ETHERINGTON AWARD

Dr. Mooney is a graduate of the University of Connecticut School of Dental Medicine. Early in his career, Dr. Mooney quickly became involved as an officer of his local component society, and a member of the New Dentist Committee of the Connecticut State Dental Association (CSDA). Over the years, Jack has served the CSDA with distinction, being active on numerous councils and committees. Dr. Mooney was a member of the CSDA on the Board of Governors, first representing his district, and later moving up the leadership ladder culminating in his service as President of the CSDA in 2006. He was Chair of the CSDA Legislative Council and Access to Care Committee for several years, during which time the CSDA was facing significant dental workforce and dental Medicaid challenges. He has served as a member of CSDA’s delegation to the ADA House of Delegates and served four years on the ADA Council of Government Affairs as the representative of the ADA First Trustee District. In addition to supporting his profession, Dr. Mooney is committed to serving his community. He is a member of the Pierre Fauchard Academy, a Fellow of the American College of Dentistry and the International college of Dentists, and a volunteer leader of the Connecticut Mission of Mercy. He serves over 800 Medicaid children and adult patients in his private dental practice in Putnam, Connecticut.

CLINICIAN OF THE YEAR AWARD

Dr. Ronald Fried has served as a lecturer at the Yankee Dental Congress for over two decades. He received his D.M.D. degree from Boston University Goldman School of Dental Medicine and his specialty degree in Periodontics and a Masters of Medical Sciences at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine. Dr. Fried is a Diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology and an Assistant Professor of Oral Medicine, Infection and Immunity at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine. Dr. Fried maintains a private practice in Periodontics and Dental Implants in Brookline, MA.

ELIZABETH A. BAER ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Jennifer Mckeon has been involved in dental assisting for over 35 years. Ms. Mckeon began her career as an OTJ trained dental assistant before acquiring her CDA in 1998. Presently Ms. Mckeon is the coordinator of Dental Assisting Education at Quinsigamond Community College while still finding time to fulfill her passion working clinically as a dental assistant and dental hygienist. Volunteering as a presiding chair and room coordinator at Yankee Dental Congress and maintaining the roll of president elect for the MDAA keeps her schedule full. In addition, Ms. McKeon collaborates with Worcester Public Schools and Quinsigamond Community College by Co-directing the Kid Seal program. Ms. McKeon resides in Holden, Ma

HYGIENIST OF THE YEAR AWARD

Sarah Crow is a 2014 Dental Hygiene graduate of Middlesex Community College where she earned High Honors, was selected for Dean’s List, was a member of the Phi Theta Kappa Honors Society, and was elected class president for two consecutive years. She was awarded the “Outstanding Student in Dental Hygiene” award, elected by full faculty, the “MCC’s Finest Student” award elected by the college president, and was named “Member of the Year” by MCC’s Center for Leadership and Engagement. At the 2015 Yankee Dental Congress Student Business Meeting, she accepted the role of “Master of Ceremonies” where she addressed a room of over three-hundred students and national leaders on “The Power of Belief.” 
In 2018 Sarah was featured in ADHA’s Access Magazine with an article titled, “What Makes a Good Dental Hygienist Comes From Within.”

Currently, Sarah works as a clinical hygienist in Salem, MA alongside Dr. Pamela Maragliano-Muniz, where she is given the opportunity to exhibit her passion in dental hygiene, while continuing her degree in the field of dental hygiene education. She currently holds the position of President-Elect for ADHA Massachusetts, and she continues to volunteer her time both clinically and professionally while raising her large family.  

JOHN GOLDEN AWARD

Dr. Portnoff received her undergraduate degree from Brandeis University, and then received her dental degree from the Tufts University School of Dental Medicine in 1997. She also completed the Harvard-Wide General Practice Residency Program in 1998. An active Yankee volunteer for nearly 20 years, Dr. Portnoff has served in several roles, including General Chair (2018 & 2019), Program Committee Member, room coordinator, Presiding Chair, and most recently serving as a Program Co-Chair and Chair. In 2014 she was named an MDS William McKenna Volunteer Hero and then was named in 2016 Dental Products Report - Top 25 Women in Dentistry. A member of Pierre Fauchard Academy, she maintains a private practice in Westborough, MA and enjoys her time with her two teenagers, Lexi and Andrew. 

ARMEN NALBAND AWARD

Dr. Stephen McKenna has been an active volunteer for the MDS for the past 30 years and has served in many capacities including Secretary, President, and Trustee of his district. He started volunteering for Yankee Dental Congress (Yankee) in his second year of Tufts School of Dental Medicine when his uncle, Dr. William McKenna, and his father, Dr Paul McKenna, chaired various YDC committees and continued to volunteer each year since while chairing several of the committees as well. Dr. McKenna continued his dental education and graduated from the Tufts Orthodontic program in 1990 and then returned to Western Massachusetts to join his family’s orthodontic practice that his grandfather started in 1918. In the orthodontic community he has served as the Vice President and President of the Massachusetts Orthodontic Association and has served on many committees of the Northeastern Orthodontic Society. Dr. McKenna has also been on the Board of directors of EDIC for 15 years, where he chaired the Risk Management Committee, served as Secretary, and is now the Vice Chairman of the Board. He is a fellow of the American College of Dentists and the Pierre Fauchard Academy. Dr. McKenna maintains an orthodontic practice in the Springfield area where he lives with his wife, Ellen, and is a proud parent of their three children. Their oldest daughter, Catherine, recently graduated from Tufts School of Dental Medicine to become a fourth generation graduate of the dental school.

VIVIAN CHAPUT AWARD

Laurie Samuels graduated from Bryant University in 1982 with a BA in Business Administration, and has worked in accounting and bookkeeping ever since. She has volunteered for many years on the Social and Cultural Committee, including serving as Chair in 2010. She was on the Board of the Temple Emanuel Nursery School in Andover for 25 years, serving as Chairwoman for 15 of those years. Laurie and her husband, former MDS President and Past Yankee Chair, Dr. David Samuels live in Andover. They have three children and are expecting their sixth grandchild. 

AUXILIARY VOLUNTEER AWARD

Mr. Gangi is a graduate of the University of Vermont. He has been a member of the American Dental Hygienists Association (ADHA) for 32 years. Mr. Gangi is a past president of the Merrimack Valley Dental Hygienists Association (MVDHA) as well as a past president of the Massachusetts Dental Hygienist Association (MDHA). He served on the ADHA’s Board of Trustees for four years as their District 1 trustee. Mr. Gangi has been a clinical dental hygienist for the past 32 years at P.M.Gangi DMD INC, a practice started by his father Dr. Philip M Gangi, DMD and now owed by his brother Dr. Paul M Gangi, DMD. Mr. Gangi has also been an adjunct clinical professor for the past 18 years at Middlesex Community College. Mr. Gangi has volunteered for the past 31 years for the Yankee Dental Congress serving as either a day Captain, presiding chair, or room coordinator. Mr. Gangi has received the Hygienist of the Year Award twice from the MVDHA as well as once from the MDHA. He also received the Cabot corporation’s Volunteer Service Award for his work in the Greater Lawrence community. He resides in Haverhill and spends his summer going to his family beach house with his kids Alexandria and Matthew.