What is Sigma Phi Alpha?
Sigma Phi Alpha (SPA) is the national honor society for the dental hygiene profession. It exists to promote and recognize scholarship, service, and leadership among students and graduates of dental hygiene educational programs. SPA honors and cultivates a community of outstanding professionals in dental hygiene.
Members of SPA are dental hygiene educators and practicing clinicians, as well as specially elected graduates of accredited dental hygiene programs. Membership is reserved for high-achieving individuals who exhibit exceptional commitments to the dental hygiene profession. Each year, chapter leaders invite a select number of graduates within the top 10% of their dental hygiene programs to join Sigma Phi Alpha.
Scholarship
Service
Leadership
19,000
active members
117
active chapters
45
states / provinces represented
History of Sigma Phi Alpha
Sigma Phi Alpha was founded in 1958 by members of the American Dental Education Association (ADEA) Section on Dental Hygiene Education.
The first chapter of SPA, designated as the Alpha Chapter, was installed at Northwestern University in 1958. Along with the Supreme Chapter, seven other chapters were also installed in 1958. SPA became international in 1996 with the installation of the Delta Eta Chapter at the University of Manitoba in Canada.
1958
founding year
134
scholarships awarded since 1958
$
100K
awarded in scholarships since 1958
Membership eligibility and benefits
Membership eligibility and benefits Sigma Phi Alpha inducts top-performing students within accredited dental hygiene programs, as well as distinguished educators and practicing clinicians in dental hygiene. Eligible students are within the top 10% of their graduating dental hygiene classes and must be invited by chapter faculty to join.
Membership with Sigma Phi Alpha denotes a highly-respected, national credential in the dental hygiene profession. Additionally, involvement with SPA creates lifelong, unmatched connections with leading dental hygiene professionals.
Honor standout students in dental hygiene
If you are a dental hygiene educator, you have a unique opportunity to celebrate student achievement and support professional growth in the field.
