diff --git a/application/controllers/Dashboard.php b/application/controllers/Dashboard.php
index 67382972..b38540d5 100644
--- a/application/controllers/Dashboard.php
+++ b/application/controllers/Dashboard.php
@@ -3,6 +3,16 @@
 class Dashboard extends CI_Controller
 {
 
+	public function __construct()
+	{
+		parent::__construct();
+		
+		// Load common models that are used across multiple methods
+		$this->load->model('user_model');
+		$this->load->model('logbook_model');
+		$this->load->model('logbooks_model');
+	}
+
 	public function index()
 	{
 		// If environment is set to development then show the debug toolbar
@@ -13,10 +23,6 @@ class Dashboard extends CI_Controller
 		// Load language files
 		$this->lang->load('lotw');
 
-		// Database connections
-		$this->load->model('logbook_model');
-		$this->load->model('user_model');
-
 		// LoTW infos
 		$this->load->model('LotwCert');
 
@@ -31,7 +37,6 @@ class Dashboard extends CI_Controller
 			redirect('user/login');
 		}
 
-		$this->load->model('logbooks_model');
 		$logbooks_locations_array = $this->logbooks_model->list_logbook_relationships($this->session->userdata('active_station_logbook'));
 
 		/*
@@ -108,53 +113,23 @@ class Dashboard extends CI_Controller
 
 			$dashboard_options = $this->user_options_model->get_options('dashboard')->result();
 
+			// Optimize options processing - convert to associative array for O(1) lookup
+			$options_map = array();
 			foreach ($dashboard_options as $item) {
-				$option_name = $item->option_name;
-				$option_key = $item->option_key;
-				$option_value = $item->option_value;
-			
-				if ($option_name == 'dashboard_upcoming_dx_card' && $option_key == 'enabled') {
-					if($option_value == 'true') {
-						$data['dashboard_upcoming_dx_card'] = true;
-					} else {				
-						$data['dashboard_upcoming_dx_card'] = false;
-					}
-				}
+				$options_map[$item->option_name][$item->option_key] = $item->option_value;
+			}
 
-				if ($option_name == 'dashboard_qslcards_card' && $option_key == 'enabled') {
-					if($item->option_value == 'true') {
-						$data['dashboard_qslcard_card'] = true;
-					} else {
-						$data['dashboard_qslcard_card'] = false;
-					}
-				}
+			// Quick lookups instead of nested loops
+			$data['dashboard_upcoming_dx_card'] = isset($options_map['dashboard_upcoming_dx_card']['enabled']) && $options_map['dashboard_upcoming_dx_card']['enabled'] == 'true';
+			$data['dashboard_qslcard_card'] = isset($options_map['dashboard_qslcards_card']['enabled']) && $options_map['dashboard_qslcards_card']['enabled'] == 'true';
+			$data['dashboard_eqslcard_card'] = isset($options_map['dashboard_eqslcards_card']['enabled']) && $options_map['dashboard_eqslcards_card']['enabled'] == 'true';
+			$data['dashboard_lotw_card'] = isset($options_map['dashboard_lotw_card']['enabled']) && $options_map['dashboard_lotw_card']['enabled'] == 'true';
+			$data['dashboard_vuccgrids_card'] = isset($options_map['dashboard_vuccgrids_card']['enabled']) && $options_map['dashboard_vuccgrids_card']['enabled'] == 'true';
 
-				if ($option_name == 'dashboard_eqslcards_card' && $option_key == 'enabled') {
-					if($item->option_value == 'true') {
-						$data['dashboard_eqslcard_card'] = true;
-					} else {
-						$data['dashboard_eqslcard_card'] = false;
-					}
-				}
-
-				if ($option_name == 'dashboard_lotw_card' && $option_key == 'enabled') {
-					if($item->option_value == 'true') {
-						$data['dashboard_lotw_card'] = true;
-					} else {
-						$data['dashboard_lotw_card'] = false;
-					}
-				}
-
-				if ($option_name == 'dashboard_vuccgrids_card' && $option_key == 'enabled') {
-					if($item->option_value == 'true') {
-						$data['dashboard_vuccgrids_card'] = true;
-
-						$data['vucc'] = $this->vucc->fetchVuccSummary();
-						$data['vuccSAT'] = $this->vucc->fetchVuccSummary('SAT');
-					} else {
-						$data['dashboard_vuccgrids_card'] = false;
-					}
-				}
+			// Only load VUCC data if the card is actually enabled
+			if ($data['dashboard_vuccgrids_card']) {
+				$data['vucc'] = $this->vucc->fetchVuccSummary();
+				$data['vuccSAT'] = $this->vucc->fetchVuccSummary('SAT');
 			}
 
 		
@@ -186,12 +161,11 @@ class Dashboard extends CI_Controller
 
 			$data['page_title'] = "Dashboard";
 
+			// Optimize DXCC calculation - get count directly instead of loading all records
 			$this->load->model('dxcc');
-			$dxcc = $this->dxcc->list_current();
-
-			$current = $this->logbook_model->total_countries_current($logbooks_locations_array);
-
-			$data['total_countries_needed'] = count($dxcc->result()) - $current;
+			$total_dxcc_count = $this->dxcc->get_total_dxcc_count(); // We'll need to create this method
+			$current_countries = $this->logbook_model->total_countries_current($logbooks_locations_array);
+			$data['total_countries_needed'] = $total_dxcc_count - $current_countries;
 
 			$this->load->view('interface_assets/header', $data);
 			$this->load->view('dashboard/index');
@@ -200,30 +174,21 @@ class Dashboard extends CI_Controller
 	}
 
 	public function todays_qso_component() {
-		$this->load->model('user_model');
-
 		if ($this->user_model->validate_session() == 0) {
 			// User is not logged in
-		} else {
-			$this->load->model('logbook_model');
-			$this->load->model('logbooks_model');
+			return;
 		}
 
 		$logbooks_locations_array = $this->logbooks_model->list_logbook_relationships($this->session->userdata('active_station_logbook'));
 
 		$data['todays_qsos'] = $this->logbook_model->todays_qsos($logbooks_locations_array);
 		$this->load->view('components/dashboard_todays_qsos', $data);
-	
 	}
 
 	public function logbook_display_component() {
-		$this->load->model('user_model');
-
 		if ($this->user_model->validate_session() == 0) {
 			// User is not logged in
-		} else {
-			$this->load->model('logbook_model');
-			$this->load->model('logbooks_model');
+			return;
 		}
 
 		// Get Logbook Locations
diff --git a/application/models/Dxcc.php b/application/models/Dxcc.php
index b02e940d..ef02fea5 100644
--- a/application/models/Dxcc.php
+++ b/application/models/Dxcc.php
@@ -58,6 +58,12 @@ class DXCC extends CI_Model {
 		return $this->db->get('dxcc_entities');
 	}
 
+	/* Optimized method to get count of current DXCC entities without loading all records */
+	function get_total_dxcc_count() {
+		$this->db->where('end', null);
+		return $this->db->count_all_results('dxcc_entities');
+	}
+
 	function get_dxcc_array($dxccArray, $bands, $postdata) {
 		$CI =& get_instance();
 		$CI->load->model('logbooks_model');