The Illinois Dental Hygienists’ Association is pleased to announce a way to show how committed you are to your profession.

Many dental hygienists volunteer endless hours to promote the dental hygiene profession. Throughout their career, many dental hygienists accumulate more continuing education hours than are required by law for licensure renewal. This is done for professional and personal growth, and for the love of learning.

The Scholar Society will offer all dental hygienists a way to show others how important dental hygiene is to them. If you are a hygienist that:

1. Continues to exceed the required number of continuing education hours needed for renewal period.
2. Views volunteerism as a part of your duty as a registered dental hygienist.
3. Feels strongly about promoting the importance of dental hygiene to the public.
4. Believes in the importance of supporting scholarship funding for dental hygiene students.

What is the Scholar Society?

The Scholar Society began as a way to create scholarship money for dental hygiene students in the state of Illinois. The registration fee will be used to generate monies needed to keep these scholarships going.

The knowledge that many Registered Hygienists exceed the number of continuing education hours needed yearly and volunteer in different settings to make sure that the public is educated about the Dental Hygiene profession is what ignited the idea to recognize those elite hygienists.

These Registered Dental Hygienists are the reason our profession will continue to be a respected, strong organization. The Illinois Dental Hygienists’ Association offers all hygienists the opportunity to recommit to their profession by joining the Scholar Society.

How do I join?

• Accumulate at least 50 continuing education hours during a two year license renewal period.
  
• Accumulate at least 10 hours of education to the public, by volunteering for community activities.
  
• Fill out the registration form and document your continuing education hours.
  
• Continue to promote the Dental Hygiene profession as often as possible with as much passion as possible.

What will I receive upon acceptance of your application?

Your first year as a member of the Scholar Society, you will receive a specially designed pin that will designate you as a Scholar Society member, a certificate to show your membership and pride in dental hygiene, and a booklet listing all Scholar Society members.

At each renewal period, you will receive a new booklet with a listing of all current members of the Illinois Dental Hygienists’ Association Scholar Society.

For more information...

Download an informative brochure and membership application by clicking here. If you are already a member of the Scholar Society, you may also download a printable Continuing Education/Community Service Log by clicking here.