Dental News - OSAP association announces new board of directors

Dental Tribune USA

Fri. 7 August 2020

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ATLANTA, Ga., USA: The Organization for Safety, Asepsis and Prevention (OSAP), an association advocating for infection prevention and safety practices, has announced the members of its 2020-2021 board of directors.

“As we begin our new fiscal year in the middle of a pandemic, we are fortunate to have Doug Risk, DDS, ABGD, as our new board chair for the 2020-2021 year. His dental infection prevention expertise and passion for the dental industry is just what we need as OSAP continues to be the go-to leader in dental infection prevention and safety”, said Michelle Lee, CPC, OSAP’s executive director. “The depth of our board is remarkable. I have the utmost confidence that our newest board members will also be strong contributors as we continually meet the ongoing challenges in these uncharted waters.”

Risk served in the U.S. Air Force and attended the advanced education in general dentistry residency at Lackland Air Force Base. He has experience in clinical practice, command and headquarters assignments, and deployments. His career culminated as the director of the dental evaluation and consultation service. Since retiring in 2017, he has provided consultation services to private practices, manufacturers and the Department of Defense. He is currently in clinical practice in southern Maryland and serves as compliance director for six practice locations.

Eve Cuny, MS, was elected vice-chair and chair-elect for the association. Cuny moves into this role after serving as secretary and a director. Cuny is the director of environmental health and safety and associate professor of diagnostic sciences at Pacific Dugoni School of Dentistry. Cuny is a member of the National Occupational Research Agenda Council. She has lectured nationally and internationally, published extensively on the subject of infection control and patient safety and has worked globally with government agencies, universities and nonprofit organizations to develop best practices in infection prevention and safety.

David Kierce, global platform leader for Dentsply Sirona’s infection prevention product line, serves a consecutive term as treasurer. Kierce has been on the Dentsply Sirona team for more than 25 years. He started with Dentsply Ceramco in June 1993 as a territory sales representative. From there, his career has grown to include leadership roles in special markets, merchandising and marketing.

LCDR Matthew R. Ellis, MPH, CIC, REHS, was elected secretary. LCDR Ellis serves as the U.S./DHHS-Indian Health Service (IHS) infection prevention and control program manager, assigned to the IHS HQs Office of Quality. LCDR Ellis is co-lead and an architect of the regional healthcare accreditation readiness team and served collaterally as the public health emergency management coordinator. He is a United States Army infantry veteran and has completed healthcare infection control and safety position tenures with a private healthcare consulting firm, University of Kentucky Medical Center, and the Veteran’s Healthcare Administration.

The newly elected board members are Steve Geiermann, DDS; Julie Lynch, MS, BSN, RN; and Raleigh Wright, DDS.

Geiermann, a retired captain in the U.S. Public Health Service, serves as the senior manager addressing access, community oral health infrastructure and capacity within the American Dental Association (ADA). He served as a dental director in the Indian Health Service and Federally Qualified Health Centers as well as being an HRSA regional dental consultant and project officer within the National Health Service Corps and the HIV/AIDS Bureau. He served on the board of directors of the National Network for Oral Health Access (NNOHA) and was an expert advisor for Safety Net Solutions seeking to improve the financial stability and productivity of health centers. He currently serves on the advisory committee for the Oral Health Progress and Equity Network (OPEN) and the board of the American Institute of Dental Public Health (AIDPH).

Lynch is the director of clinical development for American Dental Partners. Her focus is on supporting all American Dental Partners affiliated dental group partnerships in the growth of quality management and improvement endeavors such as Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC), professional development, provider credentialing verification and regulatory matters. Lynch came to oral health care passionate about patient and team member safety after serving more than 20 years in a large healthcare system in both direct patient care and leadership roles. She received her bachelor of science in nursing from Concordia University Wisconsin and her master of science in healthcare administration from the University of St. Francis in Joliet, Ill.

Wright is currently the chief clinical officer for Lane & Associates Family Dentistry, a group practice in North Carolina. A 1994 University of North Carolina School of Dentistry graduate, Wright has spent his entire tenure with Lane. Wright feels strongly about supporting outreach dental organizations, has volunteered for multiple Mission of Mercy dental clinics and dental buses, and currently serves on the board of directors for Wake Smiles Community Dental Outreach. He was recently elected to the NC Board of Dental Examiners, is currently an examiner with CITA - Council of Interstate Testing Agencies, and attends many continuing education events to maintain a comprehensive knowledge of current trends and technology in dentistry.

Other association directors include Marguerite Walsh, immediate past chairperson; Aaron Pfarrer; Theresa Mayfield, DMD; and Jessica Wilson, MPH.

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.

(Source: Organization for Safety, Asepsis and Prevention)