The American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA) announced that its CEO, Ann Battrell, MSDH, died on June 7.
Battrell, who was the CEO since 2016, had recently announced to ADHA leadership that she was extending her medical leave to focus on her health. She was the first registered dental hygienist and first former ADHA president to become CEO.
Ann Battrell, MSDH.Image courtesy of the ADHA.
Previously, she served as ADHA’s manager of education, director of education, and president. During Battrell’s tenure, she helped launch the ADHA’s new online education platform, elevated the acknowledgement of oral-systemic health connections, worked to broaden the dental hygiene curriculum to address the oral health needs of diverse populations and improve access to care, and championed efforts to broaden the scope of practice for dental hygienists.
“Ann was a champion for the association and dental hygiene, always pushing to raise the important issues, promoting our accomplishments and bringing our profession’s voice to the table,” said Dawn Ann Dean, RDH, MSDH, ADHA president said in a press release dated June 8.
ADHA Senior Director of Strategic Operations Jennifer Hill and Governance Manager Kathy Pujol, who handled Battrell’s duties during her leave, will remain in place while the 2023-2024 board of directors oversees leadership planning under incoming president Becky Smith, CRDH, EdD.
To celebrate Battrell’s life, leadership, and legacy in the dental hygiene profession and ADHA, a tribute will be held for her on July 7 during the opening general session of the ADHA 2023 annual conference in Chicago.
