Heather Blair is the Co-Coordinator of the Dental Hygiene department and an Assistant Professor in the Oral Health Sciences Department at Vermont State University providing instruction in Preclinical Oral Health Practice, Clinical Oral Health Practice I, General Pathology and Pharmacology, Advanced Clinical Oral Health Practice I and II in the Dental Hygiene Program. In the Bachelor’s degree completion program, she teaches Advanced Community Oral Health and Dental Practice Management.
Heather is an alumnus of the Vermont Technical College, with an Associate’s degree in Dental Hygiene, and a Bachelor’s degree in Dental Hygiene. She is an alum of Concordia University earning a Master’s degree in Public Health.
Heather began in the field of oral health as a dental practice manager for ten years. During that time, she attended dental hygiene school. She then worked in clinical practice and as a Tooth Tutor in three elementary/middle schools as well as Head Start in a public health role. She became involved in dental hygiene education during this time as well initially as a clinical instructor working with all three classes of students, then as an adjunct faculty member in the Bachelor online completion program and eventually accepted a full-time teaching position and co-coordinator role for the department. She is responsible for the initiation of the medical/dental integration rotation with the University of Vermont Medical Center Children’s Hospital and a clinical rotation within a middle school for senior students delivering onsite care. Heather has worked in the profession of oral health/dental hygiene for twenty-five years.
Professionally, Heather is a past member of the executive board for the Vermont Dental Hygienists’ Association holding many leadership roles within the organization. On a national level, she is the past American Dental Hygienist Association (ADHA) District 1 Constituent Advisory Committee Liaison. Locally, she sits on the 802 Smiles advisory committee, as well as the Vermont Oral Health Plan advisory committee. She is currently the Regional Dental Hygiene Liaison (DHL) for region 1 and Vermont DHL with the National Center on Health, Behavior Health and Safety/Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors/American Dental Hygienist Association.
Heather resides in the rural town of Fletcher, VT with her wonderfully supportive husband. She enjoys reading and all things family – cooking, game nights, a good bonfire, camp time in the summer and spoiling her Grandson!
