The CDA Awards Recognition Program recognizes individuals across the country who have demonstrated unwavering passion and support for the dental profession in Canada and exhibited consistent commitment to the oral health of Canadians.
This week we bring you the Distinguished Service Award which recognizes outstanding contributions made to the dental profession, community or oral health of Canadians. It is presented in acknowledgment of a single year or multiple years of noteworthy service.
2022-23 Distinguished Service Award Recipient
Dr. William Hettenhausen
Dr. William Hettenhausen has spent over 50 years as a passionate advocate for oral health and teaching Canadians about prevention. In 1978, he founded the Your Teeth for Lifetime Foundation and is its Executive Director.
Focusing on children, Dr. Hettenhausen has organized and coordinated countless Oral Heath Month “Happy Teeth, Happy Smiles” colouring contests over the years and delivered close to 22,000 colouring pages to elementary schools across the region. Over 21,000 native elementary school children from more than 50 first nations communities across Northern Ontario have participated in colouring contests since 1997. In addition, he has held numerous information booths at intercity malls in Thunder Bay since the mid 1970’s.
Since 2001 Dr. Hettenhausen has been actively involved with the Head and Neck Clinical Oncology Teams at the Thunder Bay Regional Cancer Centre and helped write an instruction booklet to help patients minimize the oral side effects of cancer treatment. He was Chief of Dentistry at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre and on the Faculty of the Northern Ontario School of Medicine.
In 2000 he received the Weiler Award for furthering social development and social justice through partnerships among individuals and organizations, and in 2001 he received the ODA’s prestigious Barnabus Day Distinguished Service Award.
Dr. Hettenhausen has spent his entire professional career reaching out to old and young Canadians alike. His passion and dedication to his profession and to the oral health of Canadians is truly exemplary.
Please click on the video below to watch Dr. Hettenhausen's acceptance speech and don't forget to tune in next week to hear from more CDA Award recipients!
