BSDHT president will serve on IFDH board until 2019

Belfast hygienist Michaela O’Neill has become the first active president of the British Society of Dental Hygiene and Therapy (BSDHT) to be elected to the board of directors for the International Federation of Dental Hygienists (IFDH).

The IFDH is an international nongovernmental organisation which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. Michaela, who herself has 25 years of professional practice behind her, will serve as secretary for the organisation until 2019.

She said: “It is a real honour to be elected to the board of directors for the IFDH and I look forward to representing the best interests of dental professionals from the United Kingdom and around the world.

“The IFDH is a leader in advancing our professional profile globally and it’s not every day that UK has the opportunity to have their voice heard at international level within dentistry. I will serve within my role with enthusiasm and commitment to help further the aims of the IFDH.”

Michaela continued: “Over the last three decades the IFDH have been successful in bringing together dental leaders from around the word to further the dental hygiene profession. They have achieved this by promoting dental hygiene, incorporating latest research findings into the profession and successfully promoting the oral health profession globally.

“As well as my continued commitment to the BSDHT, I am looking forward to representing our members on a larger scale and incorporate exciting current and future ideas into the UK’s dental hygiene landscape.”

The IFDH unites dental hygiene associations from around the world in their common cause of promoting dental health.

The aim of the BSDHT is to represent the interests of members and to provide a consultative body for public and private organisations on all matters relating to dental hygiene and therapy. They work with other professional and regulatory groups to provide the highest level of information to their members as well as to the general public.

Former BSDHT president, previously the BDHA, Eveline Gray previously held the position of treasurer of the IFDH for a number of years after serving on the board.