  • Outstanding Hygienist: Tammi Engel
  • Outstanding Organization: Miles of Smiles
  • Outstanding Volunteer: Jill Quigley
  • Outstanding Dental Champion: Schaunta James-Boyd and Gail Kennedy
  • Bob Bethell Awards for Outstanding Policy Maker: Senator Vicki Schmidt and Senator Steve Morris
  • Outstanding Community Leader: Loretta (Letty) Seidl
  • Outstanding Dentist: Dr. Nicole Rogers and Dr John Fales
  • Outstanding Hygienist: Heather Flick and Doreen Eyler
  • Outstanding Organization: Kansas Association for the Medically Underserved
  • Outstanding Volunteer: Jayme Lewis
  • Outstanding Dental Champion: Kathy Hunt
  • Outstanding Policy Maker: Sen Carolyn McGinn
  • Outstanding Community Leader: Dr Jon Tilton
  • Outstanding Dentist: Dr Nevin Waters
  • Outstanding Hygienist: Christen Lacey
  • Outstanding Organization: Dodge City Rotary Club, under the leadership of Bill Hammond
  • Outstanding Volunteer: Louise Bennett
  • Outstanding Dental Champion: Amber Sellers
  • Outstanding Community Leader: Jason Wesco
  • Outstanding Clinician: Michael Le Blanc, DDS
  • Outstanding Organization: Galena Unified School District 499
  • Outstanding Policy Maker: Senator Laura Kelly
  • Outstanding Community Leader: Rebecca Scott
  • Outstanding Clinician: Kandee Klein, DDS
  • Outstanding Organization: Lifetime Smiles
  • Outstanding Policy Maker: Representative Bob Bethell
  • Lifetime Achievement Award: Kim Moore
  • Outstanding Community Leader: Maggie Smet, RDH
  • Outstanding Clinician: Nick Rogers, DDS
  • Outstanding Organization: Kansas Action for Children
  • Outstanding Policy Maker: Senator Jim Barnett
  • Outstanding Community Member: Kathy Hunt, RDH
  • Outstanding Clinician: Roger Nolte, DDS
  • Outstanding Organization: Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas
  • Individual Dental Champion Award: David Foley, DDS
  • Organization Dental Champion Award: Sedgwick County Health Department - Children's Dental Clinic



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