Kading Honored for Dental Hygiene Research
Cherri L. Kading, who graduated in May 2009 with a master’s degree in dental hygiene education from UNC-Chapel Hill, was recently named runner-up in a national program promoting dental hygiene research.
The American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA) and DENTSPLY International sponsored the first DENTSPLY/ADHA Graduate Student Clinicians Program at the ADHA Center for Lifelong Learning at the 86th Annual Session, held June 17-23 in Washington, D.C. Kading was selected to represent UNC-Chapel Hill in the competition.
The purpose of the DENTSPLY/ADHA program is to promote dental hygiene research. The program selects one graduate dental hygiene student nominated by each participating accredited graduate dental hygiene program that offers a master of science degree in dental hygiene and related disciplines (as identified by the ADHA).
Kading was honored at an awards banquet held June 19.
While a graduate student at UNC-Chapel Hill, she received a grant from ADHA to conduct her thesis project, titled “Factors affecting North Carolina dental hygienists’ confidence in providing obesity education and counseling.” Her thesis committee members at the School of Dentistry were Dr. Alice Curran, associate professor in the Department of Diagnostic Sciences and General Dentistry; Dr. William Vann, distinguished professor in the Department of Pediatric Dentistry; and Rebecca Wilder, professor and director of the Graduate Dental Hygiene Education Program. Her paper has been submitted for publication to the Journal of Dental Hygiene.
In August, Kading will begin her academic career as a full-time dental hygiene faculty member at Georgia Perimeter College in Dunwoody, Ga.
Kading received her associate degree in dental hygiene from Western Technical College in LaCrosse, Wis., and her bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Stout.
ADHA is the largest national organization representing the professional interests of more than 150,000 dental hygienists nationwide.
