During National Public Health Week this April, the Tennessee Department of Health’s Southeast Region honored employees who have gone much further than their job requires to improve the health and well-being of Tennesseans. Dental Assistant Sherry Daniels was the recipient of the “Gee, I Thought Nobody Noticed” award.
Officials, said, "Ms. Daniels willingly took on the data entry and data maintenance tasks for the School-Based Dental Sealant program. This has freed the dental hygienists up to spend more time providing sealants.
Due to Ms. Daniels’s efforts, an additional 300 children received 3,000 sealants compared to the previous year.
"Along with maintaining the School-Based Sealant program data base, Ms. Daniels conducted inventory, ordered materials, stocked and prepared two dental clinics in Meigs and Rhea Counties so they would be ready to reopen. A new dental provider was hired and because of Ms. Daniels’s hard work, the provider was able to go to work providing care immediately after orientation. More patients were able to receive care because of her willingness to prepare the clinics.
"While Ms. Daniels’s organizational skills are very helpful to the whole department, her compassionate and considerate attitude toward patients is what makes this award so well-deserved. Sherry works two days each week in the dental clinic at Rhea County Health Department and goes into schools to assist with putting sealants on children’s teeth. As she works with patients, Sherry’s respectful demeanor helps them feel comfortable and confident while receiving dental care. The Southeast Region is fortunate to have Sherry Daniels as a member of the dental team."