Speakers

 

Kathleen H. Alvarez, RDH, MS, is Assistant Professor at Cypress College, Department of Dental Hygiene and Adjunct Instructor at West Los Angeles College, Department of Dental Hygiene. She is the recipient of the Pfizer/ADHA Excellence in Dental Hygiene Award, 2005, and Past President of: Hispanic Dental Association, American Dental Hygienists' Association, and California Dental Hygienists' Association. She is author of the Dental Hygiene Handbook and recently wrote on the topic of Sensitivity in the May 2005, issue of RDH Magazine.

 

Howard Bailit, DMD, PhD is Professor and Director of the Health Policy and Primary Care Research Center at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine.  Prior to this position, he was a Senior Vice President for Medical Policy and Programs at Aetna Health Plans (1986-1996). He has also held academic positions at Columbia University, School of Public Health (1982-1986) where he chaired the Department of Health Administration and Policy and the University of Connecticut Health Center (1967-1982) where he served as head of the Department of Behavioral Sciences and Community Health.  He received his dental degree from Tufts and his Ph.D. from Harvard.  He has published widely on health policy, managed care and dental health services research.  He serves on many national committees and editorial boards.  He has been of member of the Institute of Medicine, National Academy of Sciences since 1984.

 

Francisco Banchs, Odont., DMD, M.Sc. was born in Venezuela and earned his dental degree in 1997. In 2002 he completed his specialty training in Endodontics and Master’s degree at UNC School of Dentistry. Thereafter, he joined the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, Medicine and Surgery at Temple University School of Dentistry, where he supervises and teaches post-graduate and pre-doctoral students in endodontology and emergency dentistry. He is a Diplomate, American Board of Endodontics.  Dr. Banchs organized and founded the HDA Student Chapter at UNC.

 

Cynthia Baur, PhD is the senior health communication and e-health advisor in the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. She leads the Office’s work on the Healthy People 2010 Health Communication Focus Area that includes the national objective to improve health literacy. She is the HHS staff lead for the health literacy component of the 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy (NAAL), and the chair of the HHS workgroup on health literacy. In fall 2003, Dr. Baur and the Office of the Surgeon General jointly managed Secretary Thompson’s Workgroup on Health Literacy, which elevated health literacy as a strategic element in HHS’s prevention initiative. She managed the development of the national health literacy action plan in Communicating Health: Priorities and Strategies for Progress (2003). Dr. Baur holds a Ph.D. in Communication from the University of California, San Diego.  

   

Douglas Berkey, DMD, MPH, MS is a professor at the University of Colorado School of Dentistry and Dental Director of Total Longterm Care of Colorado.  He is the recipient of the American Dental Association National Geriatric Oral Health Care Award, has served as past president of the International Association for Dental Research Geriatric Oral Research Group and the American Dental Education Association Geriatrics and Gerontology Education Section as well as an American Dental Association delegate to the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations.

 

Jen Blake, CDA, EFDA, FADAA. Ms. Blake’s career as a dental assistant has included:  private practice chairside assisting; teaching dental students how to work with expanded assistants;   program administrator for an ADA Accredited Dental Assisting Program; and guest lecturer at dental assisting continuing education programs around the country.  Jen is also a past president of the American Dental Assistants Association and is currently the Director of Education and Professional Relations.

 

Remy H. Blanchaert, Jr., D.D.S., M.D., is Board Certified as a Diplomat in the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery.  He is an attending physician at three hospitals in Kansas City, Missouri. He was Associate Professor, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Missouri – Kansas City Schools of Dentistry and Medicine in Kansas City, Missouri from July, 2002 – January, 2005. His prior teaching experience includes the University of Maryland, Baltimore dental school. Dr. Blanchaert has lectured extensively in Europe and Latin America, participated in important research, written many articles and books on head and neck surgery.

 

Walter Antonio Bretz, DDS, MPH holds the positions of Associate Professor, Division of Pediatrics and Developmental Sciences at University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine; Associate Professor, Department of Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health and Director, Twins Institute for Genetics Epidemiology.

 

Maria Teresa Canto, DDS, MS, MPH, is the Director of the Epidemiology Research Program at the Clinical Research Branch, Division of Health Promotion and Population Sciences, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), National Institutes of Health, US Department of Health and Human Services.  She received her DDS and MS in Pharmacology from the University of Illinois, and an MPH from Johns Hopkins University.  Dr. Canto was a Cancer Prevention Fellow at the National Cancer Institute and has conducted research in the area of oral cancer prevention and early detection.  Dr. Canto is a Diplomate of the American Board of Dental Public Health.

 

Lina M. Cárdenas, DDS, MS, PhD is originally from Medellin, Colombia, where she received her first dental degree at the Institute of Health Sciences, CES. She obtained her PhD in Dental Science (combined with Pediatric Dentistry) from Nagasaki University, Japan.  She also received a Master of Science degree, combined with Pediatric Dentistry from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  She completed her second DDS at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. Dr. Cárdenas has a wide range of research experience including the effects of Overall Health and Oral Health with particular focus on caries and dental pulp. She is also trained, and has performed multiple research projects, in many biomedical laboratory techniques and has a strong interest in translating this experience into the Clinical Research arena. Dr. Cárdenas is an assistant professor in the Department of Pediatric Dentistry at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio since 2002. She teaches pulp therapy and trauma to Pediatric Dentistry residents along with clinical teaching in UT, Santa Rosa children’s hospital and Salinas clinic.

 

Gustavo D. Cruz, DMD, MPH earned his dental degree from the University of Puerto Rico School of Dentistry and his Masters in Public Health at Columbia University. He is currently Assistant Professor and Director of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology and Health Promotion at New York University College of Dentistry. In addition, Dr. Cruz has several on-going research projects including a clinical trial on smoking cessation interventions for dental clinic patients, an oral cancer control needs assessment study for the State of New York and an oral health promotion program for low socioeconomic pregnant women in NYC.

 

Charles Garcia, ChRPC is a Financial Advisor in Houston, Texas for the Merrill Lynch Private Client Group and has over 23 years professional experience. He and Gary Wulf (see below) manage over $60 million in client assets. Mr. Garcia specializes in working with rising professionals to manage the complex balance between assets and liabilities. He is a Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor and a Credited Financial Manager.

 

Gregory F. George, DDS is a pediatric dentist with over 20 years’ experience. He is founder and CEO of PDC Press, Inc., an education based company that has educated millions of children on oral health in multiple languages and countries. He has also authored multiple educational books and created many videos and DVDs, as well as curriculum guides used by private practices, schools, public health agencies, Head Start centers and more. Dr. George has worked with corporations such as Crest, Johnson & Johnson, Kodak and others for national campaigns on health education.

 

Vidal Guevara Jr., M.A., L.P.C., L.S.S.P., L.P.A., D.A.P.A is a native of South Texas where he completed his education and practices clinical psychology.  He completed his undergraduate degree in psychology at Corpus Christi State University and received his graduate degree in clinical psychology at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.  Mr. Guevara has a vast amount of experience in counseling on an inpatient and outpatient basis.  He is a Licensed Professional Counselor-Supervisor (L.P.C.-S),  Licensed Specialist in School Psychology (L.S.S.P.) and a Certified Addictions and Domestic Violence Therapist.  He also holds Board Certifications from The American Board of Forensic Counselors and The American Board of Forensic Examiners.  Currently, Mr. Guevara is the senior partner in Victoria Counseling and Assessment Services, L.L.P. in Victoria, Texas.

Ana Gutierrez Gossweiler, DDS, MSD graduated from Universidad Central de Venezuela with the title of Odontologist, followed by obtaining a DDS from Indiana University School of Dentistry. She maintains the appointment of Clinical Assistant Professor, Periodontics & Allied Dental Programs at IU School of Dentistry. Dr. Gossweiler is Past President of the Indiana Hispanic Dental Association and a member of the Admissions Committee for the DDS program at IUSD representing Indiana HDA. She has also taught basic dental Spanish for the Dental Practice and Marketing Strategies for Hispanic Patients.

 

Russ Hooker, ASP, QKA, implements and administers defined contribution plans for professional business owners.  He is a member of the American Society of Pension Actuaries (ASP) and is a Qualified 401(k) administrator (QKA).   Russ majored in Latin American Studies at UT and served four years of active duty in the US Army's Intelligence branch as a Spanish Linguist. 

 

Alice M. Horowitz, PhD, MA, RDH is a senior scientist at the NIDCR.  She earned her dental hygiene, undergraduate and master’s degrees at the University of Iowa and her PhD in Health Education at the University of Maryland.  Dr Horowitz is a dedicated public health practitioner, researcher, educator and mentor, and has pursued and led multiple investigations and activities in the oral health field. She has published more than 70 articles in national and international peer-reviewed journals. 

 

Jeffrey Hyman, DDS, PhD received his DDS from the University of Maryland and a PhD in Epidemiology from Johns Hopkins. He subsequently served and retired from a career in the U.S. Navy. He is currently the project officer for the Hispanic/Latino Community Health Study at NIDCR. He was also the project officer for NHANES IV and for the Data Resource Center. Dr. Hyman’s research has focused on periodontal disease.

 

Dr. Freder Jaramillo graduated in 1994 from the Colombian School of Dentistry in Bogotá. In 1996, after working for 2 years with the Colombian Government, Dr. Jaramillo pursued a Masters degree in Public Health and Epidemiology at the Munich University. Dr. Jaramillo worked as a research project manager at the Tropical Medicine Institute in Berlin and also pursued a Diploma in International Health.  To complete his training, he received a Master degree in Humanitarian Aid from the Uppsala University in Sweden. Dr. Jaramillo spent 5 years working with Doctors Without Borders, dealing with Conflict resolution and Refugee Health in countries like Bosnia Herzegovina, Lebanon, Colombia, Philippines, Thailand and became a Field Coordinator in 5 Refuge Camps with 40.000 refugees in the border between Sierra Leone and Liberia. Finally in 2004, Dr. Jaramillo became an Epidemic Intelligence Service Officer as part of the EIS Program offered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta. 

 

Dr. Marjorie Jeffcoat is an award-winning dental researcher and the dean of the School of Dental Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. A periodontist, Dr. Jeffcoat is a graduate of the Harvard School of Dental Medicine.  Her professional honors include the Clinical Research Award and the Gies Award, both from the American Academy of Periodontology and the President's Achievement Award from the University of Alabama-Birmingham.

 

Judith Jones, DS, MPH, DSsD is Associate Professor and Chair, Department of General Dentistry, Boston University.  She completed a Dentist-Geriatric Fellowship Program with the VA (Bedford and Boston OPC), directed the Geriatric Fellowship Program (1985-1992), the Geriatric Dental Program (1985-94), and became chief of the Dental Service from 1994-1998. Dr. Jones spends much of her time conducting geriatric oral research.  She has made significant contributions to knowledge about long-term oral health care, oral health outcomes and the relationship between oral and systemic diseases.

 

Ross Kerr, DDS, MSD received his DDS from McGill University in Montreal, Canada, and his MSD and certificate in Oral Medicine at the University of Washington. He is a Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Oral Medicine at New York University College of Dentistry where he is the director of the Oral Mucosal Disease Service. He is the Chair of the Oral Cancer Consortium, and is an investigator on two ongoing NIH-funded grants, one evaluating current and emerging technologies for the early detection of oral cancer, and the other evaluating tobacco cessation in a dental practice setting. He has lectured nationally and internationally on oral medicine related topics, and has contributed to the dental and medical literature. His private practice is focused on the dental management of medically complex patients and the management of patients with oral mucosal disease, salivary hypofunction, and orofacial pain. 

 

Dr. Michael Kowolik has worked in the beautiful country of Guatemala for almost 10 years now. A serendipitous introduction to the indigenous communities fired up his enthusiasm for trying to understand, at the population level, genetic bases for periodontal disease, an affliction of most populations in both the developed and less developed world.  Conducting field studies in such communities calls for considerable cultural sensitivity, but aided by some outstanding clinical colleagues and the enthusiasm of the people themselves, a precious camaraderie and friendship has blossomed, and the work flourished.  They have been able to extend their understanding of infectious disease beyond the mouth, working in collaboration with The University of Texas and La Universidad Mariano Galvez in Guatemala and, more recently, the CDC.

 

Lina María Moreno U. DDS received DDS at  Instituto de Ciencias de la Salud CES. Dr. Moreno did specialty training in orthodontics at Medellín-Colombia Universidad de Antioquia. Medellín-Colombia. She is currently a doctoral student in Oral Sciences at University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa. For over 5 years she has conducted a research project to identify susceptibility genes that confer risk for developing cleft lip and palate in collaboration with University of Antioquia (Medellin – Colombia).

 

Anthony L. Neely, DDS is an associate professor in the Department of Periodontology and Dental Hygiene at the University of Detroit-Mercy School of Dentistry. He received his D.D.S. from the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry. He earned a Masters of Dental Science and certificate in Periodontics from the University of Connecticut School of Dental Medicine. He earned a Ph.D. in Epidemiology from Yale University’s, School of Epidemiology and Public Health. His research activities include: developing statistical models to assess the longitudinal progression of periodontal disease and tooth loss, studying the relationship between periodontal disease and tooth loss with systemic disease, and studying the role of oral infections in diabetes mellitus. He teaches Periodontics and implant dentistry and research methods. He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology and practices Periodontics privately part-time.

 

Norma Olvera, DDS, MS is currently an Assistant Professor in the department of Prosthodontics at the University of Texas Health Science Center - Houston Dental Branch. She is the Co-Course Director of the Postdoctoral Didactic Implantology Course at the dental branch, which involves all postgraduate residents. She has been in full-time private practice as a prosthodontist in Houston for the past 15 years. Dr. Olvera has extensive experience in the area of oral rehabilitation involving all facets of reconstructive dentistry with and without dental implants. She received her B.S. in Medical Technology from Incarnate Word College in 1978 and her DDS from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio - Dental Branch in 1987. She completed her post-graduate training in prosthodontics at UTHSC-SA in 1990 where she received her certification and MS.

Francisco Rámos-Gomez, DDS, MS, MPH is currently Associate Professor in the Department of Growth and Development, Division of Pediatrics, at the School of Dentistry of the University of California, San Francisco. He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry and Executive Board member of the American Association of Public Health Dentistry, OHAC and for the Dental Health Foundation. He is involved in ongoing community and legislative endeavors to promote the implementation of infant oral care programs in California.

 

Francisco Rivera-Hidalgo, DMD, MS was born in Puerto Rico where he attended the University of Puerto Rico receiving degrees in Chemistry and in Dentistry. Later, he received a Master of Science degree in Oral Biology from George Washington University and a Certificate in Advanced Theory and Science of Dental Practice from Walter Reed Medical Center. He received his Periodontics Certificate from Letterman Medical Center in San Francisco, California. Dr. Rivera-Hidalgo has taught at the School of Dentistry of the University of Puerto Rico where he also held appointments as Director of Basic Sciences and Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs. Since receiving his specialty degree, Doctor Rivera Hidalgo has maintained a part-time Periodontics clinical practice. Clinical dental photography has been a favorite topic of Dr. Rivera-Hidalgo since his days as a dental student. During the past five years he has presented many clinical photography continuing education courses in Texas, Mexico, San Salvador and Panama with digital photography being the latest.

 

Rosie Roldán, DMD, MD is an assistant professor in the Department of Pediatric Dentistry and the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UTHSCSA), where she teaches Hospital Dentistry, Dental Pharmacological and Pediatric Medicine courses.  In addition to her work as an educator, Dr. Roldan has conducted national continued medical education lectures on pediatric dental topics for the physician as well as education on medical topics for the dentist.  She is also the principal investigator in Project Smile. Project Smile is a program funded through a HRSA grant that intends to teach physicians about infant oral health and the application of fluoride as prevention for caries.

 

Adriana Segura DDS, MS graduated from dental school in 1990 from the University of Texas Dental Branch in Houston. She then completed a general practice residency program in 1991 from Miami Veterans Hospital in Florida. She received her certificate and masters degree in Pediatric Dentistry in 1993 from the University of Iowa.  She was the director of the General Practice Residency and Hospital Dentistry at the University of Iowa from 1993 through 1999. She is currently a Professor in the General Dentistry Department at the University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio. She also holds additional appointments as Professor, in the Department of Pediatric Dentistry and the Department of Pediatrics.  Dr. Segura is the author and co-author of over 50 published articles, chapters and abstracts in a broad spectrum of scientific journals. She has frequently been a lecturer, not only in the United States, but on the international scene (Latin America, Central America, and Mexico). Dr. Segura’s research interest is in cariology and in fluoride.  Her research has being funded by private and federal sources.  She is currently funded and in the second year of a program project from the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research entitled, “Early Caries Detection and Intervention”. The project is in Collaboration with the University of Iowa and Indiana University.

 

Harold C. Slavkin, DDS serves as Dean of the School of Dentistry and as the G. Donald and Marian James Montgomery Professor of Dentistry at the University of Southern California (2000-present), and was former director of NIDCR at the NIH (1995-2000). Dr. Slavkin worked on the first-time ever Surgeon General’s Report “Oral Health in America” and continues to champion health promotion and risk assessments, disease preventions and reducing oral health disparities, increasing access to oral health care for all people, and increasing prenatal care and early child development, school readiness and student accomplishments from pre-school through high school graduation. He is a member of the Institute of Medicine, National Academy of Sciences, and a Fellow in the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and remains an active member in ADA, ADEA, IADR and AADR, and the California Dental Association. He has published over 300 peer-reviewed scientific papers.

 

Aldo Sordelli, DDS graduated from Universidad Central de Venezuela Dental School in 1994.  In his early professional years, he practiced general dentistry and was assistant professor of Biomaterials at Universidad central de Venezuela.  He received his Certificate in Periodontics and his Master of Science in Dentistry from Indiana University School of Dentistry in 1999.  He then completed a one-year Implant Fellowship from the University of Pennsylvania, earning a Certificate in Implant Dentistry in 2000.  He has since then maintained a full time private practice limited to Periodontics and Implant Dentistry in Houston, and has been a Clinical Assistant Professor of Periodontics at the University of Texas Dental Branch at Houston.  Currently he is the President of the Greater Houston Hispanic Dental Association.

Cristiano Susin, DDS, MSD, PhD is currently appointed as Assistant Professor of Periodontology at Temple University School of Dentistry, Philadelphia, PA, USA. A duel citizen of Brazil and Italy, he completed his DDS degree at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil in 1996. During his undergraduate dental studies he was awarded a 3-year research scholarship. 1997 through 1999, Dr. Susin completed a fellowship and was awarded an MSD in Periodontology at the Lutheran University School of Dentistry, Canoas, Brazil. In 2004, Dr. Susin received his PhD from the University of Bergen, Faculty of Dentistry, Bergen, Norway. His doctoral thesis research, fully funded by a federal Brazilian grant, focused on the epidemiology and risk indicators for destructive periodontal diseases in an urban population in Southern Brazil. Dr Susin has authored and co-authored the Portuguese-language textbook Evidence-Based Dentistry in Practice (1999), as well as 18 scientific reports (7 in Portuguese and 12 in English) in peer-reviewed dental journals. 

 

George W. Taylor is an associate professor at the University of Michigan with joint appointments in the Department of Cariology, Restorative Sciences and Endodontics in the School of Dentistry and in the Department of Epidemiology in the School of Public Health. His research activities involve observational and intervention studies of relationships between oral diseases and other systemic diseases, particularly the role of oral infections in diabetes mellitus, oral health and pneumonia in older adults and other adverse medical outcomes; and observational studies of factors affecting oral health status and dental care utilization of underrepresented minority populations. His research encompasses active involvement in clinical research as well as secondary data analyses of complex survey data. He also practices and teaches clinical general dentistry and is active in student research mentoring.

 

Ernest Valdez, DDS is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UTHSCSA) Dental School.  Dr. Valdez is the course director for the “Nitrous Oxide Sedation” course and course lecturer for the “Medical Emergency Prevention and Management in the Dental Office” course given to second and third year dental students.  Dr. Valdez also offers a continuing dental education course on nitrous oxide sedation. Dr. Valdez continues to provide dentoalveolar surgical care in the Faculty Practice clinic at the Health Science Center. 
 

Alexandre R. Vieira, DDS, MS, PhD received his DDS, an MS in Pediatric Dentistry and a PhD in Genetics from Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. Currently he is Assistant Research Scientist, Department of Pediatrics and Craniofacial Anomalies Research Center, University of Iowa. He has published publications of collaborative work with Latin American researchers totaling 66 papers.

 

Gary Wulf, CIMA works with CPA’s, attorneys, and corporate executives to help leverage their client relationships, and bring them comprehensive investment solutions. Mr. Wulf is a Certified Investment Management Analyst.