Mississippi Dental Hygienists’ Association is led by a group of dental hygienists working collaboratively and on a volunteer basis. The leadership team for 2025-2026 includes:
Linda Zakkak, RDH BSBA MPH
Linda is married to Dr. Thomas Zakkak, an oral and maxillofacial surgeon in Biloxi. They have two children, Maggie, a cosmetic engineer in Pennsylvania, and Jon-Thomas, a second-year law student at the University of Mississippi.
Linda Zakkak was a dental practice administrator and dental hygienist at Beach View Family Dental Clinic in Gulfport. She received her dental hygiene degree from the University of Tel-Aviv, Israel in 1993 and in 2005 a Bachelor of Science in business administration from the University of Southern Mississippi. In 2015, Linda graduated magna cum laude from USM with a Masters in Public Health with emphasis in healthcare administration. She is now retired from active practice but continues to be passionate about dental hygiene. Linda is a past president of the Gulf Coast Dental Hygiene component and the Mississippi Dental Hygiene Association. She is a member of the International Congress of Oral Implantology, the American Dental Hygiene Association, and serves as a consultant for the Commission on Dental Competency Assessment.
In the past 20 years, Linda served in multiple leadership positions in the Gulfport/Biloxi community. Currently, Linda is a board member of the Memorial Hospital Foundation. She is a member of Beach Garden Society and holds the position of president for the Civic League of Gulfport.
President-Elect
Brittany Funderburg is a dedicated educator and Assistant Professor of Dental Hygiene at the University of Mississippi Medical Center’s School of Dentistry in Jackson, MS. With a passion for both education and leadership, she also serves as the Dental Hygiene Admissions Chair and SADHA advisor, helping to shape the next generation of dental hygiene professionals.
A proud graduate of UMMC, she earned her Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene in 2011, followed by a Master of Science in Leadership from Belhaven University in 2021. She brings over six years of hands-on experience from her time practicing dental hygiene in private practice in Natchez, MS, where she was born and raised.
Outside of her professional life, she is a dedicated mother of three children and enjoys being active in her community. Her unique blend of clinical experience and academic leadership drives her commitment to empowering students and advancing the dental hygiene profession
Vice President
Tracie Miller is a dedicated dental professional with over 30 years of experience in dental hygiene and practice management. She began her academic journey at Lambuth University, earning a Bachelor’s degree in Biology while playing basketball for four years. She then pursued her passion for dentistry, graduating from the University of Tennessee with a degree in Dental Hygiene—launching a lifelong career centered on patient care and practice leadership.
Currently, Tracie serves as the Practice Manager at McMurphy Pediatric Dentistry in Biloxi and Ocean Springs, MS. She combines her clinical expertise with strong leadership to foster a welcoming and efficient environment for both patients and staff. Her dedication to excellence has earned her a respected reputation in the field. Over the years, she has held numerous leadership positions aimed at advancing the dental hygiene profession, including multiple terms on the MDHA Executive Board—demonstrating her ongoing commitment to its growth and development.
Beyond her professional life, Tracie is an active and adventurous individual. She enjoys playing pickleball and golf, always up for a friendly match or a day on the course. She also keeps her love for basketball alive by playing with the Silver Slammers out of New Orleans. Traveling and exploring new destinations are among her passions, fueling her appreciation for diverse cultures and experiences.
Above all, Tracie is a devoted spouse to Lezlie Mathews and a proud mother of two. Her youngest, Carson, is a junior at Gulfport High School, while her eldest, Miller, is a senior at Mississippi State University. Family, career, and adventure are the pillars of her life, and she embraces each with unwavering dedication and enthusiasm.
Laura Richoux, RDH
With a career dedicated to dental hygiene, Laura Richoux is a clinical dental hygienist on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Her career extends beyond patient care, as she plays a role in shaping the future of the profession through examination, regulation, and leadership.
As an examiner for CDCA-WREB-CITA, Laura helps in evaluating the next generation of dental professionals, ensuring they meet the highest standards of competency and ethics.
Laura is the immediate past dental hygienist member on the AADB Board, where she contributed to national discussions on licensure, policy, and professional standards. Additionally, she served as the immediate past dental hygienist at large member on the Mississippi State Board of Dental Examiners, where she helped guide regulatory decisions affecting the state’s dental community.
With a passion for advocacy and maintaining the integrity of dental hygiene, Laura helps ensure that both practitioners and patients benefit from the highest levels of professional excellence.
Janet Brice McMurphy, RDH
Janet attended Louisiana State University before obtaining her Dental Hygiene degree from UMMC. She has served the dental hygiene profession in many capacities. Janet was appointed by the Governor to the Mississippi State Board of Dental Examiners and served from 2009-2015. While on the Board, she became a dental hygiene examiner for what is now CDCA-WREB-CITA (CWC), she was elected as the Dental Hygienist At Large to the Executive Board of the American Association of Dental Boards (AADB) serving from 2011-2015 and most recently served for three years as Chairman of the Dental Hygiene Examination Committee for the American Board of Dental Examiners (ADEX).
Janet retired after a forty year career in clinical dental hygiene. She and her husband, Tim, live in Biloxi. Their two sons are dentists, Brice, an orthodontist and Austin, a pediatric dentist practice on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. They are the proud grandparents of 5 grandchildren.
Catherine Dunn, RDH, MDH
Catherine Dunn is a full-time faculty instructor and Program Director at the Mississippi Delta Community College (MDCC) Dental Hygiene Program. She has dedicated her career to advancing the field of dental hygiene through education, leadership, and advocacy.
Catherine earned her Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree in Dental Hygiene from Meridian Community College in 1989. She continued her education at Sangamon State University in Springfield, Illinois, where she received a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Child, Family, and Community Services in 1992. After 14 years of experience in private dental practice, she transitioned to academia, joining MDCC as a full-time instructor in 2003. Her dedication and expertise led to her appointment as Program Director in 2008.
Committed to lifelong learning, Catherine pursued advanced studies at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis, where she earned a Master of Dental Hygiene (MDH) degree in 2013.
With a passion for the dental hygiene profession, Catherine is devoted to mentoring future generations of dental hygienists. She enjoys sharing her knowledge with students and colleagues, continuously striving to make a lasting impact in the field. As a leader and advocate, she remains dedicated to shaping the future of dental hygiene through education, innovation, and professional service.
Mississippi Dental Hygienists' Association 