Amir Abolfathi

Board Member, ADA Corporate Ventures

Amir Abolfathi is a seasoned health care executive with over 37 years of expertise in developing and commercializing innovative medical devices across cardiovascular, dental and other health care sectors. Most recently, he served as CEO and Co-Founder of uLab Systems, where he spearheaded the creation and market introduction of next-generation AI-powered orthodontic aligners. He was also the first executive vice president and officer of research and development at Align Technology (NASDAQ: ALGN) and played a critical role in the early development and global launch of Invisalign, revolutionizing orthodontic treatment. He is a current board member for six venture-backed startups spanning the urology, cardiovascular and dental industries.

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Mert Aksu, DDS, MHSA, JD

Dean, University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry

Mert N. Aksu, was named Dean of the University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry in July 2008. Aksu has served as a faculty member and administrator at the School of Dentistry since 1993. Aksu earned a B.S. in Biological Sciences and Psychology from the University of Michigan Dearborn, a master's in Health Services Administration from the University of Michigan School of Public Health, a D.D.S. from the University of Michigan School of Dentistry, a J.D. from Wayne State University, and a certificate specializing in Public Health from Case Western Reserve University. He is also a diplomate of the American Board of Dental Public Health. Aksu is a former attending staff of Henry Ford Health Systems, a member of the State Bar of Michigan, and is a Fellow with the American College of Legal Medicine, American College of Dentists, International College of Dentists, Academy of General Dentistry, and Pierre Fauchard Academy. Aksu has held numerous administrative positions at the school, including associate dean for clinic administration and executive associate dean.

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Manal Al Halabi

Dean, Hamdan Bin Mohammed College of Dental Medicine.

Manal obtained her dental degree from the University of Jordan in Amman and her Certificate of Specialty Training in Pediatric Dentistry and Master of Oral Biology from the University of Maryland at Baltimore in the USA. She is a Diplomate of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry. Currently, Manal is serving as the Dean and Professor of Pediatric Dentistry at Hamdan Bin Mohammed College of Dental Medicine, Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, UAE. Manal has provided significant contributions to numerous local and international professional committees including the Executive Board of the Emirates Pediatric Dentistry Club of the Emirates Dental Association, the Educational Committee of the International Association of Paediatric Dentistry as well as the Standardized Records Committee of the International Association of Dental Traumatology. She is the Chair of the Pediatric Dentistry Scientific Committee of the Emirati Board. Her experience includes academic positions with Boston University and the University of Maryland as well as private clinical practice in the USA and the UAE. Her research interests include dental education, oral health of pediatric patients with special needs, traumatic dental injuries, and biological caries management in primary teeth. Manal has numerous publications in the field of pediatric dentistry in internationally renowned high-impact professional journals.

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Ali Saleh Al-Jhani

General Director, Ministry of Health, Saudi Arabia

Dr. Ali S. Al Jhani is a distinguished healthcare leader and academic with extensive experience in dental services management, healthcare innovation, and clinical excellence. He currently serves as Director of the Directorate of Dental Services at the Saudi Ministry of Health, where he oversees national strategies and operational frameworks to enhance oral healthcare delivery across the Kingdom. With over two decades of leadership in both the public and private sectors, Dr. Al Jhani has held several senior roles. Dr. Al Jhani is a diplomate of the American Board of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics, and an Assistant Professor at KSU-HS. His academic credentials include an Executive MBA from HEC Paris, an Executive Master’s in Luxury Management from SDA Bocconi in Milan, a Master’s in Biomechanics and Biomaterials, and a Clinical Certificate in Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics from Boston University, both with distinction. He also holds advanced certificates from INSEAD, Babson College, and other globally recognized institutions.

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Vimla Black-Gupta

EVP, Colgate-Palmolive

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James M. Boyle III, DDS, MS

Board Chair, ADA Forsyth; Third District Trustee, ADA

Dr. Boyle is a distinguished oral and maxillofacial surgeon serving patients in York County. Dr. Boyle received training in the specialty field of oral and maxillofacial surgery from the top dental and medical instructors in the United States. Dr. Boyle is also a nationally recognized leader in the organized field of dentistry. He attended the University of Pittsburgh on an athletic scholarship and earned scholastic honors in biology and history. Following undergraduate studies, Dr. Boyle received his Doctorate of Dental Science from Northwestern University, Chicago. Dr. Boyle trained for an additional four years in the specialty of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, completing his residency and simultaneously earning a Master of Science degree in 1992. His research examined screw/implant fixation in the facial skeleton, which resulted in multiple published scientific articles. Dr. Boyle has lectured in the U.S., as well as in Europe and Latin America. Before Dr. Boyle began to practice privately, he served in the United States Navy. After 14 years of Active Duty and 8 years of Reserve Duty, he retired with the rank of Commander in the Dental Corps from the U.S. Navy Reserves. During his combined active and reserve years, CDR Boyle completed tours on two aircraft carriers, served as the oral and maxillofacial surgeon of a European Naval Hospital, and was the staff surgeon at both Bethesda Naval Hospital and the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD. Dr. Boyle practices the full scope of the specialty of oral and maxillofacial surgery, including wisdom teeth removal, dental implants, and pathology. Dr. Boyle recently served as President of the Pennsylvania Society of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons, and has held other Board positions with PSOMS. He was awarded the American Association of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons Presidential Award for the impact he has made to the advancement of the OMS specialty in 2017. He represented the 5th District of Pennsylvania as Trustee to the Pennsylvania Dental Association, and serves as Chair for the ADA Committee on Education Recognition Program (CERP). The ADA’s CERP Committee is responsible for approving nationally recognized providers of continuing dental education. In addition, Dr. Boyle is a speaker at ADA’s National Conventions and lectures to dental groups in Pennsylvania. Dr. Boyle is Board Certified and is a Diplomate of the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. He is a Fellow of the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. He is Past President of the Pennsylvania Dental Association and the York County Dental Society. Dr. Boyle is currently the ADA District 3 Trustee.

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Daniel Burke, JD

Chief Enterprise Strategy Officer and General Counsel, PDS Health

Dan Burke joined PDS Health in 2011. Prior to joining the organization, Mr. Burke held senior management positions at leading global retail, manufacturing and consumer products companies, including oversight of the administration, strategy, legal, and human resources departments, as well as sales and new market-entry leadership positions. His current responsibilities include leading the enterprise strategy and strategic payor relationships at PDS Health. Mr. Burke also serves as General Counsel, overseeing the legal, legislative affairs, and compliance functions for the company. Mr. Burke currently serves on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Association of Chronic Disease Directors (CDC-NACDD) Medical-Dental Integration Steering Committee. He is a past Chairman of the Board of the Epilepsy Foundation of Orange County and past member of the National Opioid Task Force. Mr. Burke received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Amherst College and his law degree from Georgetown University Law Center. He has been recognized as one of the “Top 10 Innovative In-House Lawyers” in the State of California by The Daily Journal, and “General Counsel of the Year” by the Orange County Business Journal. He has also received the Seven Seals Award from the U.S. Department of Defense for his leadership and support of those serving in America’s National Guard and Reserve.

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Natalia I. Chalmers, DDS, MHSc, PhD

Chief Dental Officer, CMS

Dr. Chalmers is a board-certified pediatric dentist, oral health policy expert, and public health advocate who brings more than 20 years of clinical, research, industry, and regulatory experience to CMS in her role as Chief Dental Officer in the Office of the Administrator. Previously, Dr. Chalmers served as a Dental Officer at the US Food and Drug Administration. Dr. Chalmers has devoted her career to transforming scientific and health care data and information into actionable insights to address equity, improve care, and better inform policy and funding. Dr. Chalmers completed her Doctor of Dental Surgery degree at the Faculty of Dental Medicine of the Medical University of Sofia, a residency in pediatric dentistry at the University of Maryland School of Dentistry, and a Ph.D. in oral microbiology from the Graduate Partnerships Program of the University of Maryland School of Dentistry and the National Institute for Dental and Craniofacial Research at the National Institutes of Health, Post-doctoral Fellowship at the Forsyth Institute, and Clinical Research Fellowship at the National Institute for Dental and Craniofacial Research, National Institutes of Health. Dr. Chalmers holds a Master’s degree in Clinical Research from Duke Medical University and a Certificate in Drug Development and Regulatory Science from the University of California San Francisco School of Pharmacy. Her research has translated into action, improving oral care and advocating for the role health policy can play across the lifespan—particularly when it embraces dental well-being as a facet of care for the whole person.

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Robert Coughlin

Managing Director, JLL; Board of Directors, MassBio

Mr. Coughlin is a Managing Director at JLL and is the New England’s Life Science Practice Group lead. He specializes in the representation of lab, GMP manufacturing and technology space. Robert delivers creative solutions that align real estate strategies with scientific business objectives. Robert most recently operated as the CEO of the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council, where his mission was to advance Massachusetts’s leadership in the life sciences to grow the industry. Robert has spent his career in both the public and private sectors. Before joining MassBio, he served as the Undersecretary of Economic Development within Governor Deval Patrick’s administration, where he prioritized both healthcare and economic development issues and was a strong advocate for the life sciences industry in Massachusetts. Prior to that, he was elected as State Representative to the 11th Norfolk district for three terms. Robert has also held senior executive positions in the environmental services, capital management and venture capital industries.

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Daniel Croley, DMD

Chief Dental Officer, Delta Dental of California and Affiliates

Daniel Croley, DMD, serves as Vice President and Chief Dental Officer for Delta Dental of California and its affiliates, overseeing operations across 15 states and Washington, D.C. In his role, Dr. Croley leads the organization’s clinical vision and champions a culture of quality, with a strong emphasis on dental-medical integration. He is responsible for spearheading Delta Dental’s quality program, focusing on innovative product and service development that enhances oral health and overall health outcomes.   Dr. Croley earned his Doctor of Dental Medicine degree (DMD) from the University of Kentucky College of Dentistry in Lexington and completed a general practice residency at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Louisville, Kentucky. He began his career practicing in the Chicago area before shifting his focus to oral healthcare delivery and cost of care on a national scale through his work with Delta Dental. An expert on the intersection of oral health and systemic health, Dr. Croley is particularly focused on topics such as oral health and cardiovascular disease, as well as women’s oral health related to menopause. Dr. Croley is the recipient of the American Heart Association’s 2025 Award for Meritorious Achievement for his work connecting oral health and cardiovascular health.  His insights have been featured in a range of media outlets, including Oprah Magazine, MSN, Men’s Health, Dentistry Today, and Becker’s Dental Review.

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Xuliang Deng, PhD

Dean, Peking University of Stomatology

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Dai Feng

Co-Founder and Managing Director of CareCapital Advisors Limited

Dai graduated with bachelors in engineering from Harvard College in 1997. He was an associate at Goldman Sachs, and a partner in healthcare investing at Warburg Pincus, before co-founding CareCapital Advisors in 2015. CareCapital is a leading investor in oral health with a multi-billion portfolio of more than 40 dental technology and service companies worldwide.  Currently, Dai is Chairman of AngelAlign Technology Inc., the second largest aligner company in the world serving orthodontists in more than 35 countries. Dai is also Chairman of Neoss Implants, a leading implant from Sweden with R&D still based in Gothenburg.  Dai is also controlling shareholder of Purgo Biologics, a bone regenerative materials company based in Seoul, Korea.  Software is also important for CareCapital as a way of delivering great products and clinical services. Clinical formats that CareCapital own are broad, from multi-specialty hospitals with hundreds of chairs serving urban communities, to digitally enabled clinics extending rural access. CareCapital’s mission is to commercialize innovative technologies and expand healthcare access by strengthening the heritage and community of dentistry. Dai was in the 32 most influential people in Dentistry as published by Incisor Edge Magazine in 2023 and 2024.

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Christopher Fox, DMD, DMSc

CEO, International Association of Dental Research

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Thomas F. Flemmig

Emeritus Professor

Professor Flemmig earned his dental degree at the University of Freiburg and received training in Oral Surgery at the University of Hamburg and in Periodontics at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA). He holds a Dr. med. dent. degree from the University of Freiburg, a Dr. med. dent. habil. degree from the University of Würzburg, and an M.B.A. with a certificate in Health Sector Management from Duke University; he is board certified in Periodontology and maintained an intramural practice limited to Periodontology and Implant Dentistry for 25 years. He served as Chairman at the Departments of Periodontology at the Universities of Würzburg and Münster, and at the University of Washington where he also held the Schluger Endowed Chair. Professor Flemmig served as Director of the Prince Philip Dental Hospital in Hong Kong SAR, Dean of the Faculty of Dentistry and Head of the Institute for Advanced Dentistry at The University of Hong Kong where also held the Kingboard Professorship in Advanced Dentistry and is now an Emeritus Professor.

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Mark Friedman

EVP, Operations & Investments, Dental Innovation Alliance

Mark Friedman has extensive experience in the DSO world along with managing entrepreneurial ventures and with investments. His DSO experience includes being President of Garden State Dental and VP of Business Development of Affordable Care. Prior to that he was Chief Operating Office of UAI Technology, and also is the co-founder and President of an angel capital network and fund, RTP Capital Associates. Friedman is also a frequent speaker on business and investment topics. He holds his bachelor’s degree from the University of Rochester and MBA from the Fuqua School of Business, Duke University and is a Certified Financial Planner.

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Michael Greeley

Co-Founder & General Partner at Flare Capital

Michael Greeley is a co-founder and general partner at Flare Capital Partners and was the founding general partner of Flybridge Capital Partners. He is an ADA Forsyth Board Member and serves on the Investment Committee for the Partners Innovation Fund and the Advisory Board of Harvard Business School’s Health Care Initiative. Mr. Greeley sits on numerous health care boards and has served on various innovation and investment advisory boards. Additionally, he served on the board of International Data Group, the founding partner of IDG Capital, a leading venture capital firm in China. Mr. Greeley earned a BA with honors in chemistry from Williams College and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

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Xin Sylvia He, PhD, MS

Managing Partner, Hyfinity Investments

Dr. Xin Sylvia He is the Managing Partner at Hyfinity Investments which is devoted to advance global innovations in partnership with high unmet needs and rich clinical resources in China. Prior, He was the Senior Partner at CDH, one of the leading investment firms in China, where she led investments in leading pharmaceuticals, medical devices and care service companies, with 6 companies going IPO and strategic sales. Before CDH, He was a partner at a boutique firm with exclusive partnership with HSBC Asia Direct Investments for healthcare in China. Earlier, He founded and was CEO of a specialty pharmaceutical company with operations in both US and China. He obtained her PhD in Immunobiology from Yale University, MS in Chemistry from Princeton University and BS from University of Science and Technology of China.

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Ryan Hungate, DDS, MS

Chief Clinical & Strategy Officer, Henry Schein One

Ryan Hungate, DDS, MS, is a practicing orthodontist and the founder and CEO of Simplifeye, a company that focuses on creating better workflows for dental practices to increase new patients, reduce overhead, and reduce bad debt. Dr. Hungate graduated from the orthodontic specialty program at the University of Southern California. Prior to dental school, Dr. Hungate worked for Apple Inc. and helped design the customer workflow adopted by Apple's retail stores globally. Dr. Hungate continues to practice orthodontics each month, volunteering to help children in need of orthognathic surgery, cleft palate treatment, and orthodontic care.

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Brett H. Kessler, D.D.S.

President-Elect, ADA

Dr. Brett Kessler, a general dentist in Denver, Colorado, is ADA President-Elect. Dr. Kessler has held several leadership positions within the ADA. He served as a delegate in the ADA’s House of Delegates from 2008 to 2019 and has been a consultant to the Council on Dental Wellbeing Advisory Committee from 2007 to 2018. He also served as the vice chair of the Council on Dental Benefit Plans. In 2010, he received the ADA’s Golden Apple Award (the highest award bestowed by the Association) for outstanding leadership in mentoring. Dr. Kessler served as president of the Colorado Dental Association from 2014 to 2015 and was instrumental in the formulation and implementation of an adult Medicaid dental benefit in Colorado. Dr. Kessler speaks nationally on well-being and leadership topics to help dentists live their best lives. Dr. Kessler has received fellowships from the American College of Dentists, the International College of Dentists and the Pierre Fauchard Academy. He has testified before both the U.S. Congress and Colorado state legislature in an effort to help enact laws that serve the profession and the public. Dr. Kessler graduated from the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Dentistry in 1995. He completed his general practice residency at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in 1997. Dr. Kessler is an accomplished endurance athlete and competes in events across the country. Dr. Kessler has been married to his wife, Gina Kessler, D.D.S, M.S., since 1995 and together they have four children.

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David Kochman, JD

SVP, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, Henry Schein

David Kochman serves as Chief Corporate Affairs Officer for Henry Schein, Inc., a Fortune 500 Company and the world’s largest provider of healthcare solutions to office-based dental and medical practitioners. In that position he is responsible for the Company’s Global Professional Relations, Public Policy, Government Relations, Corporate Social Responsibility, ESG + Sustainability, D&I, and Team Engagement activities, as well as the management and administration of projects and initiatives originating from the Office of the CEO. Previously, David acted as the General Counsel and Corporate Development Officer for a privately-held company in the regulated consumer products industry, and was a Partner in the New York office of the international law firm Reed Smith. Before law school, David worked in Jerusalem for the Deputy Speaker of the Israeli Knesset. David is actively involved with numerous charitable organizations focused on health care and criminal justice, and has received many awards recognizing his dedication to public service. He has represented death row inmates in post-conviction proceedings, and serves on the Board of Directors of both MedShare International and The Fortune Society. David received his B.A. in Philosophy from Emory University and his J.D. from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law

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Jeremy Krell, DMD, MBA

Managing Partner, Revere Partners

Jeremy Krell is a general dentist with a combined business background. He is the Managing Partner of Revere Partners, the first independent Venture Capital fund focused on oral health, and RISE Health, the only inclusion-driven Venture Capital fund focused on oral health. Krell previously built out the Barchester Bay Group, a portfolio consisting of over 40 ventures. Krell has held key operator roles at startups including Head of Marketing and Chief Dental Officer at Simplifeye (acquired), based in NYC, and the Chief Marketing Officer of Verena Solutions, based in Chicago. He oversaw provider and clinical growth initiatives at quip (a unicorn business), the oral health and subscription electric toothbrush company and strategic provider innovation and development at Oscar Health (which had an IPO in 2021). Krell is heavily involved in both academia and policy in dentistry. He serves as the Chairman of the Board of Advisors of the Workman School of Dental Medicine at High Point University. Krell also serves as a Member of an ADA SCDI Committee (Working Group or WG 11.9) whose purpose is to advance the Oral Dataset Interoperability Network (ODIN) to align the and comply with regulation (CARES Act) and empower dental professionals, vendors and patients to elevate care to be simplified, open, more convenient and inexpensive. Krell also serves as the Chair of the Business Development Committee for the Massachusetts Dental Society. Krell practiced general dentistry for nearly a decade following his DMD at Tufts, sits on the Boards of many healthcare and dental startups, and is an angel investor and/or advisor in approximately 70 companies. Krell has a 18+ year proven track record with startups through several successful multi-million dollar fundraises and acquisitions. Krell started his career with three web and graphic design startups and moved into a luxury goods and commodity venture, DormAid, for college students. He later founded a venture incubator, CEO in A Box, following his MBA at Chicago Booth. Krell received The CEO of the Year Award and The Next 100 Global – Venture Capital Award from Global Banking & Finance, the VC Innovator of the Year (Healthcare) Award from Pan Finance, the ADSO Innovation Award, The President’s Volunteer Service Lifetime Achievement Award from President Joe Biden, Crain’s Notable in Health Care, Top 100 Healthcare Visionaries award from IFAH USA, Top 100 Doctors from the Global Summits Institute for his commitment to oral health innovation, and 40 under 40 awards from Incisal Edge and YJP. Krell lives with his wife, daughters, and a pug in Westfield, NJ. He enjoys playing and following professional tennis, having attended all US Opens since he was born. Krell is a foodie and has been vegan for over 10 years, before it was cool.

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Norman Kwong, MBA

Vice President, Business Development and Innovation, ADA

Norman Kwong, MBA is the Vice President of Business Development and Innovation as part of the ADA Business Group. Mr. Kwong champions innovation efforts, partnership development, business research, leveraging market analysis opportunities to develop and grow product and service innovation across the ADA and its subsidiaries. He is also responsible for providing strategic direction, executive leadership and management oversight with results and accountability of the Innovation Advisory Committee of the ADA Board of Trustees. Mr. Kwong joined the ADA from Amazon where he served as the Business Development Leader in Amazon Web Services (AWS) Division. He joined Amazon in 2019 with 20 years of experience leading sales, marketing and business transformation within the consumer-packaged goods, retail and industrial/wholesale distribution industries. In his tenure, Mr. Kwong helped customers build brands that consumers love, increase organizational agility to react to market opportunities and drive digital transformation with proven, industry-specific innovations and solutions from AWS. Prior to joining Amazon, Mr. Kwong was with S.C. Johnson & Son, Inc. where he successfully launched their Global Professional Division serving commercial and institutional channels as the Head of Sales for Customer Marketing. He also led various brands, developed innovative new products and drove category growth in S.C. Johnson’s consumer retail business. Mr. Kwong also has previous experience at Videojet Technologies, a Danaher Operating Company, and helped found the Business Architects Association where he served in various volunteer positions including on their Board of Directors. Mr. Kwong holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Information and Decision Sciences from the University of Illinois Chicago and a Master’s degree in Business Administration from the Kellstadt Graduate School of Business at DePaul University. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his wife Caroline and their three children. When he’s not on the job, Mr. Kwong enjoys playing tennis, traveling and coaching kids’ sports.

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Azeem Mallick, MBA

Vice President, Enterprise Strategic Partners, CareQuest Institute

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Denise Marks

CFO, CareQuest

Denise W. Marks serves as chief financial officer, executive vice president of CareQuest Institute for Oral Health. As a member of CareQuest Institute’s executive leadership team, Denise is involved in strategic decision making across all aspects of CareQuest Institute operations and its full portfolio of organizations, including CareQuest Innovation Partners, a for-profit innovation and impact investing subsidiary. Her leadership has resulted in establishing effective partnerships with leading organizations in the oral health and health care space to advance CareQuest Institute’s intended impact.

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Young Seok Park

Dean, Seoul National University School of Dentistry

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Richard Rosato

President-Elect, American Dental Association

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Maria Ryan, DDS, PhD

Executive Vice President and Chief Clinical Officer at the Colgate-Palmolive Company

Maria Emanuel Ryan, DDS, PhD is Executive Vice President and Chief Clinical Officer at the Colgate-Palmolive Company where she provides oversight and leadership to Dental and Dermal Clinical organizations, Knowledge Management and Scientific Communications teams. Dr. Ryan previously served as Professor and Chair of the Department of Oral Biology and Pathology at Stony Brook University where she was actively involved in teaching, clinical practice of periodontology and research. She is the Past President of the American Association for Dental, Oral and Craniofacial Research (AADOCR) and has served on many academic and foundation boards. Dr. Ryan has received numerous awards including NIH National Research Service Awards and a Physician Scientist Award. She received an achievement award from the American Dental Association and was the first recipient of the Victress Health Award to recognize her educational and research efforts in the area of women’s health. Dr. Ryan is a nationally and internationally known speaker and author who has appeared on multiple media outlets to discuss the importance of oral health to overall health and wellbeing as well as the role of the dental professional in the provision of optimal overall health care.

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James Schulz

Senior Vice President of Government and Public Affairs, ADA

For nearly 30 years, James Schulz has been involved in state and federal government and politics, having held key staff positions in the U.S. Congress as well as New Jersey’s legislative and executive branches. Having a career that spans both the public and private sectors, he has a deep knowledge of government operations and its impact on business development. Jim Schulz has been a leading advocate for dentistry and oral health for more than two decades, having successfully managed the New Jersey Dental Association’s advocacy and political operations. Mr. Schulz has extensive governmental, non-profit, and corporate board experience, having held key leadership and advisory positions in each segment. In 2019, Jim was inducted as an Honorary Fellow in the International College of Dentists for his years of service to the dental profession and his efforts to improve oral health. Mr. Schulz is one of the few non-dentists to have been bestowed this honor in the College’s 100-year history. In 2022, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy nominated Mr. Schulz to serve on the College of New Jersey Board of Trustees, his alma mater. He is a native of Mercer County, New Jersey, and has two daughters, Alexis, and Lauren.

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Elizabeth "Betsy" Shapiro, DDS, JD, CAE

Executive Director, ADA

Dr. Betsy Shapiro is the Interim Director of the American Dental Association. Previously, Dr. Shapiro held the role of Chief of Governance and Strategy Management. Her work in that role focused on the operations of the Board of Trustees and the House of Delegates, governance issues and strategy management, as well as oversight of the ADA Foundation and the Strategic Forecasting Committee. Earlier work at the ADA includes Senior Director of the ADA’s Center for Dental Practice Policy, where her work focused on the Council for Dental Practice and any related dental practice issues. In addition, Dr. Shapiro’s ADA work experience includes launching and leading the Center for Professional Success. She practiced general dentistry in a rural Illinois community before coming to the ADA. Dr. Shapiro earned her D.D.S. from the University of Illinois College of Dentistry and her J.D. from Northern Illinois University’s College of Law. She holds the designation of Certified Association Executive from the American Society of Association Executives and is a fellow of both the American and International College of Dentists.

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Wenyuan Shi, PhD

CEO, ADA Forsyth

Dr. Wenyuan Shi is Chief Executive Officer of the Forsyth Institute and has led the Forsyth Institute since 2017. He also served as Forsyth’s Chief Scientific Officer until Dr. Ben Wu joined the team in 2023. Before his appointment, Shi was the chairman and professor of Oral Biology at UCLA Schools of Dentistry as well as the Professor of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics at UCLA School of Medicine for 20+ years. Dr. Shi has been leading numerous NIH grants to use multidisciplinary approaches to study oral microbial pathogenesis with a specific focus on microbial biofilm, inter-species interaction and signal transduction. In addition, Dr. Shi’s laboratory is actively involved in the development of next generation of diagnostic and therapeutic tools against oral microbial infections, including instant chairside detection of oral pathogens and peptide based targeted antimicrobial therapeutics. These translational research efforts have resulted in novel technologies that were licensed and developed by major pharmaceutical, dental and biotech companies. Dr. Shi is the founding scientist, former chief scientific officer and chairman of the scientific advisory board of C3J Therapeutics Inc., which is now called Armata Pharmaceuticals (https://www.armatapharma.com), listed on NYSE. Dr. Shi obtained his BS degree from Fudan University (Shanghai) in 1984, acquired his Ph.D degree from University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1991 and fulfilled his postdoctoral training at University of California-Berkeley during 1992-1995. He is co-author and co-inventor of over 200 scientific articles and 40 patents and patent applications.

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Muhammad Ali Shazib

Dean, Workman School of Dental Medicine at High Point University

Dr. Ali Shazib is the Dean and Chief Clinical Officer for the Workman School of Dental Medicine. Originally from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, he received his Doctor of Dental Medicine degree from Boston University and completed his residency in Oral Medicine at Harvard University, where he provided patient care at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. He resonates with all parts of the CARE Model. Dr. Shazib was drawn to High Point University due to its inspiring environment and caring people.

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Edward Shellard, DMD

CEO, United Concordia Dental

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Stephen E. Thorne IV

Founder & CEO, PDS Health

Stephen E. Thorne IV, BA, MHA is the Founder and CEO of PDS Health®, which continues the vision started by Pacific Dental Services® in 1994. Based in Henderson, Nevada, PDS Health is redefining healthcare by integrating dental and medical services, enhancing operations and care delivery for nearly 1,000 dental, dental specialty, and primary care practices across 24 states. This approach, centered on the connection between oral health and overall health, aims to create healthier, happier patients and set new benchmarks in the healthcare industry. Under Mr. Thorne’s leadership, PDS Health has become a leader in promoting the Mouth-Body Connection®, advocating for enhanced collaboration between dental and medical professionals to improve patient outcomes and reduce overall healthcare costs. The company was the first large dental organization to implement Epic®, the largest electronic health record system in the U.S., revolutionizing patient data exchange and care coordination across its network.Mr. Thorne's influence extends beyond company operations to significant contributions within healthcare education, scientific research, and policy. He has held positions on several prestigious boards, promoting the integration of oral health and medical care, and has been recognized with an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from A.T. Still University. Residing in Nevada with his wife and family, Mr. Thorne continues to drive healthcare innovation, demonstrating a lifelong commitment to advancing the field.

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Jason Woods

VP, Abova

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Benjamin Wu, DDS, PhD

Chief Scientific Officer, ADA Forsyth

Dr. Benjamin Wu joined Forsyth in January 2023 as the Chief Scientific Officer. Before his appointment at Forsyth, Dr. Wu was the Professor and Chair of the UCLA Division of Regenerative and Reconstructive Sciences for 23 years, and Director of the Weintraub Center for Reconstructive Biotechnology at the UCLA School of Dentistry.

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