I'm especially excited to welcome Dr. González to this year's panel. Just last week he was recognized with the 2026 World Dental Hygienist Award for Academia, an international honor recognizing excellence and innovation in dental hygiene education. As Professor and Department Chair at New Mexico State University Doña Ana Community College, his work focuses on transforming lives through education, expanding access to care for underserved communities, and preparing future dental hygienists to lead with compassion and purpose.