20 Years of the AVDT: The Founders Share How Veterinary Dental Technicians Built a Specialty

In this special 20th anniversary episode, six of the founding technicians of the Academy of Veterinary Dental Technicians (AVDT) look back on how a small group built the first veterinary technician specialty in dentistry. They talk about the late nights writing bylaws and the constitution, the nerve-wracking first VTS (Dentistry) exam in 2006, the growing pains, the laughs along the way, and where they see the profession heading in the next 20 years and beyond. Featuring: Mary Berg, RVT, VTS (Dentistry) Treasurer Jeanne Perrone, CVT, VTS (Dentistry), first AVDT president Vickie Byard, CVT, VTS (Dentistry) Sue Elder CVT, VTS (Dentistry) Tommy Koenig RVT, VTS (Dentistry) Gerianne Holzman CVT, VTS (Dentistry) Retired Hosted by Benita Altier, LVT, VTS (Dentistry) Immediate Past-President Key topics: AVDT history, veterinary technician specialist (VTS) in dentistry, veterinary dental technicians, NAVTA credentialing, Veterinary Dental Forum, first AVDT exam, veterinary dentistry education, veterinary technician specialty organizations. Links Listen on all podcast apps: Podcast page with all listening formats: https://pawsitivedental.com/podcast/ Subscribe on YouTube: [YOUTUBE CHANNEL LINK] Business website: https://pawsitivedental.com Academy of Veterinary Dental Technicians: https://www.avdt.us/ Free newsletter signup: Contact: pawsitivedental@gmail.com Follow Pawsitive Dental Education Facebook: facebook.com/Pawsitivedental Instagram: instagram.com/pawsitivedental LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/pawsitivedental TikTok: @pawsitivedental If you're a credentialed veterinary technician or considering the path to becoming a VTS in dentistry, this path exists because of the people in this episode. Please like, watch, subscribe, and share this episode with your veterinary friends and let them know the AVDT is celebrating 20 years in 2026. Keep doing Pawsitive Dentistry! #AVDT #VeterinaryDentistry #VeterinaryTechnician #VTSDentistry #VeterinaryDentalTechnicians #VeterinaryTechnicianSpecialty #VetTech #VeterinaryPodcast #PawsitiveVeterinaryDentistry #DentalForum