91ÖÆƬ³§

Dr. Jennie Dapice, Ph.D., OTR/L, BCP, C-AAIS is an Assistant Professor of Occupational Therapy at the 91ÖÆƬ³§ and a part-time faculty member at the University of Southern Maine. A licensed occupational therapist with board certification in pediatrics, Dr. Dapice specializes in pediatric practice and Animal-Assisted Interventions (AAI).

She earned her M.A. in Occupational Therapy from Tufts University and her Ph.D. in Health Related Sciences from Virginia Commonwealth University. Her masters thesis examined occupational therapy involvement with the service dog community. Her doctoral research examined the efficacy of animal-assisted interventions in school-based occupational therapy, with a focus on enhancing children's playfulness and participation.

Dr. Dapice’s clinical background includes pediatric roles at Boston Children's Hospital, Perkins School for the Blind, and Cambridge Public Schools, as well as experience in adult acute care and skilled nursing. She works closely with the Canine Companions Therapy Dog Program, and integrates AAI into her research, teaching, and clinical work.

Her current scholarship focuses on the integration of AAI into occupational therapy practice, school-based interventions, and youth mental health. Dr. Dapice also serves on the Board of Directors for ElderPet, and is a Faculty Fellow at the Tufts Center for Animals and Public Policy. She lives in Southern Maine with her children and dogs, including therapy dog .