Sunstar and the European Dental Hygienist Federation announce the 2024 winners of the European Award of Distinction for Dental Hygienists

Sunstar Oral Health, part of Sunstar, in partnership with the European Dental Hygienist Federation (EDHF) has announced the 2024 winners of the European Award of Distinction for Dental Hygienists.

The award, supported by the Sunstar Foundation, aims to celebrate the achievements of European dental hygienists with this year’s winners based in the UK, Ireland, Italy and Portugal.

The 2024 Sunstar EDHF European Award of Distinction are:

• Full Time Clinician: Stefania Morittu, Italy, Dental Hygienist at Studio Dentistico Morittu, Cagliari, Italy
• Public Health: Pernille Mose, Denmark, Dental Hygienist at Tandlaegerne Torvet, Horsens, Denmark
• Research: Andrea Butera, Italy, Research Fellow, University of Pavia, Italy
• Entrepreneur: Jacqueline Armstrong, UK, Clinician and Founder, Ohh! Oral Health, Cumbernauld, Scotland
• New RDH: Janet Williams Oshun, Ireland, Dental Hygienist at South Beach Clinic and Wicklow Dental, Ireland
• Academia: Mário Rui Araújo, Portugal, Adjunct Professor and Dental Hygiene Program Coordinator, Instituto Politécnico de Portalegre, Portugal

(* See supplementary information and images of the winners at the end of the release)

Mayumi Kaneda, Director of the Sunstar Foundation said: “We congratulate our fantastic winners. This award illustrates just how dental hygienists can impact their patients and their health and wellbeing. With each winner demonstrating incredible excellence and achievements in their chosen field.”

All the nominations were judged by an international committee of independent dental hygienists, carefully selected by the EDHF comments Gitana Rederiene, PhD.President of European Dental Hygienists Federation: “The Sunstar /EDHF Awards of Distinction has a significant impact by recognising and honouring the outstanding achievements of dental hygienists worldwide. This prestigious award helps to elevate the profession of dental hygiene and inspires others to strive for excellence in their practice. In addition, the recognition and support of the award help to raise awareness of the important role dental hygienists play in promoting oral health and general well-being, and the various award categories highlight the wide range of opportunities for dental hygienists to achieve their potential.”

This European award, as well as its North American counterpart, The Sunstar/RDH Award of Distinction, acts  as the ‘qualification round’ to the World Dental Hygienist Awards, created in partnership by Sunstar and the International Federation of Dental Hygiene (IFDH). For both awards, dental hygienists compete for global recognition, a money prize and a trip to Milan, Italy to be celebrated at the 2026 International Symposium on Dental Hygiene (ISDH).

In addition to the World Dental Hygienists Awards, the Sunstar Foundation promotes two other educational award initiatives for professionals – the World Perio Research Award and the Perio Link Award – as well as providing research and innovation grants to raise awareness about the importance of oral care and to support oral care professionals globally.

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