FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 24, 2016 (ATLANTA) — The Organization for Safety, Asepsis and Prevention (OSAP), a community of clinicians, educators, researchers, and industry representatives who advocate for safe and infection-free delivery of oral healthcare, has announced the members of the 2016-2017 OSAP Board of Directors and the 2016-2017 OSAP Foundation Board of Directors.

The new OSAP Association Board is chaired by Mike Smurr, Director of Marketing, Merchandise, for Patterson Dental. Vice-Chair is Kathy Eklund, Director of Infection Control and Occupational Health, and Research Subject and Patient Safety Advocate at Forsyth Institute in Boston. Dr. John O'Keefe, a general dentist who is Director of Knowledge Networks and Editor-in-Chief with the Canadian Dental Association, is the Immediate Past Chair. Marguerite Walsh, Vice President, Product Merchandising for Henry Schein Dental, will serve as Treasurer, and Karen Gregory, Director of Compliance and Education for Total Medical Compliance, will serve as Secretary.

Directors for the Association Board include Dr. Hudson Garrett, Global Chief Clinical Officer for Pentax Medical; Dr. Leslie Grant, Compliance Officer with the Maryland State Board of Dental Examiners; Dr. Theresa Mayfield, Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs at the University of Louisville School of Dentistry; Leanne Keefer, General Manager and Director of Education for Crosstex International; Dr. Doug Risk, Director of the USAF Dental Evaluation and Consultation Service; and Jessica Wilson, international speaker, trainer, and educator for Hu-Friedy. Therese Long continues to serve on the board ex-officio. OSAP is a 501(c)(6) membership association. The purpose of the Association is to be the voice for leadership and compliance with science-based dental infection prevention and safety practices through quality education and information dissemination.

The OSAP Foundation Board will be chaired by Dr. Donald Marianos, a consultant in dental public health. Directors include Dr. Don Cohen, chief clinical officer, HealthFirst; Margaret (Peggy) Cottrell, President of ProEdge Dental (retired); Jennifer Naylor, General Manager, IMS and Infection Control Strategic Business Unit for Hu-Friedy Manufacturing; and Andrew (Andy) Whitehead, Vice President of Crosstex International. Therese Long continues to serve on the board ex-officio. The OSAP Foundation is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt educational foundation. The purpose of the Foundation is to augment and expand upon the Association’s ability to provide information and education by raising funds from the healthcare industry, private sector businesses, foundations, and the government. The Foundation is dedicated to education, research, service, and policy development to promote safety and the control of infectious diseases in dental healthcare settings worldwide.

About OSAP

The Organization for Safety, Asepsis and Prevention (OSAP) is the only dental membership association solely focused on infection prevention and patient safety education. Our members include individual clinicians, group practices, educators, researchers, consultants, trainers, compliance directors, policymakers, and industry representatives who advocate for safe and infection-free delivery of oral healthcare. OSAP focuses on strategies to improve compliance with safe practices and on building a strong network of recognized infection control experts. OSAP offers an extensive online collection of resources, publications, FAQs, checklists, and toolkits that help dental professionals deliver the Safest Dental Visit for their patients. Plus, online and live courses help advance the level of knowledge and skill for every member of the dental team. For additional information, visit osap.org.

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