President’s Message

Hello fellow Montana hygienists! I am excited to introduce myself and express how truly honored I am to serve as the President of the MDHA for the 2024-2025 term. First and foremost, I want to thank you for the opportunity to continue serving the association.

I am originally from Helena, MT. I attended Carroll College, where I received my Bachelor of Arts in Health Sciences. A couple of years later, I enrolled in the GFC-MSU Dental Hygiene Program, where I formed lifelong friendships and became actively involved in legislative work, advocating for the expansion of the GFC-MSU Dental Hygiene Program. Currently, I am pursuing a Master of Science in Dental Hygiene at the University of New Mexico, focusing on research, and I am set to graduate this coming May.

Before becoming a dental hygienist, I worked as a dental assistant in a pediatric dental clinic during high school and college. After graduating from Carroll College, I served as the office manager for a private dental practice before attending dental hygiene school. For the past five years, I have worked at the same private practice and feel truly blessed to have a supportive dental team.

I have been an active member of the MDHA since my time as a dental hygiene student, starting as a member of SMADHA in 2017. Over the past few years, I have held multiple positions within the MDHA, including Helena Component Trustee, Alternate Delegate, Delegate, and President-Elect. I have enjoyed being involved with the MDHA Legislative Committee and advocating for the dental hygiene profession in Montana. I was grateful to attend the 2023 ADHA Annual Session in Chicago, IL, where I witnessed the ADHA in action, reigniting my passion to grow within our state dental hygiene association. I am eager to continue working with the MDHA and to pursue the growth and evolution of the dental hygiene profession in our state.

Outside of work, I am a mom to a high-energy toddler and am expecting our second baby in February. We love enjoying all that Montana has to offer, with biking and skiing being two of my favorite activities, aside from being a mom. We are also huge Disney fanatics- trying to venture to Disney parks whenever we can!

 Lastly, I would like to highlight some key points from the 2024 MDHA Strategic Planning session that took place in late October. In the upcoming year, MDHA plans to strengthen and grow our membership. We aim to share the benefits of membership and become more active on social media as part of our growth strategy. Advocating for our profession will be a significant focus this year as we enter another legislative session in Montana. In the past year, we have developed a positive and growing relationship with the MDA through workforce meetings. We plan to continue these meetings and cultivate a meaningful relationship with them moving forward. Additionally, we will focus on strengthening our current Board of Trustees members and developing a leadership pipeline.

I am very much looking forward to the year ahead and to serving as your MDHA President!

Cheyenne Smith, BA, RDH