Reibel receives 2025 Gies Award for Junior Faculty Achievement in Allied Oral Health Education

Yvette Reibel, EdD, LDH, assistant professor of dental hygiene and MSDH Program Director, received the 2025 William J. Gies Award for Junior Faculty Achievement in Allied Oral Health Education.

Presented by the American Dental Education Association’s ADEAGies Foundation, the award honors a “promising junior faculty member whose accomplishments, to date, signal a creative endeavor to improve dental education through individual research, programming and teaching/learning pursuits.”  

Reibel was nominated for the award by Michelle Arnett, RDH, MS, associate professor of dental hygiene, based on Reibel’s excellence in teaching, leadership and mentorship.

“When the nominations opened, Reibel immediately came to my mind,” Arnett reflected. “She manages a significant teaching load across multiple programs, incorporating innovative methods to enhance student success. Her efforts extend to improving writing skills within the curriculum and obtaining grants to support faculty development. She explores non-traditional dental hygiene practices, serving pediatric patients in a specialized medical clinic and modeling this care approach to her students. She is an unwavering force in dental hygiene and is highly respected by her peers. I am honored daily to have her as my colleague in the development of future dental hygiene professionals.”

Reibel practiced clinical dental hygiene for more than a decade and received her Master of Science in Dental Hygiene before joining the School of Dentistry faculty. She educates learners across programs, engages in clinical practice and pursues a variety of research topics, while also overseeing a program to encourage dental hygiene learners to engage in writing and research.

She is most proud of her efforts to provide opportunities for students to lead, and to pursue paths they may not have known were available to them. These include a clinical rotation in the Adoption Medicine Clinic, allowing students to experience medical dental-integration, and the Dental Hygiene Research Mentorship program, which encourages undergraduate students to complete research projects with the goal of publication in a peer-reviewed journal.

“I feel that my biggest contribution to the field is developing impactful opportunities for students, shaping them to be significant leaders as oral health providers,” she explained.

As an allied health professional, Reibel enjoys the collaborative nature of working with dental, dental therapy and dental hygiene students. “It’s a great way to foster cross-disciplinary thinking and help students see connections that they might not have otherwise considered,” she said. “This kind of interdisciplinary work often leads to innovative solutions and a richer academic and clinical environment. It is rewarding to be part of a team that bridges gaps between oral health focuses and scopes of practice, and the opportunity to influence and inspire colleagues and students alike is fulfilling.”

Reibel was surprised and honored to receive the award. “Awards often validate the hard work and dedication you’ve put into your work. Awards like the Gies award can be a powerful reminder of the positive impact made,and the recognition from my peers and the academic community is humbling and validating,” she said. “The ADEA Gies award is a meaningful acknowledgement of my contributions to education and an encouragement to continue my work with even more enthusiasm.” 

Reibel will be honored and presented with the award during the 2025 ADEA Annual Session and Exhibition in March in National Harbor, MD.