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The DALE Foundation strives to bring you the highest quality courses
that incorporate the most current techniques, procedures and processes.
To do this, we have enlisted the help of these seasoned professionals in
the development of various courses and other educational products. All
background information is current as of the date of course development.
Meet Our Experts
Amanda Hill, BSDH, RDH, is a speaker, consultant, author, and thought leader with over 25 years of experience in clinical dental hygiene and five years of educating the dental industry. Ms. Hill is a recipient of OSAP’s Emerging Infection Control Leader Award, a member of the Cellerant executive consulting team, and an active participant with the advisory board for RDH Magazine, Dentistry IQ, and OSAP’s Infection Control in Practice Editorial Review Board and membership committee. She strives to make topics in dentistry accurate, accessible, and fun. Ms. Hill has disclosed financial interest as a consultant from the following organizations: ProEdge Dental Water Labs, DentalPost, Perio Protect, and Young Innovations.
These articles were previously published by the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry.
Dr. Hunt has served as a practitioner in North Carolina since 1991, after earning her Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from the University of North Carolina School of Dentistry. She has served as president of the Fifth District Dental Society, which is a component of the North Carolina State Dental Association, and regularly volunteers to treat patients through the Donated Dental Services program. Dr. Hunt has completed curricula at the Pankey Institute for Advanced Dental Education as well as the Dawson Academy. She is active in numerous professional organizations, and has received the rare distinction of being invited to be a Fellow in both the American College of Dentists and the International College of Dentists. Dr. Hunt has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
Ms. Paundlay serves as the special needs liaison at the Kids First Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics dental office in Fairfield, Connecticut, where she developed and implemented a program to serve a special group with unmet needs. Ms. Paundlay has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
The material featured in this course was developed in support of the ADS-DANB-DALE Foundation Collaboration or originally published in Infection Control In Practice Team Huddle™, a resource for clinicians from the Association for Dental Safety (ADS, formerly known as OSAP) to help build a framework for the Safest Dental Visit™. ADS has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
Ms. Fell was a founding member of the Board of Trustees of the DALE Foundation, for which she held the position of president. She is currently employed as the coordinator of the Dental Occupations Program at Ogden-Weber Tech College in Ogden, Utah. She has over 30 years of experience in the dental field including clinical assisting, administrative assisting, and dental assisting education. Ms. Fell is a member of the American Dental Educators Association. She has served six years on the Board of Trustees of the American Dental Assistants Association and is past chair of the Board of Directors of the Dental Assisting National Board, Inc. (DANB). Ms. Fell has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
Mr. Squier is currently a student in dental assisting and plans on pursuing an advanced degree in dentistry. He provided guidance to course development from a “learner” perspective. He has served as an intern at a variety of dental offices, including endodontics, oral surgery and pediatric dentistry. Mr. Squier has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
Brooke Crouch is a registered dental hygienist with over 14 years of clinical experience, in private practice and public health. She has provided mobile dentistry in school-based as well as nursing home settings and understands the many challenges faced in accessing oral healthcare. Brooke is proud to serve as the Professional Education Specialist for Elevate Oral Care. She is also a dry mouth advocate as a Sjogren’s sufferer herself. Brooke believes innovation and prevention are necessary for increasing access to equitable care and improving oral health for all. Brooke has disclosed financial interest as an employee of Elevate Oral Care.
Ms. Ryan has over 20 years of experience as a dental assistant and currently works as a dental assisting instructor and coordinator at Ivy Tech in Indianapolis, Indiana. Previously, she served as a co-director at the Professional Career Institute and at the Berdan Institute in New Jersey. Ms. Ryan has also held delegate positions with the Indianapolis Dental Assistants Society as well as the New Jersey Dental Assistants Association. She is a member of several dental assistant associations and is currently working on obtaining her American Dental Assistants Association fellowship. Ms. Ryan has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
Ms. Schneider has worked as a chairside assistant and office manager for Dr. Mark W. Nelson since 1982. She has been a longtime member of the American Dental Assistants Association (ADAA), and has served as ADAA Seventh District trustee, secretary/treasurer, secretary, vice president and president. She has also served for the North Dakota Dental Assistants Association (NDDAA) as secretary/treasurer, president and editor. Ms. Schneider is a past chair of the Dental Assisting National Board, Inc. (DANB) Board of Directors. Ms. Schneider has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
Dr. Breen is a professor of clinical allied dental education at Rutgers School of Health Related Professions in New Jersey. She has served as an accomplished dental professional in dental assisting, dental hygiene and dental education since 1972. She has also served in leadership roles for local and national dental organizations, including the American Dental Assistants Association, the Dental Assisting National Board, Inc. (DANB) and the New Jersey Dental Assistants’ Association. Dr. Breen has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
Ms. Newman is a training specialist, published author and owner of Practical Educational Solutions LLC; she has served as a dental missions volunteer for more than 25 years. During this time, she has worked with international organizations to provide dental healthcare teaching and clinical care to patients in developing nations. In addition, she has conducted research on dental healthcare delivery systems and dental assistant expanded functions. Ms. Newman has also served as Past President of the North Carolina Dental Assistants Association, Past President of the Durham-Orange Dental Assistants Society, and as a member of the North Carolina Lieutenant Governor's Task Force on Increasing Access to Dental Care. Ms. Newman has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Summary of Infection Prevention Practices in Dental Settings: Basic Expectations for Safe Care. Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, US Department of Health and Human Services; October 2016.
As a governmental document, Summary of Infection Prevention Practices in Dental Settings: Basic Expectations for Safe Care Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and a governmental agency, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
Ms. Taxin is a consultant in practice management in the dental field for more than 20 years, and has knowledge in administrative systems, marketing, financial management and dental insurance. She has delivered presentations for various dental organizations, including the American Association of Dental Office Managers and the NYU College of Dentistry. Ms. Taxin has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
Dr. Miller is the dean emeritus of the Indiana University School of Dentistry in Indianapolis, Indiana. He has worked as a consultant and conducted research in the field of infection control for over 20 years. Dr. Miller has participated in several dental exam construction committees related to infection control, and has been an invited speaker at other dental-related professional organizations. Dr. Miller has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
Ms. Ovard has over 20 years of experience as a chairside assistant in several dental specialties and teaching dental assistants. Ms. Ovard currently works as an adjunct faculty member at Moreno Valley College in Moreno Valley, California, where she is head of the dental assisting radiology department and also teaches orthodontic assisting and office management. Ms. Ovard is the author of several published articles and has also served as a committee member for the Dental Assisting National Board, Inc. (DANB) Radiation Health and Safety (RHS) exam. Ms. Ovard has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
Dr. Kracher serves as an associate professor at Indiana University-Purdue University, Department of Dental Education in Fort Wayne, Indiana. She has also served as a curriculum consultant to the American Dental Association’s Commission on Dental Accreditation. She is an active member of the American Dental Education Association, American Association of Public Health Dentistry and American Dental Assistants Association. Dr. Kracher has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
Mrs. Barr is a leading educator and an expert in dental assisting curricula design. As a seasoned professional, Mrs. Barr has developed numerous community-based initiatives for area schools and organizations, including an ongoing service learning program that received recognition from the Indiana Department of Workforce Development. As a speaker and writer, she continues to expand her network and skills. She provides consultation to various nonprofits, particularly responding to the underserved, immigrant and refugee populations. Mrs. Barr has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
Ms. Gowan has been involved in the healthcare industry for more than 37 years, working in the areas of billing, coding and accounts receivable. Most recently she has served as the office/business manager for a pediatric dental office, in which she oversees the day-to-day business aspects of the practice. Ms. Gowan has volunteered with the Washington State Academy of Pediatric Dentists Foundation and has been a member of the American Association of Dental Office Managers since 2006. Ms. Gowan has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
Ms. Kotyk is retired. Previously, she has served as Curriculum Development Coordinator, Dental Assisting Program Director and Dental Assisting Instructor for Salish Kootenai College (SKC) in Pablo, Montana. In 2013, she was selected by the American Indian College Fund as Faculty of the Year for her work at SKC. Ms. Kotyk is actively involved in national and state organizations, including the Dental Assisting National Board, Inc. (DANB), American Dental Education Association (ADEA), American Dental Association (ADA), Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) and Montana Dental Association (MDA). Ms. Kotyk has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
Ms. Cuny is the director of Environmental Health and Safety and assistant professor in the department of pathology and medicine at the University of the Pacific Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry in San Francisco. Ms. Cuny is a consultant to the American Dental Association Council on Scientific Affairs and is past chairperson of the Organization for Safety, Asepsis and Prevention (OSAP). Additionally, Ms Cuny is a nationally respected speaker on infection control as well as the author of several published articles. Ms. Cuny has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
Ms. Juckett works for a private dental practice in Middlefield, Ohio, as an expanded function dental auxiliary and dental office manager. She holds numerous credentials and is a member of the Ohio EFDA Association, American Dental Assistants Association, and American Association of Dental Office Management. She has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
Dr. Bell was a founding task force member of the DALE Foundation; he worked as a general dentist in private practice for more than 30 years, retiring in 2010. Dr. Bell was a member of the American Dental Association and a lifelong educator. Dr. Bell has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
India R. Chance is a registered dental hygienist, infection control educator, and authorized OSHA trainer who provides continuing education courses for dental healthcare providers to improve their knowledge of infection prevention and workplace safety. Nationally, Ms. Chance has trained hundreds of dental practice teams, and her mission is to equip them with tools to help deliver the safest dental visit possible. She is a state dental board inspector and national speaker who has worked on various CDC dental industry projects. She was also a subject matter expert writer for USA TODAY. She has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
Ms. Krueger is a faculty member at Western Iowa Tech Community College in Sioux City, Iowa. She has extensive experience in dental radiography and clinical dentistry from her work for private dental practitioners before becoming a dental assistant educator. Ms. Krueger served as a committee member of the Iowa Dental Board from 2000 to 2002 and is a member the American Dental Assistants Association. Ms. Krueger has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
Ms. Filcheck has worked as a chairside dental assistant for more than eight years. She has also provided administrative support and practice management expertise for the dental office and is an active member in the American Dental Assistants Association and the Greater Baltimore Dental Assisting Society. Ms. Filcheck has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
Ms. Robbins is a recent graduate of dental assisting at Indiana University-Purdue University in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and works as a general chairside dental assistant for a local community dentist. Ms. Robbins has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
Ms. Todd works in dental assisting education as both an instructor and program director. Currently, she teaches at Metropolitan Community College in Omaha, Nebraska. She has also worked as a clinical dental assistant in both general dentistry and orthodontics, and has experience as a dental software and digital radiography trainer. Ms. Todd has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
Ms. Martin is a retired program director and dental assisting instructor; she previously has worked at South Puget Sound Community College in Olympia, Washington. She also served as a consultant for the Commission on Dental Accreditation and as an item writer for the Dental Assisting National Board, Inc. (DANB). She is an active member of the Washington State Dental Assisting Association. Ms. Martin has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
Dr. Molinari is the director of infection control for the Dental Advisor in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He previously served as a professor and chairman of the department of biomedical sciences and director of infection control at the University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry. Dr. Molinari has published over 350 scientific articles, text chapters and abstracts on the topic of microbiology and infection control. He is an active member of many professional organizations, including the Michigan Dental Association. Dr. Molinari has financial relationships with Hu-Friedy Manufacturing Company and SciCan Inc.
Ms. Orihood has over 30 years of experience in the dental assisting field. She has worked in a variety of roles in general dentistry and orthodontics, from chairside assisting to office management. She has spent years hiring and training dental assistants and dentists regarding interceptive orthodontics and other topics. Following her passion to teach, in 2007 Ms. Orihood accepted a position at Miami-Jacobs Career College in Ohio as program director for dental assisting programs, where she continues to work today.
Karen Kinsley Gregory, RN, CDIPC, is a registered nurse who found her home in the dental community. With over 20 years of compliance experience, Ms. Gregory currently operates her own consulting company and applies her passion for process and policy to support healthcare providers in creating a safe space for workers and patients. Ms. Gregory was one of the first recipients of the Certified in Dental Infection Prevention and Control (CDIPC) certification and has received several ADS (formerly OSAP) awards including the Dr. James J. Crawford Lifetime Achievement Award. She co-chairs the ADS Boot Camp Program Committee and is on the editorial review board for Infection Control in Practice. To give back to her community and live out her faith, Ms. Gregory has been involved in numerous Mission of Mercy dental clinics. She has disclosed financial interest as a key opinion leader or consultant for Hu-Friedy and SciCan.
Ms. Orosz is an administrative coordinator and dental assistant for an independent dentist in Lyndhurst, Ohio. She has been assisting in dentistry for 38 years, with experience in dental chairside assisting and practice management. Ms. Orosz has also served as an item writer for the Dental Assisting National Board, Inc. (DANB). Ms. Orosz has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
Ms. Eklund is the director of infection control and occupational health,
and research subject and patient safety advocate at the Forsyth
Institute in Boston, Massachusetts. She is an adjunct associate
professor at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences,
Forsyth School of Dental Hygiene. She is a past chair of the
Organization for Safety, Asepsis and Prevention (OSAP) and served as
secretary of the OSAP Foundation. Ms. Eklund serves as faculty for the
New England AIDS Education and Training Center (NEAETC) and HIVdent.org.
She is one of the authors of the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) Guidelines for Infection Control in Dental Health-Care Settings — 2003.
Ms. Eklund has received several national professional recognition
awards and is a respected speaker on infection control as well as the
author of several published articles. Ms. Eklund has no relevant
financial relationships to disclose.
Kay Hickey has been in the dental industry for over 25 years as a licensed dental assistant, dental assisting instructor, and clinical efficiency consultant. Her passion is helping dental teams streamline workflow processes to create an efficient, profitable, and happy practice. Her presentations address the cost of clinical disorganization and the negative impact it will have on the practice’s overall success.
Kay has authored four children’s dental books and several articles for various dental publications. She is a member of the Speaker Consultant Network, AADOM Speaker Consultant Alliance, and eAssist Consulting Network.
Kay has disclosed financial interest as an employee of Zirc Dental Products.
Ms. Bland is the Dental Assisting Program Director at Manatee Technical College in Bradenton, Florida, and has served twice as President of the American Dental Assistants Association (ADAA). Ms. Bland is a former Board Chair for Gulfcoast South Area Health Education Center and a former Executive Director of the Florida Allied Dental Educators. She is a Founding Director and first President of the ADAA’s Professional Dental Assistants Education Foundation (PDAEF). Ms. Bland has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
Ms. Edwards has over 9 years’ experience as a practicing chairside dental assistant and expanded duties dental assistant. Her love for education inspired her to seek out a teaching role two years ago, and she is currently a full-time dental assisting instructor at Miller-Motte Technical College in Columbus, Georgia. Ms. Edwards has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
Dr. Gagliardi has been an educator in both dental assisting and dental hygiene for over 30 years and in the field of dentistry since 1977. She is retired and recently was granted the faculty rank of Professor Emeritus with Pasadena City College. She spent 30 years at Pasadena City College serving in a variety of positions, including as the Dental Assisting Program Director for 15 years.
Dr. Gagliardi served for many years on the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA), as chair and commissioner for CODA’s Dental Assisting Education Review Committee and site visitor. She is an author of the textbook, Dental Health Education, Lesson Planning and Implementation, now in its third edition, and a contributor to other textbooks, articles and publications.
As an active member of the dental community, Dr. Gagliardi has served in multiple roles for several organizations at the local and national levels. She is a member of the American Dental Assistants Association; past president and current member of the California Dental Hygienists Association; past president and current member of the California Association for Dental Assisting Teachers (CADAT); and a member of the Organization for Safety, Asepsis and Prevention. Additionally, she participates as a subject-matter expert on topics related to dental health and dental assisting education programs and courses, including currently serving on the DALE Foundation’s Entry Level Dental Assisting Curriculum Task Force.
Dr. Gagliardi holds a doctorate in education and organizational leadership and a master’s in education with special emphasis on dental health education from the University of La Verne in California. She studied dental hygiene at the University of Southern California, and dental assisting at Pasadena City College.
Dr. Gagliardi has no relevant financial relationships
to disclose.
Dr. D’Angelis-Morris serves as a full-time instructor in dental assisting and part-time instructor in the dental hygiene department at Portland Community College in Oregon. Dr. D’Angelis-Morris served as a practitioner for 15 years, and in 2014 received her master’s in healthcare management from the Oregon Health and Science University School of Medicine. Her areas of teaching include radiology, general anatomy, oral/head and neck anatomy, ethics, and restorative dentistry. Dr. D’Angelis-Morris has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
Dr. Ng is Dentist-in-Chief at Boston Children’s Hospital and Associate Professor of Developmental Biology (Pediatric Dentistry). Her expertise and interests include caries prevention and behavior guidance. Dr. Ng has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
Dr. Dunn is an oral and maxillofacial surgeon who began his career in the U.S. Navy Reserve, from which he retired as a lieutenant. In 1964, he began a private practice and retired in 1998 to focus on educating young dentists. In addition to academic appointments at Temple, Tufts and Northeastern universities, Dr. Dunn also served as the chief of oral and maxillofacial surgery at Cardinal Cushing General Hospital. Dr. Dunn is also a published author of several textbooks and articles. He co-founded Por Christo, a voluntary medical team that he has led in 60 medical missions to South America and the former Soviet Union; he has received four humanitarian of the year awards, has been granted knighthood in two countries, and has been recognized with the President's Volunteer Service Award, along with many other awards and honors for his work. Dr. Dunn has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
Ms. Govoni is a dental educator and consultant who provides advice and training to dental offices in the areas of practice management, infection control and office operations. She is an active member of the American Dental Assistants Association and the Michigan Dental Assistants Association. She has written many articles for dental-related journals, such as Dental Economics. Ms. Govoni has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
Ms. Cooper-Duncan is the owner and operator of Results Unlimited Dental Consulting LLC, offering recruiting, systems, practice management, coding, training and team building consultation services. She previously worked as Regional Director for Midwest Dental and Director of Clinics for Heritage Creek Dental. Ms. Cooper-Duncan also served as a Practice Administrator for CountrySide Dental Care. Ms. Cooper-Duncan has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
Ms. Fields has over 15 years of experience working as a chairside assistant in general dentistry and orthodontics. Ms. Fields has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
Ms. Kratt is the Founder and President of the North Shore Study Club for dental administrative team members, and currently serves as a healthcare portfolio manager with Citizens Bank. She has more than 20 years of dental office experience, and is a Fellow of the American Association of Dental Office Managers (AADOM) and the Association of Dental Implant Auxiliaries (ADIA), as well as a Certified Educator for ADIA. Ms. Kratt has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
With over 35 years of experience in the dental profession as a chairside dental assistant, HIPAA compliance consultant and educator, Ms. Caplan is currently the chair for the dental assisting program at All-State Career School in Baltimore, Maryland. Ms. Caplan has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
Sarah Stream is a dental infection control specialist and educator who has dedicated her career to promoting compliance in the dental setting. She continues to work with facilities nationwide to identify and mitigate infection control, HIPAA, and training gaps to keep employees and patients safe. Ms. Stream has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
Dr. Thikkurissy is Chief of Dentistry at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and the Robert Creedon Endowed Professor. Dr. Thikkurissy has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
Ms. Tastad is a business leadership consultant with more than 15 years of experience helping dental offices improve systems; in her work, she has developed innovative programs for the dental field. She is a graduate of the University of Washington in Seattle and is a member of the Academy of Dental Management Consultants and the Washington State Dental Hygienists’ Association. Ms. Tastad has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
Ms. Dickinson works as a professor and the director of dental assisting programs at El Paso Community College in El Paso, Texas. She has served as a consultant in the dental field and chairside dental assistant for more than 20 years. She is an active member of the American Dental Assistants Association and the Texas Dental Assistants Association. Ms. Dickinson has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
Ms. Schmidt has over 30 years in the dental assisting community. After working 15 years as a chairside assistant, Ms. Schmidt has moved her attention to educating others. She is currently an associate professor at Pasadena City College in Pasadena, California, teaching in both the dental hygiene and dental assisting arenas. She is owner of J/S Dental Ed Lab, a dental education consulting business, in Sylmar. Ms. Schmidt is a member of several local, state and national organizations and has been the recipient of many scholarships and dental assisting awards. Ms. Schmidt has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
With more than two decades as a practicing dentist, Dr. Fink recently served four years as the director of dental education at Fortis Institute, a Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA)-accredited dental assisting program in New Jersey. Dr. Fink has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
Ms. Duncan is the founder and president of Odyssey Management, a dental practice management consulting firm in Virginia, and a lifetime member of the American Association of Dental Office Managers. Prior to founding Odyssey Management in 2007, Ms. Duncan worked as a practice administrator for a private dental practice. Ms. Duncan has been offering individual consulting services since 1998, and has been a specialty coach in human resources and insurance at the Productive Dental Academy since 2010. Ms. Duncan has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
Ms. Benton is the director of clinic operations for the University of Washington’s Center for Pediatric Dentistry in Seattle, Washington. Ms. Benton has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
Tija is Director, Dental Careers Institute, a speaker, and author of numerous continuing education courses and the book Rock Star Dental Assistant. Tija was named one of the Top 25 Women in Dentistry by Dental Products Report Magazine. She is a member of the American Dental Assistants Association (ADAA) where she holds the honor of Master.
Ms. Brett is the Campus Director of Academic Affairs with ECPI University. Previously, Ms. Brett was the Dental Assisting Program Director and Curriculum Chair. She has worked in numerous aspects of dentistry, including serving as a dental hygienist and dental sales representative. She is a dedicated volunteer with numerous oral health organizations to include Virginia Mission of Mercy. Ms. Brett held previous positions and is an active member in the American Dental Assistants Association, the American Dental Hygienists Association, and the Tidewater Dental Hygienists Association. Ms. Brett also holds a certificate in dental assisting and a bachelor’s degree in dental hygiene from Old Dominion University. She has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
Ms. Jorgensen owns Smith & Jorgensen, a dental consulting company that focuses on training in infection prevention and control and dental clinic efficiency. She is also employed at Portland Community College, and teaches in the Integrated Community Dental Assisting Program. Ms. Jorgensen has no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
