Editorial Board Members

Salme Lavigne, PhD, RDH, was appointed scientific editor of the journal, effective December 1, 2015. She holds a diploma in dental hygiene from the University of Toronto, a bachelor’s degree in biomedical anthropology from Lakehead University, a master’s degree in dental hygiene education from the University of Missouri-Kansas City, and a doctorate in community health sciences from the University of Manitoba. Salme was the founding director of the dental hygiene program at Confederation College, Thunder Bay, and served as director of the School of Dental Hygiene, University of Manitoba, for 13 years where she developed and initiated the first BScDH program at that institution. An internationally recognized researcher and educator, Salme has received Alumni of Distinction awards from the University of Toronto and the UMKC School of Dentistry, and a Life Membership Award from the Canadian Dental Hygienists Association.

Joanna Asadoorian, PhD, RDH, graduated from the dental hygiene program at Erie Community College in New York State in 1990 and went on to complete a BScD(DH) and MSc from the University of Toronto, and a PhD from the University of Manitoba in the field of knowledge translation. Her research focuses on continuing learning and competency strategies for health care practitioners, and she also has an interest in oral health care products and practices, with a particular concentration in therapeutic rinses. Appointed to the editorial board in February 2016, Joanna is a professor and coordinator of the BScDH Degree Completion Program at George Brown College, Toronto. She is also a member of the education and research advisory committees of the Canadian Dental Hygienists Association, currently serving as chair for the latter group.

Sharon Compton, PhD, RDH, is a professor and director of the MSc Dental Hygiene Program and Educational Research & Scholarship Unit in the School of Dentistry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry at the University of Alberta, Canada. Her primary research focusses on oral care for older seniors, and her secondary research focusses on education and evaluation. Her research is predominantly conducted using qualitative methodologies. In 2015, Sharon was recognized by the Canadian Dental Hygienists Association with a Distinguished Service Award for her dedication, commitment, and service to the dental hygiene profession. She was appointed to the editorial board in 2024.

Jane L Forrest, EdD, RDH, is the director of the National Center for Dental Hygiene Research & Practice in the United States and professor emerita of clinical dentistry, Ostrow School of Dentistry, University of Southern California. Her research and teaching focus is on evidence-based decision making in dental and dental hygiene practice. In recognition of her leadership in this area, Jane received the 2017 ADA/AADR Evidence-Based Dentistry Accomplished Faculty Award. Jane is also a founding member and past president of the Oral Health Research Group of the International Association for Dental Research, and one of the first recipients of the ADHA/Warner Lambert Award for Professional Excellence in Dental Hygiene. More recently, she had the honour of receiving the 2021 Esther Wilkins Lifetime Achievement Award. Jane was appointed to the editorial board in February 2016.

Harold A Henson, PhD, RDH, is an associate professor in the Department of Periodontics and Dental Hygiene and director for the Center of Teaching and Learning at The University of Texas School of Dentistry at Houston. He has taught all levels of dental education: postgraduate, graduate, and undergraduate. Harold has held numerous leadership positions at the national, state, and local dental hygiene levels. His research interests are in teaching and learning and faculty development.

Zul Kanji, EdD, DHP(C), is an associate professor and director of student affairs in the Faculty of Dentistry at the University of British Columbia, where he teaches courses on professionalism, ethics, evidence-based practice, academic writing, and research methods. He earned a Doctor of Education in educational leadership from Simon Fraser University (Burnaby, British Columbia) during which he investigated student retention in higher education. Zul has over 30 peer-reviewed publications on topics related to dental hygiene education, interprofessional education, program evaluation, and student well-being and success. He was appointed to the editorial board in 2012.

Denise Laronde, PhD, DHP(C), is a professor in the Oral Biological and Medical Sciences Department, Faculty of Dentistry, University of British Columbia, and director of the BC Oral Cancer Prevention Program. Denise’s research interests include oral cancer screening, adjunctive screening devices, the natural history of oral cancer, and head and neck cancer survivorship. She earned her BA (psychology) and MSc (dental science) from UBC, her DipDH from Vancouver Community College, and her PhD in biomedical physiology and kinesiology from Simon Fraser University (Burnaby, British Columbia). Appointed to the editorial board in 2012, Denise is also an affiliated scientist with the BC Cancer Research Institute, the Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, and the Fraser Valley Health Authority.

Christina Lengyel, PhD, RD, is an associate professor, a registered dietitian, and the director of the Dietetics Program in the Department of Food and Human Nutritional Sciences, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Manitoba. Christina’s current research focuses on nutrition and health-related issues of baby boomers and older adults residing in both rural and urban areas. She is a co-principal investigator and the Manitoba lead on the Making the Most of Mealtimes (M3) study, and a co-investigator and nutrition lead for the Manitoba Follow-up study. Christina is a research affiliate of the University of Manitoba’s Centre on Aging and Riverview Health Centre. She also serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Nutrition in Gerontology and Geriatrics.

Brian B Partido, PhD, RDH, CDA, is Executive Director of Dental Programs at Seattle Central College, which includes the dental hygiene, dental assisting, and expanded function dental auxiliary programs. He earned his BS in combined sciences from Santa Clara University, a BS in dental hygiene from the University of California at San Francisco, an MS in dental hygiene from the University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, and a PhD in educational leadership from Trident University International. Brian’s dissertation explored the relationships between undergraduate research experiences and evidence-based practice, and he continues to engage undergraduate dental hygiene students in research experiences to promote interest in research. He was appointed to the editorial board in 2022.

Leigha Rock, PhD, RDH, graduated with a diploma in dental hygiene from the College of New Caledonia (1990), and went on to obtain a BDSc (2014) and a PhD (Craniofacial Science) (2018) from the University of British Columbia. She then completed a postdoctoral fellowship at BC Cancer (Cancer Control Research and Integrative Oncology). Leigha’s research focuses on discoveries that will advance early oral cancer detection biomarkers and identify effective intervention strategies to reduce the number of individuals with aggressive advanced-stage disease. Appointed to the editorial board in April 2020, Leigha is currently the director of the School of Dental Hygiene at Dalhousie University. She is cross-appointed to the Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pathology. She is also holds the appointment of scientist at the Beatrice Hunter Cancer Research Institute, and is a scientific affiliate at the Nova Scotia Heath Authority, Department of Anatomical Pathology.

Ann Eshenaur Spolarich, PhD, RDH, is an internationally recognized author and speaker on pharmacology and the care of medically complex patients. She has presented more than 850 lectures, has over 100 professional publications, and serves as associate director of the National Center for Dental Hygiene Research & Practice. She is professor and course director of clinical medicine and pharmacology, and assistant dean for research at the Arizona School of Dentistry and Oral Health, where she also teaches part-time in the Special Care Clinic. In addition, Ann is an independent educational and research consultant, and practises dental hygiene part-time, specializing in geriatrics. She was appointed to the editorial board in February 2016.

Jeanie Suvan, PhD, RDH, is a clinical university lecturer at University of Glasgow Dental School, Glasgow, Scotland. She holds a diploma in dental hygiene from the University of Alberta, a master’s degree in evidence-based health care from Oxford University, and a doctorate in clinical dentistry, examining the association between obesity and periodontitis, from University College London. She was appointed to the editorial board in February 2016.

Sylvia Todescan, DDS, DipPerio, PhD, was appointed to the editorial board in February 2016. She holds a DDS from the Federal University of Bahia, Brazil, as well as a certificate, MSc, and PhD in periodontology from the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil. Sylvia is currently associate professor in the Division of Periodontics, Department of Dental Diagnostic and Surgical Sciences, University of Manitoba, and serves as periodontics predoctoral director. Sylvia’s research interests include diabetes type II and risk factors for periodontal disease.

Karen B Williams, PhD, is an Olson Professor and immediate past chair of the Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics, University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine. She was previously the director of the clinical research center at the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Dentistry for 11 years. A research methodologist, she has been involved in research design and statistics for more than 25 years. She has served as the methodologist, psychometrician, and statistician for several randomized clinical trials funded by the National Institutes of Health, and has mentored numerous master’s students, doctoral candidates, and faculty in her 31 years of practice. Karen joined the editorial board in February 2016.