Patrounova receives TDHA Lifetime Achievement Award

Alumna Victoria Patrounova, RDH, MHA, holds her Texas Dental Hygienists’ Association Lifetime Achievement Award on March 31. Photo by Kyle Rogers.

Alumna Victoria Patrounova, RDH, MHA, associate professor in the Department of Periodontics and Dental Hygiene at UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry, has received the Texas Dental Hygienists’ Association Lifetime Achievement Award, recognizing more than 25 years of dedicated service and a career-long commitment to advancing the dental hygiene profession through leadership, advocacy, and education.

The award, one of the organization’s highest honors, was presented Feb. 28 at the TDHA’s annual conference.

The honor recognizes dental hygienists who have demonstrated sustained leadership and unwavering commitment to the profession at the state and national levels.

Patrounova was nominated by the Greater Houston Dental Hygienists’ Association, where she has held numerous leadership roles since 2008, including HyPAC (Dental Hygiene Political Action Committee) chair, community service chair, vice president, and president, as well as multiple terms as a TDHA delegate. She has also contributed to the Dental Hygiene Educators of Texas, serving multiple years as poster presentation chair and judge.

At the state level, Patrounova has served on various TDHA committees and was recently re-elected as the association’s professional development director and a member of its board of directors.

At the national level, Patrounova served as American Dental Hygienists’ Association delegate in 2016 and presented several times at the national conferences, most recently in 2025 at Long Beach, Calif.  She has been active in the American Dental Education Association, serving as section chair, delegate, and committee member.

Colleagues and former students cited Patrounova’s leadership, mentorship, and dedication to the profession in letters supporting her nomination.

“Few individuals embody the spirit, dedication, and enduring commitment to the dental hygiene profession as profoundly as Victoria,” wrote Khairunisa Hashmani, RDH, MA, EdD, in a letter of recommendation.

Former student Ashley Bonilla, RDH, member of the Dental Hygiene Class of 2025, also highlighted Patrounova’s impact as an educator and mentor. “Her leadership style is rooted in kindness, professionalism, and integrity, creating a learning environment where students feel supported and motivated to excel,” Bonilla wrote.

Patrounova said she was surprised by the response from conference attendees, which included School of Dentistry faculty and students, who celebrated the recognition.

She credits her involvement in professional organizations as a key part of her career impact.

“I have always believed that being a member of a professional organization is important — it has given me opportunities to grow, develop leadership skills, and be part of a community of colleagues and friends who understand and support one another through both career and life challenges. It is very meaningful that they recognized my contribution to dental hygiene,” Patrounova said.

Among her many professional contributions, she points to her work advancing local anesthesia education for dental hygienists as a defining achievement. She served on the Dental Hygiene Educators of Texas local anesthesia ad hoc committee, testified before the Texas State Board of Dental Examiners on educational requirements for certification, and submitted curriculum changes to the Commission on Dental Accreditation for the School of Dentistry’s Dental Hygiene Program to start teaching local anesthesia.

Patrounova said the award was made even more meaningful by the support of her colleagues and former students.

“Knowing that my mentee and one of my former students submitted heartfelt recommendation letters on my behalf makes this honor deeply gratifying,” she said. “Their belief in me, combined with the trust of my component, is truly special.”

A native of Russia, Patrounova immigrated to the United States in 1993. She earned her dental degree in Moscow in 1991, followed by a certificate in dental hygiene from UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry in 1999. After practicing dental hygiene in Houston for 10 years, she completed a Master of Healthcare Administration at Texas Woman’s University in 2007.

She joined the School of Dentistry faculty in 2009 and served as director of the Dental Hygiene Program from 2021 to 2024, helping launch the Master of Science in Dental Hygiene program and expand student scholarships and endowments.

An accomplished educator and speaker, Patrounova has delivered more than 80 presentations and contributed to textbook chapters, including in Darby and Walsh’s “Dental Hygiene: Theory and Practice.” She is widely recognized for her expertise in smoking cessation and for her ongoing contributions to dental hygiene education, research, and advocacy.