A Trailblazer in Dental Research and Education Leaves an Indelible Legacy Harold C. Slavkin, DDS, a tremendous contributor to dental education, dental research, and oral health promotion, passed away on December 22, 2023. A professor emeritus and dean emeritus at the Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry, University of Southern California in Los Angeles, he was also the former director of the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR). One of the major accomplishments of his tenure at NIDCR was completion of the first United States Surgeon General’s Report, “Oral Health in America,” which focused exclusively on craniofacial and oral health. Slavkin was a member of the National Academy of Medicine and a fellow in the American Association for the Advancement of Science. A cofounder of the Santa Fe Group, an oral health think tank, he was recognized with the 2016 William J. Gies Award for Vision as a Dental Educator and the 2016 American Association for Dental Research Jack Hein Public Service Award for promoting oral health research activities to a wide constituency. A member of Dimensions of Dental Hygiene’s Editorial Advisory Board since the journal’s inception, Slavkin authored several articles related to genetics and oral health and performed countless peer reviews. He will be greatly missed. D imensions of Dental Hygiene is pleased to welcome two new members to its Corporate Council: Dominic Castro, RDH, BS, and Ellen R. Guritzky, MSJ, RDH, FADHA. Castro is the ambassador activation and community manager for BURST Oral Care. He provides strategic direction and leadership to the ambassador activation team, con- tributing to the elevation of brand pres- ence and financial performance. Guritzky is a medical affairs senior sci- entist in oral care at Haleon, formerly GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare. She leads the company’s efforts in edu- cating consumers and healthcare profes- sionals on the real-world applications of Haleon’s products through the dissemination of unbiased clinical and scientific information. DENTAL HYGIENIST RECEIVES PRESIDENT’S AWARD Harold A. Henson, RDH, MEd, PhD, FADHA, recently received the University of Texas (UT) Health Houston’s 2023 President’s Scholar Award for Excellence in Teaching. The award recognizes Henson’s work in furthering innovative educational programs for both students and educators at UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry. The award encom- passes a framed certificate, cash prize of $10,000, and the honorary title of President’s Scholar. Henson, a member of Dimensions of Dental Hygiene’s Editorial Advisory Board, is a distinguished teaching profes- sor; director, Center for Teaching and Learning; and Master of Science in Dental Hygiene program coordinator at the UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry. DOMINIC CASTRO, RDH, BS HAROLD A. HENSON, RDH, MED, PhD, FADHA ELLEN R. GURITZKY, MSJ, RDH, FADHA HAROLD C. SLAVKIN, DDS DIMENSIONS WELCOMES TWO CORPORATE COUNCIL MEMBERS NEWSLINE 10 Dimensions OF DENTAL HYGIENE • January/February 2024 dimensionsofdentalhygiene.com Discovery EXPO Launches This September Discovery EXPO for Hygienists, hosted by Dimensions of Dental Hygiene, is an in-person 2-day event — September 13 and 14, 2024 — with exceptional speakers and content supporting the dental hygiene community. Discovery EXPO will present highly desired content focused on periodontal health, anesthesia, caries control, and diagnostics, as well as other key topics in clinical practice. The event will be held at the Anaheim Hilton Hotel in Southern California. Visit dimensionsdiscoveryexpo.com for more information.
