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Dr. Mary O'Donnell
Assistant Professor, Dental Science

Biography

Mary O'Donnell qualified as a dental nurse from the Dublin Dental University Hospital (DDUH) in 1985 and was appointed Dental Nurse Tutor in 1992. She completed her M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Applied and Translational Microbiology with the DDUH Division of Oral Biosciences in 2002 and 2009, respectively. Mary is now Assistant Professor in Infection Prevention and Control with the DDUH Division of Oral Biosciences. Mary has published extensively in the peer-reviewed international literature on the development of automated systems for controlling microbial biofilms in dental unit waterlines and suction systems and in minimising biofilm contamination in large water networks, clinical washbasins and taps and lumened dental instruments.

Publications and Further Research Outputs

Peer-Reviewed Publications

COLEMAN DC, DEASY EC, SWAN JS, O"DONNELL MJ, SCOTT TA, DIRECT EVIDENCE FOR EFFECTIVE CLEANING AND DECONTAMINATION OF THE INTERNAL AIR AND WATER CHANNELS, HEADS AND HEAD-GEARS OF MULTIPLE CONTRA-ANGLE DENTAL HANDPIECES USING AN ENZYMATIC DETERGENT AND AUTOMATED WASHER-DISINFECTION IN A DENTAL HOSPITAL SETTING, JOURNAL OF HOSPITAL INFECTION , 135, (May), 2023, p204 - 205 Journal Article, 2023 URL DOI

DEASY, EC, SCOTT, TA, SWAN JS, O'DONNELL MJ, COLEMAN DC, EFFECTIVE CLEANING AND DECONTAMINATION OF THE INTERNAL AIR AND WATER CHANNELS, HEADS AND HEAD-GEARS OF MULTIPLE CONTRA ANGLE DENTAL HANDPIECES USING AN ENZYMATIC DETERGENT AND AUTOMATED WASHER DISINFECTION IN A DENTAL HOSPITAL SETTING, JOURNAL OF HOSPITAL INFECTION, 128, (October), 2022, p80-88 Journal Article, 2022 TARA - Full Text DOI URL

MOLONEY EM, DEASY EC, SWAN JS, BRENNAN GI, O'DONNELL MJ, COLEMAN DC, WHOLE-GENOME SEQUENCING IDENTIFIES HIGHLY RELATED Pseudomonas aeruginosa STRAINS IN MULTIPLE WASHBASIN U-BENDS AT SEVERAL LOCATIONS IN ONE HOSPITAL: EVIDENCE FOR TRAFFICKING OF POTENTIAL PATHOGENS VIA WASTEWATER PIPES, JOURNAL OF HOSPITAL INFECTION, 104, (4), 2020, p484 - 491 Journal Article, 2020 URL Other DOI

DECONTAMINATION OF HAND WASHBASINS AND TRAPS IN HOSPITALS in, editor(s)JIMMY WALKER , DECONTAMINATION IN HOSPITALS AND HEALTHCARE , DUXFORD, UNITED KINGDOM, WOODHOUSE PUBLISHING, 2020, pp135 - 161, [COLEMAN DC, DEASY EC, MOLONEY EM, SWAN JS, O'DONNELL MJ] Book Chapter, 2020

O'Donnell MJ, Coleman DC, Lumens, channels, voids, -truths, half-truths, misinformation, small print and the reality of effectively decontaminating intricate dental devices, Irish Decontamination Institute Annual Conference , Moran Red Cow Hotel Dublin, 18th November 2019, 2019, Irish Decontamination Institute Invited Talk, 2019

O'Donnell MJ, Sharps injury prevention in the dental healthcare environment, Irish Dental Association Annual Conference, Galway, Ireland, 27-28 of April 2018, 2018, Irish Dental Association Invited Talk, 2018

DEASY EC, MOLONEY EM, BOYLE MA, SWAN JS, GEOGHEGAN DA, BRENNAN GI, FLEMING TE, O'DONNELL MJ, COLEMAN DC, MINIMIZING MICROBIAL CONTAMINATION RISK SIMULTANEOUSLY FROM MULTIPLE HOSPITAL WASHBASINS BY AUTOMATED CLEANING AND DISINFECTION OF U-BENDS WITH ELECTROCHEMICALLY ACTIVATED SOLUTIONS, JOURNAL OF HOSPITAL INFECTION, 100, (3), 2018, pe98 - e104 Journal Article, 2018 Other URL DOI TARA - Full Text

Mary J. O'Donnell, Microbial contamination of dental unit waterlines: evidence for infection transmission and effective and consistent decontamination, Irish Decontamination Institute Annual Conference, Silver springs Hotel, Cork City, 10th November 2017, 2017, Anthony McLoughlin and IDI Conference Committee Invited Talk, 2017

SWAN JS, DEASY EC, BOYLE MA, RUSSELL RJ, O'DONNELL MJ, COLEMAN DC, ELIMINATION OF BIOFILM AND MICROBIAL CONTAMINATION RESERVOIRS IN HOSPITAL WASHBASIN U-BENDS BY AUTOMATED CLEANING AND DISINFECTION WITH ELECTROCHEMICALLY ACTIVATED SOLUTIONS, JOURNAL OF HOSPITAL INFECTION, 94, (2 (October)), 2016, p169 - 174 Journal Article, 2016 DOI TARA - Full Text URL

Mary J. O'Donnell, Significant Decontamination Issues in Dentistry: Using Evidence-Based Approaches to Decontaminate Effectively, Irish Decontamination Institute Annual Meeting, Silver Springs Hotel, Cork, Ireland, 10-11th November, 2016, Irish Decontamination Institute Invited Talk, 2016

BOYLE MA, O'DONNELL MJ, RUSSELL RJ, GALVIN N, SWAN J, COLEMAN DC, OVERCOMING THE PROBLEM OF RESIDUAL MICROBIAL CONTAMINATION IN DENTAL SUCTION UNITS LEFT BY CONVENTIONAL DISINFECTION USING NOVEL SINGLE COMPONENT SUCTION HANDPIECES IN COMBINATION WITH AUTOMATED FLOOD DISINFECTION, JOURNAL OF DENTISTRY, 43, (10), 2015, p1268 - 1279 Journal Article, 2015 DOI TARA - Full Text URL

Mary J. O'Donnell, Irish Dental Nurses Association Annual Conference, 16th May 2015, In:IDNA Conference 2015: Aspiration, Information, Motivation, 2015, Radisson Blu Hotel, Dublin 8, Mary J. O'Donnell Meetings /Conferences Organised, 2015

MINIMISING MICROBIAL CONTAMINATION IN DENTAL UNIT WATER SYSTEMS AND MICROBIAL CONTROL IN DENTAL HOSPITALS in, editor(s)WALKER JT , DECONTAMINATION IN HOSPITALS AND HEALTHCARE, CAMBRIDGE UNITED KINGDOM, WOODHEAD PUBLISHING LIMITED, 2014, pp166 - 207, [COLEMAN DC, O'DONNELL MJ, MILLER AS AND BOYLE MA] Book Chapter, 2014

MICROBIOLOGY AND INFECTION PREVENTION AND CONTROL in, editor(s)SUZANNE NOBLE , CLINICAL TEXTBOOK OF DENTAL HYGIENE AND THERAPY , OXFORD, UNITED KINGDOM, WILEY BLACKWELL, 2013, pp158 - 180, [O'DONNELL MJ, MacCARTHY D, COLEMAN DC] Book Chapter, 2013

BOYLE MA, O'DONNELL MJ, MILLER A, RUSSELL RJ, COLEMAN DC, CONTROL OF BACTERIAL CONTAMINATION OF WASHBASIN TAPS AND OUTPUT WATER USING ECASOL: A ONE YEAR STUDY, JOURNAL OF HOSPITAL INFECTION, 80, (4), 2012, p288 - 292 Journal Article, 2012 DOI URL TARA - Full Text

O'DONNELL MJ, BOYLE MA, RUSSELL RJ AND COLEMAN DC, MANAGEMENT OF DENTAL UNIT WATERLINE BIOFILMS IN THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY, FUTURE MICROBIOLOGY, 6, (10), 2011, p1209 - 1226 Journal Article, 2011 TARA - Full Text

RENTZIA A, COLEMAN DC, O'DONNELL MJ, DOWLING AH, O'SULLIVAN M, DISINFECTION PROCEDURES: THEIR EFFICACY AND EFFECT ON DIMENSIONAL ACCURACY, SURFACE QUALITY AND SURFACE DETAIL REPRODUCTION OF AN IRREVERSIBLE HYDROCOLLOID IMPRESSION MATERIAL, JOURNAL OF DENTISTRY, 39, (2), 2011, p133 - 140 Journal Article, 2011 TARA - Full Text

COLEMAN DC, O'DONNELL MJ, BOYLE M. RUSSELL R, MICROBIAL BIOFILM CONTROL WITHIN THE DENTAL CLINIC: REDUCING MULTIPLE RISKS, JOURNAL OF INFECTION PREVENTION, 11, (6), 2010, p192 - 198 Journal Article, 2010 DOI

BOYLE MA, O'DONNELL MJ, RUSSELL RJ, COLEMAN DC, LACK OF CYTOTOXICITY BY TRUSTWATER ECASOL USED TO MAINTAIN GOOD QUALITY DENTAL UNIT WATERLINE OUTPUT WATER IN KERATINOCYTE MONOLAYER AND RECONSTITUTED HUMAN ORAL EPITHELIAL TISSUE MODELS, JOURNAL OF DENTISTRY, 38, (11), 2010, p930 - 940 Journal Article, 2010 TARA - Full Text

O'DONNELL MJ, BOYLE M, SWAN J, RUSSELL RJ, COLEMAN DC, A CENTRALISED, AUTOMATED DENTAL HOSPITAL WATER QUALITY AND BIOFILM MANAGEMENT SYSTEM USING NEUTRAL ECASOL MAINTAINS DENTAL UNIT WATERLINE OUTPUT AT BETTER THAN POTABLE QUALITY: A TWO-YEAR LONGITUDINAL STUDY, JOURNAL OF DENTISTRY, 37, (10), 2009, p748 - 762 Journal Article, 2009 URL DOI

COLEMAN DC, O'DONNELL MJ, SHORE AC AND RUSSELL RJ, BIOFILM PROBLEMS IN DENTAL UNIT WATER SYSTEMS AND ITS PRACTICAL CONTROL, JOURNAL OF APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY, 106, (5), 2009, p1424-1437 Review, 2009 DOI URL

COLEMAN DC, O'DONNELL MJ, SHORE AC, SWAN R, RUSSELL RJ, THE ROLE OF MANUFACTURERS IN REDUCING BIOFILMS IN DENTAL CHAIR WATERLINES, JOURNAL OF DENTISTRY, 35, (9), 2007, p701 - 711 Journal Article, 2007 DOI URL

O'DONNELL MJ, SHORE AC, RUSSELL RJ, COLEMAN DC, OPTIMISATION OF THE LONG-TERM EFFICACY OF DENTAL CHAIR WATERLINE DISINFECTION BY THE IDENTIFICATION AND RECTIFICATION OF FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH WATERLINE DISINFECTION FAILURE, JOURNAL OF DENTISTRY, 35, (5), 2007, p438 - 451 Journal Article, 2007 DOI URL

COLEMAN DC, O'DONNELL MJ, GUEST EDITORIAL, JOURNAL OF DENTISTRY, 35, (9), 2007, p699 - 700 Journal Article, 2007 DOI URL

MICROBIOLOGY AND CROSS-INFECTION CONTROL in, editor(s)ROBERT IRELAND , CLINICAL TEXTBOOK OF DENTAL HYGIENE AND THERAPY, OXFORD, BLACKWELL MUNKSGAARD, 2006, pp181 - 207, [O'DONNELL MJ, MacCARTHY D, COLEMAN DC. ] Book Chapter, 2006

O'DONNELL MJ, SHORE AC, COLEMAN DC., A NOVEL AUTOMATED WATERLINE CLEANING SYSTEM THAT FACILLITATES EFFECTIVE AND CONSISTENT CONTROL OF MICROBIAL BIOFILM CONTAMINATION OF DENTAL CHAIR UNIT WATERLINES: A ONE-YEAR STUDY, JOURNAL OF DENTISTRY, 34, (9), 2006, p648-661 Journal Article, 2006 DOI URL

O'DONNELL MJ, TUTTLEBEE CM, FALKINER FR, COLEMAN DC., BACTERIAL CONTAMINATION OF DENTAL CHAIR UNITS IN A MODERN DENTAL HOSPITAL CAUSED BY LEAKAGE FROM SUCTION SYSTEM HOSES CONTAINING EXTENSIVE BIOFILM., JOURNAL OF HOSPITAL INFECTION, 59, (4), 2005, p348 - 360 Journal Article, 2005 URL DOI

COLEMAN DC, O'DONNELL MJ, RUSSELL RJ, GLEESON F, O'DWYER T, O'DOHERTY S, INDEPENDENTLY CHAIRED REPORT ON LEGIONELLOSIS AT WATERFORD REGIONAL HOSPITAL, 2003, - 1-214 Miscellaneous, 2003

TUTTLEBEE CM, O'DONNELL MJ, KEANE CT, RUSSELL RJ, SULLIVAN DJ, FALKINER F, COLEMAN DC., EFFECTIVE CONTROL OF DENTAL CHAIR UNIT WATERLINE BIOFILM AND MARKED REDUCTION OF BACTERIAL CONTAMINATION OF OUTPUT WATER USING TWO PEROXIDE-BASED DISINFECTANTS, JOURNAL OF HOSPITAL INFECTION, 52, 2002, p192 - 205 Journal Article, 2002 DOI URL

Non-Peer-Reviewed Publications

O'DONNELL, MJ, MS., 2005, - 46-46 Miscellaneous, 2005 URL

O'DONNELL MJ , ADVANCED DENTAL NURSING, Review of ADVANCED DENTAL NURSING, by IRELAND R, EDITOR , EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF DENTAL EDUCATION, 9, (1), 2005, p46-46 Review, 2005 URL DOI

TUTTLEBEE CM, O'DONNELL MJ, COLEMAN DC, MAINTENANCE OF DENTAL UNIT OUTPUT WATER QUALITY BY EFFECTIVE BIOFILM ERADICATION., JOURNAL OF DENTAL RESEARCH, 81, (Dec. 02 SP. ISS. B), 2002, ppB296 - B296 Meeting Abstract, 2002

HARRINGTON F, TUTTLEBEE C, O'DONNELL M, COLEMAN DC., EFFECTIVE DECONTAMINATION OF DENTAL UNIT WATERLINES USING A NOVEL DISINFECTION MODULE., JOURNAL OF DENTAL RESEARCH, 81, (Mar. 02, Sp. Iss. SI), 2002, pp0707 - 0707 Meeting Abstract, 2002

TUTTLEBEE C, O'DONNELL M, COLEMAN D, EFFECTIVE DECONTAMINATION OF DENTAL UNIT WATERLINES USING PEROXIDE-BASED DISINFECTANTS., JOURNAL OF DENTAL RESEARCH, 81, (Dec. 02, Sp. Iss. B), 2002, ppB298 - B298 Meeting Abstract, 2002

Research Expertise

Keywords

AEROBIC BACTERIA; BIOFILM; DENTAL CHAIR WATERLINES; DENTAL CLINIC; DENTAL DISINFECTANTS; DENTAL HANDPIECES; ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY; GRAM-NEGATIVE BACTERIA; LEGIONELLA; MICROBIAL-CONTAMINATION; MICROBIOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS; PREVALENCE; SYSTEMS; WATER MICROBIOLOGY

Recognition

Representations

President of the Irish Dental Nurses Association 2002-2006

Member of the investigation team for the Independently Chaired Report on Legionellosis at Waterford Regional Hospital 2003

Expert member of national working group responsible for the development of national guidelines for infection prevention and control in Health Services Executive Dental and Orthodontic Services. 2019

Awards and Honours

City and Guilds Silver Medal award for Further and Adult Education 1996

Trinity College Dublin. Dean of Health Sciences Award 2020-21 March 2021

Memberships

Member of the British Society for Medical Mycology 2006 – 2006

Member of the Infection Prevention Society 2003 – Present

Membership of IADR 2003 – 2010

Member of the Irish Dental Nurses Association 1985 – Present