Kiser receives recognition for 20 years of dedicated service

Shawn A. Kiser, director of the dental hygiene program at Pennsylvania College of Technology, recently was honored with the William K. Collins Sr. Meritorious Service Award from the American Board of Dental Examiners. The award recognizes individuals whose dedication has advanced the development, innovation and administration of competency assessments for the profession of dentistry.
 

Shawn A. Kiser

ADEX services the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico and Jamaica and is committed to the development and administration of competency assessments for oral health professions. The award was presented at the Oct. 17 American Board of Dental Examiners annual meeting in Dallas, where leaders from across the oral health community gathered to celebrate the excellence and service to the profession.

In addition, Kiser recently was nominated by the American Dental Hygienists’ Association and was appointed in December to serve on the Commission on Dental Accreditation Dental Hygiene Review Committee for two years, with the option to continue service for an additional four years.

“This national appointment recognizes my leadership and expertise in dental hygiene education and accreditation,” Kiser said. “In this role, I will contribute to the review of accreditation materials and support CODA’s ongoing efforts to ensure quality and continuous improvement in dental hygiene education programs nationwide.”

After receiving an associate degree in dental hygiene from Penn College, Kiser went on to become the first graduate of the school’s dental hygiene bachelor’s degree program. He earned a master’s degree in adult education at Penn State University and a doctorate in education at Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

Kiser served as a dental hygienist for a private dental practice, the University of Maryland Dental School Infectious Disease Clinic and the state Department of Corrections before becoming a faculty member at Penn College in 2000. He served as the dental hygiene program coordinator from 2001 to 2005 and has been the director since that time.

“I admire Shawn’s long-standing involvement in the professional organizations that shape dental hygiene education and licensure,” said Wendy A. Miller, assistant dean of health sciences. “He is driven by a commitment to students and a desire to ensure the future vitality of the career field, and it’s wonderful that his contributions have been recognized in this way.”

To learn about the college’s dental hygiene majors, visit www.pct.edu/dental or call 570-327-4519.

For information about Penn College, a national leader in applied technology education, visit www.pct.edu, email admissions@pct.edu or call toll-free 800-367-9222.