Laura Scully is an exceptional leader whose contributions to the field of dental hygiene have transformed both professional practice and community health within the state of Illinois.  Her unwavering dedication to education, legislative advocacy, and service have made her a standout Dental Hygienist in the state of Illinois. 

Since graduating from dental hygiene school in 1991, Laura has actively engaged with the American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA), balancing private practice, the pursuit of a master’s degree, and the challenges of raising triplet sons.  In years when she was not able to take a position within the organization, she never let her ADHA membership expire because she felt that her financial contribution was still benefiting the profession.   Laura shifted her career focus to education, and has been on staff at Malcolm X College, Prairie State, and College of DuPage.  Through every phase of her career, she has demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to professional growth and public service.  Laura recently accepted a position at an FQHC to be able to work directly with the underserved populations within our state. 

Laura’s leadership in policy advocacy emerged from her early involvement with ABATE, a motorcycle rights association, where she gained invaluable experience with legislative processes. She later applied this knowledge to champion dental hygiene advancements, serving as President of the Illinois Dental Hygienists’ Association (IDHA) from 2018 to 2019, where she worked on curriculum development with Illinois Primary Healthcare Association (IPHCA).  Laura also continues to be a Dental Hygiene advocate through her work with the Illinois Rural Health Association. 

One of Laura’s most significant achievements came in 2020 when she spearheaded the certification program for Public Health Dental Hygienists (PHDH) in Illinois. Recognizing the urgent need for expanded oral healthcare access among underserved populations, she developed a comprehensive program—including continuing education courses and final examinations—that empowered dental hygienists to provide services beyond traditional dental settings. Laura was able to assist in the execution of grants that were funded through IPHCA and Delta Dental to help offset the expense of educating hygienists who wanted to pursue their PHDH Certification.   Since its inception, the PHDH program has graduated over 225 hygienists and facilitated oral health services for more than 22,700 underserved children and adults across the state.

Building on this success, Laura secured a grant from the Illinois Department of Public Health & CMS to launch EMPOWER Oral Health Illinois.  This initiative aimed to bridge the gap in oral health education among healthcare providers, ensuring interdisciplinary collaboration in patient care. In the brief window allowed by the grant, Laura recruited and trained 17 dental hygienists to visit assisted living facilities, ultimately delivering vital education to 274 healthcare professionals at 21 facilities serving over 1,700 residents.

Caregivers received expert training on topics including the oral-systemic health connection, nutrition and oral health, daily oral hygiene care, common oral health screenings, proper denture care, PPE use and infection control, family support in oral care, and urgent and routine care. The program’s post-class surveys reflected outstanding results, with 90-100% ratings in instructor performance, course content, and time allocation. Despite its measurable success, the grant was unfortunately pulled before the full impact of this initiative could be realized.

 Laura continues to be forward thinking with her ideas….she is already working on her next big project!   Laura wants to reach people prior to retirement to help prioritize their oral health needs, ensuring long-term wellness and preventive care.  There is no doubt that this upcoming project will make just as significant an impact as her previous initiatives.  Laura Scully’s  dedication is shaping the future of dental hygiene in ways that will be felt for generations.

This blog post was authored by IDHA Membership Committee Chair Karen Webster