Dental Hygiene Icon is Mourned

Michele L. Darby, BSDH, MS, a leader in dental hygiene research, education, and literature, passed away February 5 after a long illness. A consummate educator, author, scholar, leader, mentor and speaker, Darby helped to shape the hearts and minds of generations of dental hygienists at the Hirschfeld School of Dental Hygiene, Old Dominion University (ODU) in Norfolk, Virginia.

Darby began teaching at ODU in 1974, and she held many leadership positions throughout her nearly 40-year career in academia, including eminent scholar, professor, and graduate program director. Writing was another of Darby’s passions, and she published more than 60 papers in peer-reviewed journals, as well as the textbook Mosby’s Comprehensive Review of Dental Hygiene. She was co-author with Margaret Walsh, RDH, MS, MA, EdD, of the highly regarded textbook Dental Hygiene Theory and Practice.

Passionate about fostering cross-cultural communication in dental hygiene, Darby became a Fulbright Distinguished Scholar— an internationally competitive program that fosters mutual understanding among people of different cultures. She was the first dental hygienist to receive this honor. The scholarship enabled Darby to spend 6 months at the Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST) in Irbid, helping to raise the standard of dental hygiene education and practice. She also worked to build a sustainable part nership between JUST and ODU.

In 2013, Darby received The Esther Wilkins Lifetime Achievement Award along with Walsh, her friend and colleague. The honor is presented by Dimensions of Dental Hygiene and sponsored by Colgate. As Darby was unable to travel due to illness, the award was presented to her daughter, Devan Darby Bartels, MD, MPH. Reflecting on this memory, Anna M. Pattison, RDH, MS, Dimensions‘ editor in chief emerita, shares, “I know that this recognition meant a lot to Michele and her family, and I’m so happy we were able to let her know how much she was appreciated—as a friend, colleague, mentor, educator, and influencer.”

Before her passing, Darby and her husband, Dennis Darby, PhD, established the Michele Leonardi Darby Global Oral Health Award with an initial donation of $25,000. The award focuses “on preparing dental hygienists and dental hygiene faculty to be competent in crosscultural environments whether around the globe or around the corner.” Gifts in honor of her memory can be made to the Michele Leonardi Darby Global Oral Health Award fund at: odu.edu/efgive. A special celebration of life service will be held in her honor on April 25 from 1 pm to 3 pm at the University Theatre in the College of Health Sciences Building at ODU.

From Dimensions of Dental Hygiene. March 2015;13(3):13–14.