The Denobi Awards, an industrywide program recognizing exceptional contributions to the dental field, marked its five-year anniversary with a red carpet gala on March 1, 2025. The event, held in Portland, Oregon, honored 12 individuals and two dental teams for their dedication and impact across various sectors of the dental industry.
This year’s celebration also introduced Denobi Cares, a new initiative aimed at partnering with a non-profit organization annually to promote positive community change. The gala was held in collaboration with the National Mobile & Teledentistry Conference and drew hundreds of nominations from across the global dental community.
The evening’s highlight was the presentation of the Denobi Pinnacle Achievement Award, the program's highest honor, which was awarded to Mary E. Foley, MPH, executive director of the Medicaid-Medicare-CHIP Services Dental Association. This award recognizes a professional whose leadership has had a profound effect on the dental industry.
The 2025 Denobi Award recipients are:
- Emily Stein, PhD, CEO & founder, Primal Health
- Emme Sanders, RDH, Inspired Hygiene
- Eva Grayzel, founder, Six-Step Screening
- Heather Bolton, MBA, BASc, YTT, BSDH, RDH, Yogateeth
- Janet Crosswhite, RDH, BS, PHE, Smiles Across Nevada.
- Jasdeep Kaur Cheema, BDS, DDS, FPFA, Pierre Fauchard Academy
- Jessica Woods, MPH, RDH, FADHA (Thought Leader Award), Incisive Technologies
- Kentucky Morrow, principal, Dental Innovation Alliance (DIA)
- Kianor Shah, DMD, MBA, Dental AI Association
- Mariya Filipova, executive & investor, The 4100 Group
- Mary E. Foley, MPH, executive director (Pinnacle Award), Medicaid-Medicare - CHIP Services Dental Association (MSDA)
- Shawn Oprisiu, RDHBS, ECP III, Swope Health
Team Award Winners:
- TheSmileZone
- World Mission Partners
Tickets for the 2026 Denobi Awards Gala, scheduled for February 28, 2026, in Portland, Oregon, are now on sale. Nominations for next year’s event will be open from October 1 to December 31, 2025.
For more information on the Denobi Awards and to watch highlights from this year’s event, visit www.DenobiAwards.com. For details on the National Mobile & Teledentistry Conference, visit www.nmdconference.com.
Figures and Images
