Hu-Friedy sponsors dental hygienists at CDS

CHICAGO, IL – March 4, 2010 –Hu-Friedy, a global leader in the manufacture of dental instruments, acknowledged the work of two Dental Hygienists by sponsoring their trip to attend the Chicago Midwinter Meeting, which convened at McCormick Place February 25-27.
 
Hu-Friedy conducted a contest to recognize the dedication of hygienists and to help eliminate any economic cost barrier that might prevent participation in this meeting. The winners, each of whom wrote a short essay on why they deserved to attend the Midwinter Meeting, are  among the 15,000-member base of the online community “Friends of Hu-Friedy." Approximately 100 dental hygienists submitted essays describing the benefits they expected from being selected to attend the largest annual gathering of dental professionals in the U.S.  
 
“Dental hygienists play such an important role in preventive oral health,” said Ron Saslow, president and Chief Executive Officer of Hu-Friedy. ”Year after year they conscientiously attend to the dental health needs of their patients and passionately pursue continuing education.  

Hu-Friedy has the honor of providing quality handcrafted instruments to this group and is committed to doing all we can to enable access to information and education that will add value to their professional lives. In the current economic climate it is sometimes difficult to attend some of the major conferences, so we are gratified that we could sponsor these two individuals who obviously have made a difference for so many.”  
 
The contest winners were Lesa K, Crane, RDH, BSHS, Assistant Local Coordinator of the Dental Hygiene Program of the Northern Virginia/Germanna Community College in Locust Grove, Virginia and Debby Kurtz-Weidinger, RDH, M.ED., a dental hygienist at the Carl Hayden VA Medical Center Dental Clinic in Phoenix, Arizona.
 
Crane said she had not been to the Chicago meeting since 1984. It was then that the native of Decatur, Illinois heard a presentation by Irene Woodall. “She inspired me to believe I could become a periotherapist. Now, I’ve come full circle. I’m an educator myself and the Midwinter Meeting has course offerings that will help us develop our program. Hu-Friedy has always promoted excellence and quality with its products. This essay contest is an example of the Company’s commitment to quality and excellence.” 

Kurtz-Weidinger has been deeply involved in the treatment of soldiers whose injuries leave them unable to speak, or with other serious oral health issues. “They tell me I’ve made a difference in  their lives by listening, providing high-quality dental hygiene treatment and by teaching them to maintain optimal oral health. They make me proud of my work.”
 
About Hu-Friedy
Founded in Chicago in 1908, Hu-Friedy Manufacturing Company helps dental professionals perform at their best by producing dental instruments designed to function as an extension of each practitioner's particular skill. Its products, hand-crafted by highly-skilled artisans, are known for their precision, performance, longevity, reliability and quality. Hu-Friedy products are distributed in more than 75 countries, and the Company has offices in Rotterdam, Leimen, as well as
Shanghai and Tokyo.