Headshot of Jessica August smiling wearing a black top and zippered black blazer

President Elect

Jessica August, MSDH, RDH, CDA, FADHA

Jessica August is a passionate educator, administrator, and longstanding member and volunteer of the American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA), with service at the local, state, and national levels. A strong advocate for dental hygienists as essential oral health professionals, Jessica is committed to advancing the profession through education, leadership, and policy that support access to high-quality, preventive oral healthcare..

She brings extensive leadership experience in allied health and dental education to her role as ADHA President-Elect. Previously, Jessica served as Director of Health Professions at North Idaho College in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, where she provided strategic leadership for a diverse portfolio of healthcare programs, including Dental Hygiene, Medical Assisting, Medical Laboratory Technology, Physical Therapist Assistant, Radiography Technology, and Surgical Technology. Prior to that role, she was Program Dean of Dental Sciences at Portland Community College in Portland, Oregon, overseeing dental assisting and dental hygiene programs as well as a community-based onsite dental clinic.

Jessica’s academic career also includes full-time teaching appointments at the Forsyth School of Dental Hygiene at the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Idaho State University, and Quinsigamond Community College. With more than 15 years of clinical experience in dentistry and allied dental education, she has been a consistent champion for the vital role dental hygienists play in prevention, early detection of disease, patient education, and interprofessional care.

Jessica earned a Master of Science in Dental Hygiene with an emphasis in education from the University of Bridgeport, Fones School of Dental Hygiene, and a Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene from the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Forsyth School of Dental Hygiene. Her academic and clinical background informs her dedication to research and innovation in preventive dentistry, clinical education, interprofessional collaboration, and student learning, all in support of elevating the impact and recognition of the dental hygiene profession.