Beverley Woods

With a career that spans three decades, Bev Woods has given thousands of people a reason to smile.

Since graduating from Durham College’s (DC) Dental Assisting program in 1980 and the Dental Hygiene program in 1986, she has worked in private and public health settings, including owning a dental hygiene practice and serving as program director of dental hygiene for Maxwell College from July 2006 to August 2008. Bev also held a council position with the College of Dental Hygienists of Ontario and was president of the Bay of Quinte Dental Hygienists Society and Ontario Dental Hygienists’ Association.

In 2009, Woods founded Gift from the Heart, a non-profit organization and annual one-day event that brings together dental hygienists across the country to offer no-cost dental hygiene services to those unable to afford or access care. The event takes place across Canada each year during National Dental Hygienists Week and has provided over $1.2 million in no-cost dental hygiene care to vulnerable populations.

In recognition of Woods’ generous work with GFTH and meaningful contributions to dental hygiene and her community, the Canadian Dental Hygienists Association presented her with an Award of Merit in 2014 recognizing and celebrating her volunteer service as it upholds the organization’s national competencies of advocacy and community involvement. She was also recognized as a Durham College Alumna of Distinction in 2019