The Dental Hygienists Association of Australia (DHAA) announced the appointment of Dr Melanie Hayes as the new Chief Executive Officer of the association, effective 28 August 2017.

The appointment of a CEO was determined to be a strategic priority of the DHAA at the Leadership Day and subsequent board meeting held in May this year, and signals a commitment to ensuring greater outcomes and accountability to our members, the community, industry partners and government.

Dr Hayes is a Dental Hygienist who has worked in both general and periodontal practices. For the past eight years she has worked in academia, most recently as a Senior Lecturer at the University of Melbourne. She completed her PhD in 2013, focusing on the musculoskeletal health of dental hygienists.

Dr. Hayes has been a Director and President of the DHAA Board for the past three years. In accepting the position of CEO, she has resigned from her directorship, and the DHAA Board are pleased to have appointed Ron Knevel to this casual vacancy, with Kathryn Novak acting as the interim President.

“I am passionate about dental hygiene and what the future has to offer the profession,” explains Dr Hayes. “I am looking forward to implementing the DHAA strategic plan during this exciting period of development for the association.”

Taken from Dental Hygienists Association of Australia (DHAA) News 9 August 2017