Meaford resident Kelly-Ann Macknight has been elected to serve as a director on the Board of the Ontario Dental Hygienists' Association (ODHA), a volunteer organization with close to 6,000 members. 

Her term of office is for two years, effective April 26.

A registered dental hygienist, she brings a wide range of clinical experience and knowledge to the position.  As a member of the Board of Directors, she joins a team of professionals whose main objective is to advance the profession of dental hygiene, and raise public awareness about the roles and contributions of dental hygienists and the importance of good oral health.

As essential members of the healthcare team, dental hygienists have a distinct role to play in the prevention of oral disease and in the promotion of oral health.  This positions dental hygiene as an integral part of Ontario's primary healthcare system.

New government legislation passed last September has the potential to change the way preventive oral care is offered to the citizens of Ontario.  It allows dental hygienists to clean teeth outside the traditional dental office. The public will be able to choose their oral healthcare provider and obtain access to affordable dental hygiene services.

Those who will benefit most are low-income families, the uninsured and those who are physically unable to get to a dental office such as the sick or the homebound, residents in long-term care homes and those living in remote areas.

Established in 1963, the ODHA advocates for the profession.  Dental hygiene is one of the largest of the regulated health professions in the province. 

In Ontario, all dental hygienists are registered with the College of Dental Hygienists of Ontario, which regulates the profession to ensure the public receives safe and effective oral healthcare.