The organizational meeting of the Tennessee Academy of Dental Hygiene was held on June 12, 1986 at the Holiday Inn, in Chattanooga, TN. The Academy was a spin off of the Tennessee Dental Hygienists Association's Voluntary Continuing Education forty credit hours. The Academy was officially formed June 12,1986 with Charlene McCullough, Pres., Cynthia Veach, Vice President, Ruth Ketron, Secretary and Lindsay Williams, Treasurer. The first continuing education was held for members only in Gatlinburg, TN on April 1987, with Dr. James Madigan, a Knoxville periodontist as speaker. There were 36 present including family members. Since 1986 more than $25,000 has been given to scholarship winners. Each year an annual seminar has been held by the academy to support funds for scholarships to the five dental hygiene schools in Tennessee. Second District Dental Hygiene Society has been a major contributor to the scholarship fund. Continual growth and interest in the Academy has progressed to an annual family Jamboree to be held  in Pigeon Forge, TN.