WMDDS Members in Leadership at the MDA

Check Out Our WMDDS Members Serving in Leadership!

Dr. Margaret Gingrich Immediate Past President Dr. Christopher Smiley Editor Dr. Lauryne Vanderhoof MDA Board of Trustees

2021 MDA Award Recipients

Dr. Colette Smiley 2021 John G. Nolen Meritorious Award Recipient Julie Bera 2021 Allied Dental Professional Educator Award Recipient

The purpose of this award is to honor a dentist or other individual or organization for material contributions to the Michigan Dental Association, toward the advancement of the art and science of dentistry, or for contributions and activities of a nature which reflect great credit on the dental profession. This is the Michigan Dental Association’s highest award and honor. Dr. Smiley is such a worthy recipient of this award. After practicing dentistry for over 24 years and serving organized dentistry in many roles at the local, state and national level, she retired from practicing clinical dentistry in 2010. Working hard all those years would lead some people to take a break or decrease their involvement or enthusiasm for promoting organized dentistry. Instead, Dr. Smiley was re-energized and redirected her focus towards helping people, especially those who are underserved in West Michigan. She works tirelessly as a leader, as a spokesperson, and in her various roles and activities—and has painted organized dentistry in a most favorable light. Above all, Dr. Colette Smiley has done all of these things with a most humble and compassionate nature. Congratulations, Dr. Smiley. The purpose of this award is to give public recognition to one allied dental professional educator, employed by a CODA-approved institution, who has demonstrated outstanding commitment to the advancement of oral health. Julie Bera’s dedication to the oral health community of Michigan exemplifies the mission of the Allied Dental Professional Educator Award. Ms. Bera is a professor with Grand Rapids Community College’s Allied Dental Programs where she instructs dental assisting and dental hygiene students. Besides her teaching activities at GRCC, she has worked statewide to promote careers in dental assisting. She has served on many task forces and committees to address the shortage of licensed dental assistants, and she was instrumental in developing GRCC’s new pathway for working dental assistants holding a CDA to earn an RDA. She has served on the Michigan State Board of Dentistry and nationally as a site visitor and review committee member for the ADA’s Commission on Dental Accreditation. Congratulations to Julie Bera, the first recipient of this new MDA award.