Dental hygiene faculty, students honored at 2026 TDHA conference
UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry faculty and students at the 84th Annual Texas Dental Hygienists’ Association Conference.
Dental hygiene faculty and students from UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry earned multiple honors at the 84th Annual Texas Dental Hygienists’ Association Conference, held Feb. 26-March 1 in San Marcos, Texas.
The annual meeting brought together dental hygiene professionals, educators, and students from across Texas for continuing education, networking, and recognition of achievements. The 2026 conference theme, “Fierce Synergy,” highlighted individual strength as the foundation for collective empowerment and advancing the profession.
School of Dentistry faculty and students were recognized during the awards luncheon.
Faculty honors
Victoria Patrounova, RDH, MHA, associate professor in the Department of Periodontics and Dental Hygiene, received the TDHA Lifetime Achievement Award, one of the organization’s highest honors for sustained contributions to dental hygiene and professional service.
Raha Naderi, RDH, MEd, assistant professor and director of community outreach, received the Dental Hygiene Educators of Texas Scholarship for Advanced Degree.
Student honors
Second-year student Luis “Quinn” Rangel received the Chairside Education Star Student Award.
First-year student Nakiyah Dobbs earned the Texas Dental Placement Network Scholarship.
Three second-year students were also recognized with competitive scholarships. Seidy Banobre Lopez and Jennie Nguyen received Heartland Dental scholarships, while Cindy Nguyen was awarded the Jan Smith Omega Seminars Memorial Scholarship.
First-year student Eden Patten was selected as the TDHA District 9 alternate student delegate, representing dental hygiene students within the statewide organization.
Student presentations
In addition to individual awards, several second-year students presented scientific research during the conference.
Annette Vazquez, Tran Nguyen, and Nadia Morales presented “Beyond Pain Relief: Antibacterial Effects of Local Anesthetics.” Mia Jackson, Karyn Lu, and Jazmin Samuel presented “Pica and Oral Health: More than a Habit.”
Both groups delivered oral research presentations during the conference, competing alongside students from dental hygiene programs across Texas.
Faculty presentation
Khairunisa Hashmani, RDH, MA, EdD, associate professor, presented “Breathe, Balance, Thrive: Mindfulness and Self-Care for Dental Hygienists,” a continuing education course that explored how mindfulness and intentional self-care can enhance well-being, reduce burnout, improve clinical performance, and empower attendees to integrate mindful habits into daily routines and foster a culture of wellness in their teams.
TDHA Annual Conference
Participation in the TDHA annual conference offers students opportunities to engage with leaders in the profession, present research, and connect classroom learning with professional practice.
The Texas Dental Hygienists’ Association is the professional organization representing dental hygienists across the state and supports advocacy, education, and leadership development within the field.
