Jennifer Bartek, instructor in dental hygiene at the University of Southern Indiana, has been appointed by Governor Mitch Daniels to a three-year term on the Indiana State Board of Dentistry.

The board licenses and regulates dentistry and its related professions in Indiana. Board members’ duties include reviewing applications from persons desiring to begin the practice of dentistry, scheduling examinations for applicants, and issuing permits for administration of general anesthesia and sedation.

As a member of the board, Bartek will be responsible for enforcing  laws pertaining to the practice of dentistry and of dental hygiene.  As sole representation on the board for the profession of dental hygiene, she is prepared to represent her colleagues and is confident that her clinical and teaching experiences, coupled with knowledge of the rules governing the profession, will prove valuable. “It's an honor to serve on the Indiana State Board of Dentistry and use my time and talent for the benefit of the public and my profession,” she said.

Bartek earned a bachelor’s degree in dental hygiene and a master’s degree in education from USI. She has more than 25 years of experience practicing dental hygiene in Indiana, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. She has been teaching at USI since 1989 and continues to work as a dental hygiene practitioner during the summer months.

“This is huge,” said Dr. Ann White, dean of the USI College of Nursing and Health Professions. “Jennifer is only the second dental hygienist to serve on this board.”