Leadership Awards 

Dr. James J. Crawford Lifetime Achievement Award

This award, named in honor of one of the founding fathers of dental infection control, recognizes lifetime achievement in the field. Awardees have made major contributions in science, education, or public policy related to ADS’s core competencies of infection control and patient and provider safety.

Michelle Lee
2026 Award Recipient
Michelle Lee served as Executive Director of ADS from 2018 to 2026. During her tenure, she led ADS into a new era—building and empowering a high-performing team, streamlining the conference program, and establishing a clear chain of command that sharpened execution across the organization. She strengthened partnerships with dental organizations and agencies worldwide and guided the profession through the volatile COVID-19 years with steady, science-based infection prevention leadership.

She rebranded OSAP to ADS—and expanded ADS’s reach and sustainability by growing membership, securing multi-year grants, broadening offerings, and elevating the organization’s international presence and credibility. Most notably, she spearheaded the founding of the ADS Institute for Dental Safety and Science to provide authoritative national infection prevention guidance following the 2025 elimination of the CDC Division of Oral Health.

 Previous award recipients:

2025: Jackie Dorst, RDH
2024: Lois Cohen, PhD
2023: Andrew Whitehead
2022: Steven Geiermann, DDS, FACD, FICD
2021: David Reznik, DDS
2020: Karen Gregory, RN 
2019: James A. Cottone, DMD, MS
2018: Shannon Mills, DDS
2017: Peggy Cottrell
2016: Kathy Eklund, RDH, MHP
2015: Therese M. Long, MBA, CAE
2014: Harold Jaffe, MD, MA, FFPH
2013: Michael Glick, DMD
2012: Jennifer Harte, DDS, MS
2011: Jennifer Cleveland, DDS, MPH 
2010: A. Enrique Acosta-Gio, DDS, PhD
2009: Eve Cuny, MS
2008: William Rutala, PhD, MPH
2007: Sam Rosen, PhD
2006: Robert Kolstad, PhD
2005: Donald Marianos, DDS, MPH
2004: John Young, DDS, MSc
2003: Chris Miller, PhD
2002: Herman H. Langkamp III, MS 
2001: Walter W. Bond, MS, RCSA
2000: Robert Runnells, DDS
1999: John Molinari, PhD
1998: James J. Crawford, PhD

Dr. Milton E. Schaefer Superior Service Award

This award is named after one of the founding members of ADS and celebrates superior service to the organization, recognizing either continuous contributions over a period of time or singular accomplishments. The nominee’s efforts have resulted in tangible benefits to the continuing advancement of ADS’s mission to be the leading provider of infection prevention and control education, training, and credentialing that supports safe dental visits.

Denise Sabol, MEd
2026 Award Recipient
Denise Sabol, MEd is a steadfast champion of ADS’s core values and mission. Working quietly behind the scenes, she has consistently elevated the quality of Infection Control in Practice (ICIP), shaping its direction with creative thinking and a sharp editorial eye. She improves the value and impact of the newsletter by pairing big-picture guidance with meticulous attention to detail, fine-tuning processes and polishing content so the ICIP team can do its best work. Her relentless positivity, reliability, and tireless commitment have made her a trusted backbone for the publication and a force for excellence across ADS. We’re proud to recognize Denise for her unwavering dedication and the lasting imprint she’s made on our community.

Previous award recipients:

Emerging Infection Control Leader Award

The goal of the Emerging Leader Award is to help develop and promote the next generation of stars in the field of dental infection prevention and safety by identifying outstanding new infection control advocates.

Bhumika Patel, RDH, MSDH, CDIPC, FADHA
2026 Award Recipient
Bhumika Patel RDH, MSDH, CDIPC, FADHA, is an educator and safety champion whose leadership has elevated infection prevention across one of the nation’s busiest dental teaching environments. As Manager for Infection Prevention and Control at the University of the Pacific, Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry, she brings the AHA TeamSTEPPS approach into safety courses that protect both patients and providers. In a 130+ chair clinic spanning Oral Surgery, Orthodontics, Endodontics, Periodontics, Radiology, Pediatrics, Dental Hygiene, and General Dentistry, she conducts rigorous infection control rounds, turns data into training, implements new procedures, reduces risk, and ensures compliance.

A trusted partner to administration and a go-to mentor for faculty, students, and new staff, she strengthens radiology and every clinic through meticulous attention to detail and hands-on coaching. She holds a master’s degree, is pursuing a doctorate in education, generously shares her expertise, and presented two sessions at this year’s Annual Conference.

Most importantly, Bhumika makes a complex topic engaging, relatable, and memorable—igniting a lasting commitment to infection prevention and patient safety in the next generation of oral healthcare professionals. 

Previous award recipients:

Dr. John S. Zapp Global Lecture

To honor and preserve Dr. Zapp’s memory, the Friends of ADS, a committed group of leaders who seek to integrate ADS initiatives into broader global health platforms, established the Dr. John S. Zapp Global Lecture. The lecture is intended to build bridges with global leaders to promote knowledge exchange about oral infection prevention and safety both for patients and providers of care.

Ahmed Ogwell Ouma, BDS, MPH, MPhil
2026 Lecturer
Dr. Ahmed Ogwell Ouma, BDS, MPH, MPhil, is a global health expert with 3 decades of experience at national, regional, and global levels. He is currently the CEO and President at VillageReach where he leads a team of talented professionals to strengthen primary health care systems to be responsive to under-reached communities. Previously, he was Vice President for Global Health Strategy at the UN Foundation, where he spearheaded global health policy, advocacy, convening, thought-leadership, and grant-making in support of the UN's priority areas.

Prior to this, he was Deputy Director-General at Africa CDC, an institution he served in various leadership capacities, including as acting CEO and the founding Deputy Director. He led the agency during a time of significant growth and transformation, steering Africa’s complex and successful response to the COVID-19 pandemic and other disease threats, including Ebola, Marburg, and cholera. He led the development of Africa CDC’s new Statute and drove the vision of a New Public Health Order.
Ahmed held distinguished roles at WHO in Geneva and the Regional Office for Africa, and at Kenya’s Ministry of Health, establishing the offices for global health diplomacy and noncommunicable diseases. He is a well-respected public health expert and voice with lived experience in both the global south and north.

Internationally, Dr. Ogwell led the negotiations and implementation of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) and was one of the pioneers leading the African continent in the intergovernmental working group on Public Health, Innovation, and Intellectual Property. Ahmed is a firm believer in the power of leveraging international experience to find local solutions tailored to local challenges.

He has been at the forefront of advocacy and action to reform the health system in Africa, including the need to establish an efficient & effective local response mechanism for disease threats and health emergencies.

Previous lecturers include:

Bette and Paul Schwarz Award for Volunteerism

Enrique Acosta-Gio, DDS, PhD
2026 Award Recipient
Enrique Acosta-Gio, DDS, PhD is a global connector who turns ideas into access and reach. He has broadened ADS’s voice worldwide by translating key documents and marketing materials into Spanish, ensuring our guidance meets people where they are. As a member of the 2026 ADS Annual Conference planning committee, he brings strategy, reliability, and a sharp eye for impact. His push to introduce video poster presentations at 2026 Annual Conference opened the door to more inclusive, dynamic scholarship across borders and time zones.

Previous award recipients:

Chair’s Citation Award 

Julie Lynch, MS, BSN, RN, 2025 – 2026 ADS Chair of the Board, presented special citations to individuals who have enriched the organization by contributing a unique blend of talents, skills, hard work, and unwavering commitment to the advancement of dental safety.

• Marie Fluent, DDS, CDIPC, FACD
• Nancy Dewhirst, BSDH, RDH
• Ramneek Rai, DDS
• Liliana Donatelli, BS, MBA, MPH, CDIPC
• Eve Cuny, MS, CDIPC
• CDR Matthew R. Ellis, MPH, CIC, AL-CIP, CDIPC, REHS

James A. Cottone Award for Excellence in Investigative Research

This award is named for one of the founders of ADS who exemplified the best in infection control and safety research.

Erinne Kennedy, DMD, MPH, MMSc
2026 Award Recipient
Abstract: Close the Gap: Operationalizing Antibiotic Stewardship in Routine Dental Practice

Previous award recipients:

Special Recognition Award for Leadership

Bestowed at the discretion of the ADS Board of Directors, this special leadership award recognizes individuals whose vision, works, or achievements have significantly influenced and broadly shaped dental infection control. Unlike other awards, this special recognition is not given annually.

Cynthia C. Durley, M.Ed., MBA
2021 Award Recipient

Ms. Durley is Executive Director of both the Dental Advancement through Learning and Education Foundation (the DALE Foundation) and the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB). She has been employed by DANB for more than 35 years and by the DALE Foundation since its incorporation in 2010. Ms. Durley has served on a number of federal and national task forces and committees and held leadership positions in national associations and organizations. Ms. Durley joined former OSAP Executive Director Therese Long, CAE, MBA, as a founding member of the national Infection Control Consortium and currently serves on the OSAP-DANB-DALE Foundation Infection Control Certificate/Certification Steering Commission. She is former Chair of the National Commission for Certifying Agencies [national accrediting commission for certification programs] and former President of the National Organization for Competency Assurance [national membership organization for certification organizations, now called the Institute for Credentialing Excellence].