Remembering Nancy K. Mann, RDH, MSEd: A Legacy of Education, Service, and Dedication to Dental Hygiene
Professor Nancy K. Mann, RDH, MSEd, a beloved dental hygiene educator and practitioner, passed away on November 19, 2024. Her 50-year career encompassed remarkable contributions as a clinical professor, global lecturer, contributor to Dimensions of Dental Hygiene, and advocate for cultural competency.
The dental hygiene community mourns the loss of Professor Nancy K. Mann, RDH, MS, who passed away on November 19, 2024, at the age of 70. Her unparalleled commitment to education and service shaped the lives of countless students, colleagues, and patients over her remarkable 50-year career in dental hygiene.
Professor Mann’s career began as a practicing dental hygienist specializing in periodontics and evolved into a celebrated academic tenure. She joined the faculty of Indiana University-Fort Wayne (IU-Fort Wayne) in 1998, becoming the only clinical professor on the IU-Fort Wayne campus to achieve full professor status. Her teaching expertise included clinical practice, periodontics, dental public health, and community dental hygiene, with a particular focus on service learning. Recognized nationally and internationally, she integrated community engagement into her curriculum, receiving accolades for advancing dental public health education.
A global leader in dental hygiene, Professor Mann represented IU-Fort Wayne as a lecturer in 12 countries across four continents. She delivered keynote addresses for organizations such as the South Korean Dental Hygienists’ Association and the Philippines Dental Hygienists’ Association.
Mann’s enduring legacy also includes her dedication to public health. She participated in interprofessional medical-dental missions in the Dominican Republic, contributed to tobacco cessation initiatives, and served as an examiner for the Commission on Dental Competency Assessments. Her impact was recognized with numerous awards, including Indiana’s Outstanding Dental Hygienist of the Year in 2022 and the McMillen Health Vitality Award for Education in 2013.
A longtime contributor to Dimensions of Dental Hygiene, Mann authored feature articles on instrumentation, ergonomics, and cultural competency and served on the journal’s Peer Review Panel. She also wrote a column on cultural competency for the journal, answering readers’ questions in the “Ask the Expert” forum. The Dimensions’ editorial staff wishes to express its gratitude for her significant contributions and her support of the journal for more than 20 years. Her final column will appear in the January/February 2025 issue.
Her passing marks a profound loss to the dental hygiene field. However, her contributions and passion will live on through the Nancy K. Mann IU Fort Wayne Dental Hygiene Scholarship, ensuring that future generations carry forward her mission of education, service, and excellence. Donations may be sent to Nancy K. Mann IU Fort Wayne Dental Hygiene Scholarship, c/o Indiana University Foundation, PO Box 6460, Indianapolis IN 46206-6460.
You can read Mann’s contributions to Dimensions of Dental Hygiene here.
