Board of Directors

Carla L Watts RDH, BS, CH-OSE

President

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Carla started out in Dentistry as a CDA and pivoted to dental hygiene in 1990. During her 30 years as an RDH she has observed dentistry “speculate” that there is an oral systemic link to the research proving this link. She has been and continues to be an advocate both within and outside the dental arena to educate on the importance of connecting the medical and dental field. Carla is passionate about incorporating a real-world solution/process for primary care medical facilities to incorporate a proactive vs reactive medical/dental partnership.

Charo Earle, RDH, BS, MSA, CH-OSE

Vice President

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Charo has been in the dental industry since 1999 and is a Senior Clinical Service Manager in Michigan. Charo enjoys her role by partnering with Operations and Clinical Strategy Leaders to train, develop, and lead hygiene teams to achieve personal and professional goals, while delivering comprehensive patient care. She has always been passionate about educating, volunteering, and giving back to others. Her passion was ignited in hygiene school while doing rounds in senior nursing centers where dental care was almost non-existent, and working in highly state funded practices, where dental IQ and prevention were low. Charo truly enjoys helping people and being of service to those in need. She knows what she was called to do as she states– “Helping other People is my Passion & my Purpose!”

Colette Murray, RDH, CH-OSE

Membership Director

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Colette has been in preventive dentistry as a Registered Dental Hygienist since 2001. She has worked in private general practice for over a decade and currently operates an Independent Mobile Dental Hygiene practice in the city of Calgary, Canada called Access Dental Hygiene Services. She participates in the mentor-ship of entrepreneurial dental hygienists starting their own independent practices and operates a centralized reprocessing center for other mobile providers. In the past several years she has taken a special interest in the oral systemic connection to further assist her clients that range from 3 to over 100 years of age. She is currently a member of the American Academy for Oral Systemic Health. She served as the project manager, author and co-editor of the book Get Your Spit Together. 

Dr. Karen Thomas, DHA, RDH, CH-OSE

Education Director

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Karen is the CEO and Founder of Holistic Digestive Solutions. She is an RDH, as well as a Licensed Nutritionist, a Certified Biological Dental Hygienist, a Certified Functional Diagnostic Nutrition® Practitioner, Certified Integrative Nutrition® Health Coach, a motivational speaker, educator, and award-winning author of Overwhelmed & Undernourished: Use Food as Medicine and Turn Your Life Around. Karen was one of the 2020 Recipients of the Sunstar/RDH Award of Distinction, and she completed her Doctorate Degree in Healthcare Administration in 2023.

Flora Bedinger, MSHM, BSDH, RDH

Secretary

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Flora entered the dental field as a dental assistant and went on to obtain her Associate and Bachelor of Dental Hygiene, and her Master of Healthcare Management. In 2020, Flora began teaching health science courses at an online university, where they approached her to design an elective Oral Health course for their undergraduate program. In 2020 she also began her pursuit for her Doctorate of Business Administration with a focus on health services. Flora discovered her passion for bridging the medical and dental fields, which is the focus of her dissertation research.

Advisory Group

Dawn Marie Strehl, RDH, CDIPC, CH-OSE

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Dawn Marie is the Regional Oral Health coordinator, Oral Systemic Educator, and Respiratory Protection Administrator for the Health Department of Northwest Michigan (HDNW). Dawn Marie has been an RDH for 38 years, working both in private and public health, certified in dental office inspection and control, orofacial myology and is a Varnish Michigan trainer. She is also currently serving a four-year term on the Michigan Board of Dentistry (LARA). Dawn Marie is the coordinator of a PA 161/mobile dental permit and is a grantee of SEAL! MI. She has presented at local and state meetings on various oral health topics. The focus of her work is on public health dentistry and regional outreach projects to ensure better health for people of all ages.  

Jamie Carder, RDH, CH-OSE

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Jamie graduated from Rhodes State College in 2006. She started working as a dental hygienist in her community health center, Health Partners of Western Ohio, and found she enjoyed the administrative side of public health as much as clinical. She added a Certificate of Oral Systemic Education to her toolbelt and has since transitioned to Director of Oral Health Integration. She enjoys continuing to develop her leadership abilities and championing continuity of care for her community. She has been an integral part of integrating oral health into specialty care in her facility. 

Courtney Connell, RDH, CH-OSE

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Courtney is a registered Dental Hygienist with over 22 years in the dental field. She has a passion and dedication to patients of all ages and believes that dental education is a priority. Earning her Oral Systemic Educator Certificate has really prepared her to join a team of medical and behavioral health providers within the FQHC she is employed at. Courtney is an Air Force veteran and graduated from the Pueblo Community College Dental Hygiene program Magna Cum Laude.

Colleen Hogan, RDH, BSDH

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Colleen graduated from West Virginia University over 40 years ago and has explored many different career pathways over the years. The first half of her career was in private practice and she added teaching during the second half. Eventually she decided that her heart was in public health as she missed seeing patients. She continued teaching part time while also providing much needed dental hygiene care in a Community Health Center that was looking to integrate oral health into primary care. She enrolled in the Oral Systemic Education Certificate Program and is now working at 16th St. Community Health Center in Milwaukee WI where she is fully integrated into the medical clinics. Colleen sees pediatric patients at their yearly well visits where she performs a dental screening, applies fluoride varnish and helps the parents establish a dental home in the community. She also sees OB patients early on in their pregnancy and provides them with these same services. 

Cynthia Scott CDA, RDH, PHDH, CH-OSE

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After a long and varied career in dentistry, Cynthia joined National Network of Healthcare Hygienists (NNHH) and her hygiene career took off in a new, exciting direction. After enrolling in the Oral Systemic Educator Program and becoming involved with NNHH, she was connected to a dedicated group of hygienists and healthcare providers who all longed for collaboration. Her confidence got the boost it needed and she landed her dream job. Cynthia now works with a fully integrated dental practice that is attached to a Ryan White funded HIV program. They see existing HIV and infectious disease patients, and will be branching out to include oncology patients, and hopefully other hospital departments as well. Her department offers full HIV services, primary care, infectious disease treatment, addiction medicine, counseling and dental services. They practice trauma informed care, have medical and non-medical case managers and work with a primarily underserved patient population. She continues to develop policies and procedures, clinical workflows, infection control documentation and regulatory compliance, medical dental integration, EPIC training and coding input, as well as the office inventory, set-up and organization of the practice.

Jennifer Brown, RDH, BSDH, TTS, CH-OSE

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Jennifer has been a practicing dental hygienist for over 20 years. In 2018 she received her bachelor’s in dental hygiene, and has since achieved her certification as a tobacco treatment specialist and holds a certificate in Oral Systemic Education. In 2019, she and her family moved to Arkansas as she was recruited to develop a dental hygiene role at CARTI Cancer Center and has since taken on the role of manager of the dental department. Jennifer has dedicated her career and education to helping address the oral health needs of cancer patients. She spent eight years in two hospital setting cancer centers in Colorado, and is now in her fourth year navigating dental care for head and neck cancer patients at CARTI Cancer Center in Little Rock, Arkansas. Jennifer focuses her time on patients' dental needs prior to the start of radiation and/or chemotherapy, including clinical hygiene, educating patients on the importance of oral care during treatment, and collaborating with their dental home ensuring they receive recommended post treatment care. 

Jennifer Suminski, MS, RDH

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As an educator Jennifer strives to bring awareness to the oral/systemic link and importance of interprofessional collaboration. Jennifer is currently the President-Elect for the Maryland Dental Hygienists’ Association as well as the Immediate Past President for the Washington/Frederick County Dental Hygienists’ Association. She is a founding member of NNHH and a former board member. She earned a Master’s Degree in Dental Hygiene from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, and moved to Maryland to pursue teaching in the dental hygiene program at Hagerstown Community College in 2015. Jennifer is also a nationally certified and state licensed pharmacy technician. She loves that she is able to combine her two passions to advocate for total personal wellness, access to care, and increased health literacy in the community. 

Kris R Potts, BS, FAADH, RDH

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Kris has been in dentistry for over 40 years and has completed additional certifications in Caries Management, Sleep Care and Oncology Care. She has been a member of the American Dental Hygienists Association, American Academy of Oral Systemic Health, a founding member of the National Network of Healthcare Hygienists and a Fellow with The American Academy Of Dental Hygiene. Kris served as the Education Director of NNHH, coordinating and developing the initial curriculum of the Oral Systemic Educator. She has served on other boards and was able to replicate many of their protocols in this development.

Chair: Dr. Megan Reutter, DHSc, RDH

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Dr. Megan Reutter is a registered dental hygienist who has worked in a variety of settings, including clinical practice, education, and public health. She received her undergraduate degree at Eastern Illinois University in Community Health, her master’s degree from University of Bridgeport in Dental Hygiene Education, and her doctorate degree at A.T. Still University. Her doctorate degree is in Health Sciences with a concentration in Leadership and Organizational Behavior. Dr. Reutter’s research interests include interprofessional collaboration, the oral-systemic link, and leadership. She has presented her research and leadership courses for healthcare professionals. Dr. Reutter served as the curriculum director for the Oncology certificate through the National Network of Healthcare Hygienists. She is passionate about medical-dental integration and serving as an oral health advocate.   

Program Coordinators

Jamie Dooley, BIS, RDH, CLC

Lead Project Manager 

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Jamie Dooley is an award-winning program developer, thought leader, and change agent. She worked 15 years full time as a clinical hygienist before securing her Bachelor of Integrative Studies in 2012, with a focus on healthcare & nonprofit management, from Ferris State University. She found she excelled at developing innovative programs and managing complex projects. After spending 6 years in public health launching a dental Medicaid clinic, developing a school-based sealant program that served 12 low-income schools, and piloting oral health integration in a large healthcare system, she started National Network of Healthcare Hygienists in 2018. Her goal is to introduce new programs and systems to the medical model which include registered dental hygienists as important members of interdisciplinary care.

Carla L Watts RDH, BS, CH-OSE

Student Dental Hygiene Award Coordinator

[email protected]

Carla started out in Dentistry as a CDA and pivoted to dental hygiene in 1990. During her 30 years as an RDH she has observed dentistry “speculate” that there is an oral systemic link to the research proving this link. She has been and continues to be an advocate both within and outside the dental arena to educate on the importance of connecting the medical and dental field. Carla is passionate about incorporating a real-world solution/process for primary care medical facilities to incorporate a proactive vs reactive medical/dental partnership.

View our list of Founding Members who gave selflessly to the mission in 2019 and made our initial development possible