President's Message

The evergreen trees of the south reveal a variety of qualities. These traits exhibited by the evergreen trees in our state reflect the different talents exhibited by the dental hygiene community in Georgia. Evergreens are used in an assortment of settings; they are used for ornamentals, adornment, construction, telephone poles, paper & shade. Seeds from the evergreens are sought after by wildlife for nourishment. Evergreen leaves and needles are used to sustain life during severe winter weather, while providing shelter from the brutal summer heat, the harsh winds and the elements.

We are the Southern Magnolias; we have a history & a budding future. The Magnolia leaves are thick and leathery with a bright lustrous evergreen color. We can be beautiful and strong under all weather conditions. Our flowers are large & showy, they are aromatic and pure white as our intentions must be. GDHA’S history and long time members give grounding, show us where we have been, and point to the future. We can and should learn from our mistakes and victories to move this profession forward to a brighter tomorrow filled with promise.

The members of GDHA are like the Fir trees, fragrant long after cutting. When the trees are fresh and well maintained they leave a pleasant scent that brings about contentment and fondness for their contributions. Hygienists must also be fresh and well maintained through regular continuing education and clear communication.

Like the firs that adorn our homes during the holidays, we will wreath ourselves while building on the past and developing our future.
We can also be compared to the Slash Pines that are used to build telephone poles and mashed into pulp to make paper. Like the paper used to deliver our message, hygienists are good communicators; and like the telephone poles that are crucial to the effective transmission of communications , each pole depends on the valuable passage of information from one to the next. It is when hygienists are not connecting with the others that our communications break down.

We are also the Yellow Pine- slow growing; taking 5-6 years to develop a strong taproot, then reaching heights of over 80 feet tall, becoming the very best grade of construction pine. GDHA has survived thanks to our leaders and members, committed to being our tap roots by serving on our councils, Board of Trustees and committees. The grass root hygienist is just as vital in getting our message out. Our educators can be compared to the nutrients that stimulate and give new life to the organization with each graduating class. These are the hygienists that set the root then empower themselves and others to reach new heights.

We are the Loblolly Pines that invade the abandoned fields, hygienists in Georgia are calling to action the help needed for the neglected fields of nursing homes, group settings and the underserved communities. We are for empowering the citizens of the state of Georgia to have a choice for health where none currently exist. We cannot in good conscience stand by idle when we have pledged to protect through our Hygiene Oath. In the meantime our fellow citizens are left victim to their proximity or socio-economic status, while we are kept from being able to serve them. Presently we are collaborating with many worthy groups such as Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies; GA Council on Aging, the Governors Council on Developmental Disabilities, & many others to rectify this terrible wrong!

We are the American Evergreen Holly, light, hard, tough wood used for various musical & scientific instruments, spreading the melody of health and harmony within the science of dentistry. We are the chair side practitioners, the educators, the researchers, the public health workers and the healthcare advocates.

We are the Live Oaks, the state tree of Georgia, and the symbol of a GDHA past-president, with our massive trunks and wide spreading horizontal branches reaching out to each other and spreading our message of support to all, we are the most typical and majestic trees of the Deep South. We are GDHA - empowering, developing, protecting, nourishing & supporting you! We are evergreen.

Margie Conrad, RDH, GDHA President 2007-08