ADHA Access — July 2012
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The American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA) was saddened to learn of the death of longtime member and supporter, Elizabeth “Liz” Chaney, BA, RDH, on April 5, 2012, at the age of 87, from complications due to pneumonia.
Chaney was very active in ADHA and the California Dental Hygienists’ Association for many years. According to an article in the February 2011 newsletter of the Tri-County (California) Dental Hygienists’ Association, she was instrumental in uniting the Northern and Southern California Dental Hygienists’ Associations, which had existed as separate entities from 1950 until 1985. The article calls her “The Grande Dame of Tri-County” and “our living dental hygiene legend and shining star,” citing her service to dental hygiene in the roles of legislative activist, political change agent, negotiator and mentor at all levels of her professional association.
Chaney graduated from Ohio State University in 1946 with a bachelor’s degree in dental hygiene. She worked as a clinician for her first husband, a dentist. Her second husband was in the military, and she travelled extensively with him, practicing dental hygiene in Japan and Germany as well as the United States. When the couple settled in California, she began a long and distinguished career working for the Air Force, which included being the first dental hygienist to receive the Exceptional Civilian Service Decoration, presented personally by President Bill Clinton at a ceremony at March Air Force Base.
In her later years, Chaney was an active supporter and fundraiser for the ADHA Institute for Oral Health (IOH). For years, IOH has awarded the “Elizabeth Chaney Liaison of the Year Award” to an individual whose exceptional service and accomplishments are demonstrated through extraordinary fundraising skills on behalf of the ADHA Institute for Oral Health. The award was named to honor her many years of fundraising and support for the Institute.
She is survived by daughter Elizabeth Albrecht of Minnesota and daughter and son in-law Pamela and Steve Clute of California; she is mourned by many friends and colleagues from the dental hygiene profession.
Chaney was very active in ADHA and the California Dental Hygienists’ Association for many years. According to an article in the February 2011 newsletter of the Tri-County (California) Dental Hygienists’ Association, she was instrumental in uniting the Northern and Southern California Dental Hygienists’ Associations, which had existed as separate entities from 1950 until 1985. The article calls her “The Grande Dame of Tri-County” and “our living dental hygiene legend and shining star,” citing her service to dental hygiene in the roles of legislative activist, political change agent, negotiator and mentor at all levels of her professional association.
Chaney graduated from Ohio State University in 1946 with a bachelor’s degree in dental hygiene. She worked as a clinician for her first husband, a dentist. Her second husband was in the military, and she travelled extensively with him, practicing dental hygiene in Japan and Germany as well as the United States. When the couple settled in California, she began a long and distinguished career working for the Air Force, which included being the first dental hygienist to receive the Exceptional Civilian Service Decoration, presented personally by President Bill Clinton at a ceremony at March Air Force Base.
In her later years, Chaney was an active supporter and fundraiser for the ADHA Institute for Oral Health (IOH). For years, IOH has awarded the “Elizabeth Chaney Liaison of the Year Award” to an individual whose exceptional service and accomplishments are demonstrated through extraordinary fundraising skills on behalf of the ADHA Institute for Oral Health. The award was named to honor her many years of fundraising and support for the Institute.
She is survived by daughter Elizabeth Albrecht of Minnesota and daughter and son in-law Pamela and Steve Clute of California; she is mourned by many friends and colleagues from the dental hygiene profession.
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