I have traveled so often to California that it’s hard to remember the destination of every visit. I don’t believe I’ve seen Sacramento, though. I think I would have remembered the Tower Bridge. I admire the engineering and architectural designs that went into older generations of bridges. The Tower Bridge has vertical lifts to enable boats on the Sacramento River to pass underneath. Two towers rise up to more than 160 feet into the air. I would have remembered Sacramento.
The offices for the California Dental Hygienists’ Association sits in a cluster of professional office buildings—pretty much similar to what you find in any city—about five miles northeast of the state capitol buildings. It’s a little ironic that the street address is Point West Way, since many significant events in dental hygiene over the last 30 years prompted the rest of us to look west, particularly within the last three years.
I’m pretty sure I’ve never driven down Point West Way, even if I’ve passed through Sacramento at some point. We all should pay a visit to the CDHA headquarters. We can also visit the Tower Bridge, Sutter Creek, Tower Bridge, Crocker Art Museum, and, of course, the capitol on the way out of town.
Don’t get me wrong. The state’s dental hygienists withdrew from the American Dental Hygienists’ Association in June 2016, and it still bothers me a bit. The importance of unity within the ADHA community is as important as it ever was. California’s absence is a shame for both financial and political reasons. It just doesn’t sound right to say the ADHA has the support of 49 states. Any outsider in a position of influence for the profession could think, “Only 49? Have you, uh, miscounted? You meant to say 50, right?”