In the early days of our association, a pioneering group of dental hygienists laid the foundation for what would become a thriving community advocating for the profession. In 1949, Carolyn Smart Keith, Winifred Brewer Burns, Maxine Bowman, Mary Louise Tuttle, and Nancy Horton Pappas came together to establish the NCDHA Constitution and Bylaws, a pivotal moment that marked the beginning of our journey. Over the subsequent years, our members championed the transition of dental hygienists from public programs to the private practice setting, educating both dentists and the public on the invaluable preventive therapies offered by our profession. The advent of dental hygiene education in North Carolina in 1953 at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and later at community colleges in 1965 further solidified our commitment to advancing dental hygiene education and practice in our state.

Today the North Carolina Dental Hygienists’ Association (NCDHA) stands as a beacon of unity and progress within the dental hygiene community. As a 501(c)6 non-profit organization and a proud member of the tripartite structure of the American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA), we are dedicated to serving the needs of dental hygienists across North Carolina. When you join NCDHA, you become part of a dynamic network of professionals, comprising five Components, each offering unique networking, continuing education (CE), and leadership opportunities at the local, state, or national level.