You know the old saying, “Cleanliness is next to”…well, everything.  In a dental operatory or surgical setting, there is likely no stronger truism.  And because of the importance of infection control, OSAP, the Organization for Safety, Asepsis and Prevention, is recognizing current and emerging leaders in infection control with their 2015 Infection Control Leadership Awards.  Please submit your nominations and help bring awareness to the importance of infection control and the work leaders in this field do for dental safety on a daily basis.

Nominations are due by April 24, 2015.  More information on the 2015 OSAP Infection Control Leadership Awards follows from their recent press release:

The Organization for Safety, Asepsis and Prevention (OSAP), the advocate for The Safest Dental Visit™, is seeking nominations for three leadership awards, which will be presented during the OSAP Annual Infection Control Symposium in Baltimore, Maryland, on May 28-30, 2015. The awards are the Crawford Award for lifetime achievement in the field of dental infection control, the Schaefer Award for superior service and contributions to OSAP, and the Emerging Leaders Award for new infection control ambassadors. Individuals can nominate themselves or another person. The deadline for nominations is Friday, April 24. Additional information is available at OSAP.org.

The Dr. James J. Crawford Award is named in honor of one of the founding fathers of dental infection control. The annual award recognizes lifetime achievement in the field. Awardees have made major contributions in science, education, or public policy related to OSAP’s core competencies of infection prevention and control and patient and provider safety.

The Milton E. Schaefer Superior Service Award is given annually to OSAP members who have rendered superior service and contributions to the organization. The nominee should have an active and effective commitment to the growth and empowerment of OSAP in its ability to provide information and education for the dental community. This award recognizes either contributions over a period of time or singular accomplishments that have advanced OSAP’s mission to be the world’s leading advocate for the safe and infection-free delivery of oral health care.

This is the first year for the Emerging Leaders Award. The goal for the new 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. Candidates can be clinicians, educators, consultants, students, or members of the dental trade.

After the April 24th deadline for nominations has passed, the winners will be selected by the OSAP Awards Committee and the OSAP Board of Directors. This year’s committee consists of Jessica Wilson, Hu-Friedy (Committee Chair); William Neumann, MDSI/First Impressions; Timothy Dowd, DDS, Ralph Johnson VAMC; and Tracy Glenn, KaVo Kerr Group.

All three awards will be presented at the annual OSAP Symposium, the premier infection control education and networking event in the dental industry. Nationally and internationally known experts discuss current and emerging issues relating to infection prevention and safety in oral healthcare settings, and provide attendees with essential resources, valuable tools, and new approaches for better protecting patients and staff. Call 800-298-OSAP (6727) or 410-571-0003 or visit OSAP.org for symposium registration information.

Celebrating over 30 years of service to the worldwide dental community, OSAP is a growing community of clinicians, educators, students, policy-makers, and industry representatives who advocate for safe and infection-free delivery of oral healthcare. OSAP focuses on strategies to improve compliance with safe practices and on building a strong network of recognized infection control experts. OSAP offers an extensive online collection of resources, publications, FAQs, checklists and toolkits to help dental professionals ensure that every visit is The Safest Dental Visit™ for patients and the dental team.