History and Mission

 

Our History

Irene M. Newman (1875-1958) became the first dental hygienist

and the first President of the Connecticut Dental Hygienists'

Association in the early 1900's. Alfred Civilian Fones (1869-1938),

a dentist from Bridgeport, Connecticut, and Newman's cousin,

recognized that when plaque and calculus were removed from teeth,

gingival health improved. As a result of this discovery, Fones started the

Fones School of Dental Hygiene in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and the dental

hygiene profession was born.  Today, CDHA continues to represent the professional interests of Connecticut dental hygienists.

 

Our Mission

The mission of the The Connecticut Dental Hygienists’ Association Inc. is to represent the interests of dental hygienists and support the advancement of the dental hygiene profession by promoting the highest clinical, educational and ethical standards and be advocates for the public’s total health through prevention and access to quality care.