Andrew Whitehead Named Interim Executive Director of OSAP Print

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 8, 2018 (ATLANTA) — The Organization for Safety, Asepsis and Prevention (OSAP), a community of clinicians, educators, consultants, researchers, and industry representatives focused on delivering safe dental visits, announces Andrew Whitehead as its interim executive director effective March 30, 2018. Whitehead is a founding member of OSAP and has held multiple volunteer officer and director positions, including chairman of the OSAP Foundation. Whitehead, along with the OSAP Board of Directors, is conducting a search for the permanent executive director following the departure of Christina Thomas, MBA, CAE, to pursue new opportunities.

“Andy has been involved with OSAP since its inception and continues to exhibit an enormous amount of passion and dedication to supporting OSAP’s ongoing efforts to further our mission,” said OSAP Board of Directors Chairman, Kathy Eklund, RDH, MHP. “We are excited and grateful that he has agreed to serve in this capacity as we continue implementing our transition plan and comprehensive search to find a permanent executive director.”

Andy Whitehead has over 40 years of experience in the industry and is a leader in the dental profession. Most recently, he served as the senior vice president of business development for Crosstex. In addition to his work with Crosstex, Whitehead has held positions as president of Dental Market Resources and Silverman’s Inc. among other executive roles at Henry Schein, Inc. and Patterson Dental. He is currently a board member of America’s Dentists Care Foundation (ADCF) and is a former board member of the Dental Trade Alliance Foundation (DTAF). His involvement in these organizations has resulted in millions of dollars raised to support and provide the ongoing awareness of infection prevention, education, and the providing of dental care to the underserved community.

“As a founding member and leader of the organization, I am dedicated to the continued success of the organization for its members, partners, and key stakeholders,” says Whitehead. “I look forward to stepping into this role during the transition process to continue the growth of OSAP and to achieve its mission to ensure that all dental visits are safe dental visits for patients and providers.”

OSAP is also supported by the expertise of Meeting Expectations Inc, an association management company headquartered in Atlanta. The OSAP Board has engaged Meeting Expectations to conduct a national search for a new executive director and to support a comprehensive transition plan. In addition to Whitehead’s interim support, OSAP and Meeting Expectations have engaged Mary Lynn Miller, MBA, CAE as interim director of operations to further support the staff and day-to-day operations of the organization.

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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