Greetings,

This Spring has started off like a hurricane (thank goodness we did not have that great experience this past summer & fall here along the coast).  As I write this all of us are busy getting our students ready for National Boards next week and WREB in just a few more weeks.  Tis the season!

Thank you to all who attended the TDHEA conference in February, it was a great success.  Huge thanks go out to Holly Rice for her work with the SADHA planning committee as well as to Debbie Lyon for the her work in coordinating the excellent Professional Development program that was presented.  Also many thanks is to be given to the TDHEA Board for the work behind the scenes – numerous people give a lot of time to assure that this association has a voice and events like this are successful.

There is a lot going on this spring.  I heard on the news yesterday that the Legislature is half way through the session and only one bill has passed.  TDHEA has teamed up with TDHA to support House Bill 903 and Senate Bill 974 for dental hygienists to have the opportunity to administer local anesthesia in Texas as well as House Bill 2993 for Improved Access to Oral Health for Children in Head Start Programs.  This is a very exciting time for all dental hygiene educators as the impact of the local anesthesia bill could potentially impact our curriculums in a very big way.  Those of you that attended the conference had an opportunity to meet and hear from our lobbyist Marshall Kenderdine.  Marshall has great connections in the Capital and is actively working for us during this session.  I would encourage you to contact your legislators asking for their support for these bills.   My 82 yr. old father visited his Senator’s office last week asking for her support for the local anesthesia bill on behalf of all the dental hygienists in the state.  You just never know where your support will come from.

My best wishes for a great finish to the spring semester for all of you.  Please do not hesitate to contact me if needed.  My office number is 281-312-1517 and my email is Maribeth.Stitt@nhmccd.edu