Fouzieh Eliassy RDH, BA

President

Fouzieh graduated at Jönköping University year 2000, and has worked in the public sector for 22 years. Her skills in leadership are well established and has held leadership positions on local, regional and national level. She currently holds the position head of clinic for 4 dental clinics in a large oral health care organization.

Fouzieh is the vice president of the Swedish Dental Hygienist Association. She is also engaged in the European Dental Hygienists Federation, EDHF. The engagement for the dental hygienist’s position in the oral health care team is evident. Her own leadership ambitions have also led her to engage and strive to support colleagues that have similar ambitions.

Fouzieh and her husband Jamal have three children. In their free time they enjoy traveling, being outdoors and spending time with family and friends.

Sharon Friedman Yaniv RDH, MHA

IFDH Vice-President

With nearly three decades of experience in dental hygiene, Sharon is committed to advancing the field through leadership, advocacy, and innovation. She holds a Diploma in Dental Hygiene from the Faculty of Dentistry and an MA in Health and Business Administration from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Sharon's clinical experience spans both private and public settings.

As Past President and CEO of the Israeli Dental Hygiene Association (IDHA) and a current member of the Advisory Committee on Dental Hygiene at the Ministry of Health, she has led enhancements in national professional development. She was the Chief editor of the IDHA Journal for over a decade. International roles include serving as Secretary and now Vice President of the International Federation of Dental Hygienists (IFDH), and over a decade as a delegate to the IFDH and the European Dental Hygienists Federation (EDHF).

Active at global conferences, seminars, and universities, Sharon shares her expertise in dental health promotion, public health, and social responsibility initiatives, including volunteering to advance dental health in women’s shelters and refugee communities.

Cole Gilbert RDH MSc(c)

IFDH Vice-President

Cole Gilbert is a leading clinical dental professional, educator, and advocate for professional governance in oral healthcare. He currently serves as the President of OHASA and represents dental hygiene, therapy, and assisting as a Board Member of the HPCSA. Based in Cape Town, Cole is the Head Oral Hygienist at SVL Dentistry and a sessional clinical lecturer at the University of the Western Cape (UWC). He is currently pursuing a Master's degree focusing on technology acceptance in clinical practice. A champion for dental innovation, Cole is dedicated to elevating the oral hygiene profession globally by advocating for advanced clinical workflows, education, and the integration of modern digital and therapeutic technologies.

President, Oral Hygienists Association of South Africa (OHASA) Board Member, Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA)

Miranda Steeples MSc, Grad Dip DH & DTh, AssocFCGDent

Miranda has worked in dentistry for many years, both as a dental nurse, and now as a dental hygienist and dental therapist. She qualified from the University of Leeds, UK, in 2009 and works in general practice in the South-East of England. In her spare time, Miranda completed an MSc at the University of Kent, and enjoys volunteering for Mini Molars Cambodia providing dental care to children.

She is the Council Representative for dental hygiene and therapy for the College of General Dentistry; a member of the coordinating committee, Alliance for a Cavity Free Future UK Chapter; Honorary Ambassador for the Mouth Cancer Foundation and is the President of the British Society of Dental Hygiene and Therapy, 2022-2024.

Loes Velthoven Verlinden

Secretary

Coming soon...