Sheila Bannister is an Associate Professor in the Dental Hygiene department providing instruction in Dental Materials and Community Oral Health, and in the second and third-year clinical program and didactic courses for associate degree students. In the baccalaureate program, Sheila teaches the online course Contemporary Issues in Dental Hygiene. She is an alumnus of the Forsyth School for Dental Hygienists in Boston with an associate degree in Dental Hygiene, Northeastern University in Boston with a bachelor’s degree in Dental Hygiene and specialization in student teaching, and Johnson State College in Vermont with a master’s degree in Education. Sheila worked in private dental practices in Massachusetts and Vermont from 1999-2007. In 2004, Sheila became involved in dental hygiene education as an adjunct clinical instructor at Vermont Tech and she accepted a full-time teaching position in 2007.
Professionally, Sheila has served twice as President of the Vermont Dental Hygienists’ Association and is currently Legislative Chairperson for her professional organization. Sheila’s passion is increasing access to oral health care in Vermont and she has organized free dental care events, and worked to pass legislation in 2016 that expanded the dental workforce through the creation of a dental therapist team member. Sheila currently serves on the Vermont Technical Dental Hygiene Advisory Board.