Heather Waldron

Proudly Nominating Heather Waldron, LDH, BSDH, MHI for the Heart to Hands Award

I have known Heather Waldron for eight years, and in that time I have never once heard her ask for credit. What I have seen, over and over, is her quietly showing up for other people. She is a mentor, a public health advocate, and a hygienist-inspired ambassador for our profession. Above all, she is someone who believes that every person deserves access to care, no matter where they live or what they can afford.

Heather mentors her colleagues the way she cares for patients: by seeing the potential in someone and patiently helping them step into it. I can say that from experience. She has been a steady, encouraging presence for me and for many other hygienists. She puts everyone else first, and she has a rare gift for bringing out the best in the people around her.

What makes Heather’s story so powerful is how much of her work has happened out of sight. For years she has been in schools and clinics, collecting her own data on underserved populations in our state. She did this on her own time and with her own money. At a time when hygienists’ are making more money than ever, Heather has settled for under half to make sure the wealth of knowledge and care is spread as far as she can take it. She never asked for help or support, partly out of fear that she would be turned away. She simply kept going, one screening and one data point at a time. Only recently has she gathered data strong enough that it can’t be ignored. Because of her, the need in our communities is now documented, and that gives all of us something real to bring to the people who can make change.

Heather’s vision reaches beyond any one clinic. She created The Hygiene Collective, and she has recently partnered with America’s Toothfairy to spread awareness of the importance of healthy smiles. This year she also opened her first non-profit, with a clear mission: bringing dental care to people who are unable to access it. She performs screenings herself and has given countless volunteer hours to make that mission real. She isn’t waiting for someone else to solve the problem. She is building the solution.

Heather also serves the profession itself. She is the treasurer of the Indiana Dental Hygienists’ Association and a long-term board member, giving her time and steady leadership to the organization that supports hygienists across our state. Leading from the front has never been her style. She leads by doing the work, and by lifting others up while she does it.

The Heart to Hands Award honors hygienists whose quiet, relentless work changes lives, and I can’t think of anyone who fits that description better. Heather has never worked for a trophy or a spotlight. She has worked for the child who needs a screening, the family who has nowhere to turn, and the colleague who needs someone to believe in them. She has done it with humility, generosity, and a deep belief that care is a right, not a privilege.

It would mean so much to see Heather’s story shared on a bigger stage. Her work deserves to be seen, and her example could inspire other hygienists to act on the changes they hope to see in their own communities. I am honored to know her, and more so to nominate her for this award to celebrate the dedication and passion of dental hygienists who make a significant impact in their communities and the lives of their patients.