House of Delegates (HOD): The 2026 House of Delegates meeting will take place Friday October 2nd through Saturday October 3rd, at the Hilton Hotel and Spa in Richmond. 

 FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2

 10 AM-11 AM                           Registration

 11 AM-12:15 PM                      Opening Ceremonies and Legislative Update

 12:30 PM-2 PM.                        President’s Luncheon and President’s Awards

2:15 PM-4:00 PM                   First House and Reference Committee Hearings                      

1.      Call to Order

2.      Adoption of the Agenda

3.      Adoption of the Credentials Committee Report

4.      Adoption of the Standing Rules of the House

5.      Adoption of the Program Committee Report

6.      Adoption of a Timekeeper

7.      Adoption of the 2025 House of Delegates Meeting Minutes

8.      Appointment of the Minutes Review Committee

9.      Report of the Nominations Committee

10.  New Business

11.  Assignment of PRs and PBYs to Reference Committees

12.  Announcements

13.  Recess

14.  Reference Committee Hearings

  4:00 PM-6:00 PM                              Reference Committee Meetings

  6:00 PM                                             Components and Students Interaction Time

  6:00PM-8PM                                      Foundation Reception

  SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3

  7 AM-8 AM                                       Registration and Breakfast

8 AM-9 AM                                       Candidates Forum/Alice H. Williams Scholarship winner essay                                                                       

11-11:30 AM                                     Component Caucus

11:30 AM-12:30 PM                         Lunch   

12:30-5:30 PM                                                          Second House

                 * Third House and Installation (immediately after the conclusion of business of the second house)

Leadership Development Workshop (LDW): 2026 Leadership Development Workshop will take place Saturday October 3, 9 AM-11 AM. Registration is FREE, and is included with registration for House of Delegates delegates/alternates. To register if you are not attending House of Delegates, you can follow the same registration and select just the Leadership Development Workshop when going through the prompts. No meals are included with the workshop.

Polishing Potential: Mentorship That Shines

We are thrilled to introduce this year’s Leadership Development Workshop speaker, Emilie Ellis, RDH!

A dedicated leader in our professional community, Emilie is a past president of the Virginia Dental Hygienists' Association (VDHA) and currently serves as the ADHA Chair of the Committee on Policy. Over the past five years, she spearheaded the creation of VDHA’s flagship mentorship program, empowering both new and experienced hygienists to expand their leadership potential and association knowledge.

Emilie brings over 12 years of private practice experience and has spent a decade shaping future professionals as an adjunct clinical faculty member at the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) School of Dentistry. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Christopher Newport University (2010) and a Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene from VCU (2014).

HOTEL INFORMATION:  Reservations for the 2026 Event will be made by individual attendees directly with Hilton reservations at 1-800-445-8667 or (804) 364-3600. You must tell them you are with the Virginia Dental Hygienists' Association to receive the discount. Please click VDHA Hilton Short Pump Hotel Room Block Link to redirect you to booking, and adjust the dates accordingly. Deadline for special rate is September 29, 2026. 

All reservations must be accompanied by a first night room deposit or guaranteed with a major credit card. Reservation cancellations must be received by Hotel at least 72 Hours prior to arrival to avoid being charged one night’s Room and Tax.