2024 Recent Alumna Award Winner
L. Whitney Howerton, MDH, RDH, has been making waves since graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in Dental Hygiene from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in 2010 followed by a Master’s in Dental Hygiene in 2016.
She has held multiple leadership roles on a local, state, and national level, including two consecutive terms as president of the Tennessee Dental Hygiene Association from 2014–2016.
These roles led to a desire not only to continue clinical practice, but also explore additional leadership and career opportunities outside of the operatory. While never losing her clinical roots, Whitney transitioned into a full-time faculty role at a local dental hygiene program teaching both clinical and didactic courses including local anesthesia, head, neck and dental anatomy, special patient care, and advanced instrumentation.
Educational instruction built the foundation for her to launch a robust continuing education program for a leading dental manufacturer. Through this program, Whitney developed and delivered innovative content to thousands of dental hygiene students and dental professionals both domestically and internationally.
Whitney is a past recipient of the prestigious Esther Wilkins Future Leader Award presented by the American Dental Hygienist Association, the Outstanding Dental Hygiene Student Mentor Award, and the Outstanding Dental Hygienist Award presented by the Tennessee Dental Hygiene Association. Whitney has featured articles in Access and Dimensions of Dental Hygiene. Whitney holds an adjunct faculty role in the University of Tennessee Dental Hygiene Department, where she has supported student’s clinical development since 2016. Whitney has presented on national stages, at numerous colleges, state associations, and served as a guest on dental podcasts.
Outside of work, she actively volunteers at the Mid-South Mission of Mercy’s annual event, along with holding leadership positions on the Memphis Dental Hygiene Association and Tennessee Dental Hygiene Association. Additional volunteer roles include the UTHSC Liaison Committee 2011–2013 as well as representing Tennessee as the Tennessee Head Start/Early Head Start ADHA Liaison for the National Institute of Health-Oral Health Initiative 2012–2016.
Whitney currently leads Dental Education for Walmart Health in her role as senior manager of Clinical Education, where she supports the Walmart Health mission to provide accessible, convenient, and quality care. In this role, she develops and delivers training programs to the full suite of Walmart Health’s dental teams across the United States.
