Monika Alcorn graduated from Pacific University's Dental Hygiene Program in 2008 with her Bachelor’s Degree. In 2015 she completed her Master’s Degree from Idaho State University in Rural and Community Oral Health. Monika became fascinated with the medical uses of silver several years ago when she attended a presentation on the subject. That presentation was given by Dr. Steven Duffin, who has since become both a mentor and a friend. Monika is currently working in Washington State as a clinical hygienist but is also licensed in Oregon and Hawaii.
Monika Alcorn, RDH, MPH
Dr. Bass grew up in Salem, Oregon. He went to college in Monmouth, Oregon (now named Western Oregon University) and graduated from Oregon Health Sciences University School of Dentistry in 1982. Since graduation, he has practiced general dentistry in a variety of delivery models including; associateship, solo private practice, large group (FFS, Capitation and Medicaid) and Tribal health clinics. He enjoys distance running, fishing, hunting (archery) and designing, building and flying radio-controlled airplanes. He has been married to his wife, Carole, for 41 years. They have a daughter, Heidi.
Dr. Anthony Bass, DMD
Gerry is a licensed dental therapist, trained at the National School of Dental Therapy, Canada, and a member of the Saskatchewan Dental Therapist Association. He's been involved in dental care since 1989 in association with volunteer mission organizations in Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
Gerry Beauchemin, DT
Dr. C H Chu received his Bachelor in Dental Surgery (BDS), Master in Dental Surgery and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) from The University of Hong Kong. His research interests are dental caries and fluoride therapies. Dr. Chu is experienced in conducting epidemiology surveys, clinical trials, and systematic reviews. Dr. Chu has published many papers in various dental journals and serves as an Associate Editor of BMC Oral Health. He works with Dr. Gao in conducting clinical trials of silver diamine fluoride to arrest early childhood caries of preschool children.
Dr. C. H. Chu, BDS, MDS, PhD
Harris Contos received his Bachelor Degree in Economics, his dental degree from Tufts University, and his MBA in Health Care Management from Wharton. His wide-ranging health care career began in hospital administration and health care management consulting, but gravitated toward public health issues, including tobacco control, minority health, elder- and young-driver traffic safety, and environmental noise control. As director of a community water fluoridation initiative, he became closely familiar with the issues attending that fundamental subject in dental health, as well as with dental care delivery and policy more broadly, where in his data analysis capacity for a community-based dental health organization led to a “burden of dental disease” study for a county of 230,000, dental workforce development, and his involvement with a Massachusetts statewide coalition on oral health to address unmet dental needs. Insights from these experiences have led him to examine how dental care relates to present reforms in health care, and what the future of dental care would look like given the direction in which health reform is pointing. He sees sizeable inconsistencies, discontinuities and opportunities ahead.
Dr. Harris Contos, DMD, MBA
Debby Cosier graduated with a degree in pharmacy from the University of Washington in 1975. She then joined the army and worked as a pharmacy officer managing the outpatient pharmacies at a large medical center. While there she received a master’s degree in health facilities management. She then went to work in hospital and retail pharmacy until her retirement in 2014.
Debby Cosier, BS, MA
Dr. Graham Craig AM, MDS, PhD, FRACDS is currently scientific advisor to Dental Outlook. He was formerly Associate Professor in the Faculty of Dentistry, University of Sydney and subsequently, Director of the Dental Health Foundation at the University of Sydney. His clinical interests have involved the use and evaluation of materials and procedures for minimal intervention dentistry as well as the use of metal fluorides in caries prevention. He has a chemistry background with his PhD being a study of iron fluorides as one of the metal fluorides group.
Following completion of his PhD, Dr. Craig began investigating the potential of silver fluoride in dentistry. In 1978, he and his colleague Keith Powell conducted a ground-breaking minimal intervention program involving the use of silver fluoride in Bourke, western NSW. Australia. It extended over a six -year period and the first 2-year results were published in Community Dentistry and Oral Epidemiology in 1981. The techniques used became the basis of the handbook by Craig and Powell “Expanded atraumatic techniques for the apprehensive child dental patient” published in 2013.
He has published 34 papers in refereed scientific journals throughout the world and has presented over 200 post-graduate courses and lectures.
Dr. Graham Craig, AM, MDS, PhD
Marcus Duffin received his Bachelor Degree in Biochemistry Biophysics from Oregon State University, Masters of Biomedical Science from University of Connecticut Health Center at the John Dempsey Hospital and Masters of Business Administration from Portland State University. During his education, he conducted research focusing on Lou Gehrig’s disease and Stem Cells. He is an inventor with patents in the medical and fashion industries. Marcus is the COO of NoDK LLC and Oral Health Outreach. He has focused on developing technologies and international networks that make it possible to treat carious lesions non-surgically at the population level around the world. He has also helped design and implement multiple international treatment programs using Silver Diamine Fluoride.
Marcus L. Duffin, MS, MBA
Ralph graduated from the University of Washington School of Dentistry in 1958. After three years in the Air Force, he established a practice in general dentistry in Hemet, California and worked there for the next 38 years. Ralph then moved to Grants Pass, Oregon and practiced an additional 20 years. In this time, Ralph was the first dentist to purchase an intra-oral camera and instructed many dentists on the value of its use in oral exams. He made several trips to Vietnam to perform emergency dental procedures for children who had no access to dental treatment. Ralph and his son Steven lectured on the subject of dental practice management in many major dental meeting across the united states in the 1980’s and 1990’s. Both Ralph and Steven built programs for optimizing economic results by predicting the economic impact of a monetary decision before the commitment was made.
Dr. Ralph K. Duffin, DDS
Steve is a general dentist in Keizer Oregon. His background is in microbiology and public health dentistry with an emphasis on the care of patients with special needs. He was involved in the early development of the dental program serving clients for the Oregon Health Plan and also served as dental director and CEO of Capitol Dental Care for ten years, before returning to private practice in 2005. In recent years, Steve has focused on introducing caries management programs utilizing silver ion products in countries in the developing world. Currently Steve serves as dental director for NODK a medical device R&D company.
Dr. Steven R. Duffin, DDS
Joshua B. Even, DMD is the Director of Dental Services for a large FQHC in Austin, Texas. His focus is on proactive, patient-centered dental health care, and developing systems that educate and support the providers within a dental organization of any size. Dr. Even is passionate about the prospect of transforming dental health care by making it more integrated, effective, efficient, and sustainable. He has expertise in dental informatics and electronic dental record design, serving as a bridge between research, data analytics, and operations.
Dr. Joshua B. Even, DMD
After completing medical school at the U. of Wisconsin, Dr. Felix did his internship, residency and fellowship in neonatology at the U. of Rochester, NY. He focused thereafter on neonatology, being Board Certified and becoming the Director of the Division of Neonatology at Sinai Hospital of Baltimore. During that tenure, Dr. Felix developed one of the first neonatal nurse practitioner programs in the U.S. and researched methods for hearing screening in the newborn, both producing multiple publications. He held additional academic appointments at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and at U. of Maryland.
Dr. Felix next joined the Pediatrics Medical Group at Arnot Ogden Medical Center in Elmira, NY. and served as Medical Director of the neonatal intensive care unit. His community contributions focused on dental health in children, with advocacy for water fluoridation in the region.
Upon retirement to Oregon, Dr. Felix continued to campaign for pediatric dental health as liaison between the Oregon Chapter of the Academy of Pediatrics and the local dental community. He is a committed champion of use of Silver Diamine Fluoride to control caries for all ages.
The personal joys of his life center first on a growing and accomplished family and then on love of extensive international travel. Dr. Felix now enjoys the free time to study all aspects of the universe and nature.
Dr. Jake Felix, MD
Dr. Ferré is a 1976 graduate of Northwestern University Dental School in Chicago. He completed a one-year general practice residency at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Hospital in Chicago and relocated to Portland in 1980. He retired in December 31, 2008, after a 28 ½ year career with Permanente Dental Associates in Portland.
He is past-president of the Multnomah Dental Society, and he currently serves on the dental advisory board for Medical Teams International and the board of the Oregon Public Health Association.
In 2014, Dr. Ferré was recognized by the Campaign for Dental Health for his fluoridation advocacy and received a Community Water Fluoridation Determination Award. In 2015, he helped co-found the American Fluoridation Society whose mission is to educate and promote fluoridation as sound public health policy and to prevent rollbacks of existing fluoridation programs across the United States.
He is a regular volunteer on a Medical Teams International mobile dental unit and the president of the board as well as the volunteer dental director for the Creston Children’s Dental Clinic in SE Portland that serves the low-income children of the Portland Public School System.
Dr. Kurt Ferré, DDS
John is a pediatric dentist in Oregon and Maine with 40+ years’ experience in the delivery of dental services in public and private settings. For the first 32 years of his career he was the dental director of a free clinic for indigent children in Bangor, Maine and for ten years served as the director of Asher Dental Services in Wheeler County, Oregon. He also works in private practices across the country, is on staff at OHSU Dental School and lectures for Lutheran Medical College dental residency programs. Since 1999 he has been actively involved in the education, promotion, and protection of fluoridation programs.
He will present new options in the management of caries lesions, especially in certain instances and populations. Over the past decade, Dr. Frachella has been using silver solutions in combination with glass ionomer technology to arrest caries while simultaneously addressing destructive dental cavitation (called Silver Modified Atraumatic Restorative Technique - SMART). He sees the minimally invasive medical management of caries as a new, historically proven, highly preventive standard of care for the treatment of worldwide populations of children and special needs adults who desperately need dental services the most. Dr. John Frachella is a national leader in the use of SDF and how SDF impacts dental schools and clinical practice.
Dr. John Frachella, DMD
Dr. Sherry Shiqian Gao received her Bachelor in Dental Surgery (BDS) from the Huazhong University of Science and Technology. She moved to Hong Kong and was conferred her Master of Science (MSc) in Dental Materials Science and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Dental Public Health from the University of Hong Kong. Dr. Gao's research interests are dental caries and fluoride therapies. She is experienced in conducting epidemiology surveys, clinical trials, and systematic reviews. Dr. Gao has published 20 papers and serves as an Associate Editor of BMC Oral Health. One of her publications 'Clinical trials of silver diamine fluoride in arresting caries among children: a systematic review' published in JDRCTR has been widely cited and used as the reference for setting the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry guidelines of using silver diamine fluoride in pediatric dentistry.
Dr. Sherry Shiqian Gao, BDS, MSc, PhD
Dr. Sharon Golightly graduated with a Dental Hygiene from Loma Linda University, added a M.S. degree in Occupational Education and a Doctorate (Ed.D.), in Educational Leadership. Has over thirty-five years in dental hygiene education as a professor and Dental Hygiene Program Director and has held several private practice and public health dental hygiene positions. Dr. Golightly is Professor Emeriti at Pierce College Dental Hygiene Program and has received many awards for excellence in Dental Hygiene Education.
Dr. Golightly has established several dental hygiene programs throughout the United States, served as a Dental Hygiene Curriculum and Facilities Consultant for numerous other programs.. Most recently with Pattison Institute with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia at Qassiam University. In Bolivia, established the Dental Hygiene Curriculum for "Smiles Forever" in 2007 and has since volunteered for several years in Bolivia with the Silver Diamine Project in Villa Tunari. Most recently, presented a poster on the SDF Project in Bolivia in Brisbane, Australia at the International Dental Hygiene Symposium. Dr. Golightly is an active member of the American Dental Hygienists Association(ADHA) and the American Dental Education Association (ADEA).
Dr. Golightly is currently working with "Smiles Forever" to include the Dental Hygiene Educational Program with UPAL (University Private Latin America). Most recently UPAL has sent dental students to work with our dental hygiene graduates and students to work with SDF Program in Villa Tunari.
Dr. Sharon Golightly, EdD, MS
Dr. Jeremy Horst DDS, PhD is a practicing pediatric dentist and biochemist known for investigating the strengths and limitations of Silver Fluoride therapy and helping to develop SMART fillings. His mission is to reduce suffering from tooth decay by driving the develop of better treatments and preventives. In his teaching and practice he focuses on maximally effective, minimally invasive techniques to stop dental caries and create an easy relationship to dentistry for children and people with special healthcare needs.
Dr. Jeremy Horst, DDS, PhD
Jacqueline is an Oral Health Educator, Clinician, and Community-based Researcher who holds baccalaureate degrees in both Clinical Nutrition (Texas Tech University) and Dental Hygiene (University of Washington) and a double-emphasis Master of Science degree in Dental Hygiene Education and Community and Rural Oral Health (Idaho State University), two short-term fellowships in Dental Education and Care for Persons with Disabilities (DECOD) and a Summer Institute for Dental Clinical Research Certificate of Completion from the University of Washington. She has taught both didactic and clinical dental hygiene, is a member of the IADR, former member of ADEA, ADHA and WSDHA, and President of the Alliance of Dental Hygiene Practitioners. Her major research interests are Equity and Access to Oral Health Care and Delivery, Dental Hygiene Workforce Opportunities, and Global Oral Health and Disease Prevention. She has served with the U.S. State Department on two separate humanitarian missions in nine different countries over a period of five months, has participated in oral health research and education in Ghana and Togo and owner of a direct-access dental hygiene firm, Oral Health Innovations, LLC.
Jacqueline A. Juhl, RDH, BS, MS
After 28 some years in the U.S. as a clinical Dental Hygienist, Sandy Kemper founded the Smiles Forever Foundation in Cochabamba Bolivia in 2000. Her first trip to South America was as a participant in a yearly dental humanitarian trip to Cochabamba in 1999. She was taken by the struggle of impoverished woman in Bolivia and the lack of dental prevention for children. The Smiles Forever Foundation was established in 2000 to address these causes. She is one of the recipients of the 2009 RDH Sunstar Award of Distinction.
Sandy was honored to be welcomed to the family of Honorees as the 2018 World of Children Health Award recipient. The Health Award recognizes individuals making extraordinary contributions to children through the fields of health, medicine, or the sciences. The Health Award honors the courageous leader at an annual Awards Ceremony and grants them funds to elevate their work.
Sandy Kemper, RDH
Dr. V. Kim Kutsch received his undergraduate degree from Westminster College in Utah and then completed his DMD at University of Oregon School of Dentistry in 1979. He is an inventor holding numerous patents in dentistry, product consultant, internationally recognized speaker, is past president of the Academy of Laser Dentistry, and the World Congress of Minimally Invasive Dentistry. He also has served on the board of directors for the World Clinical Laser Institute and the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. As an author, Dr. Kutsch has published over 90 articles and abstracts on minimally invasive dentistry, caries risk assessment, digital radiography and other technologies in both dental and medical journals and contributed chapters to several textbooks. He recently coauthored Balance, a textbook on dental decay. He acts as a reviewer for several journals including the Journal of the American Dental Association and Compendium. Dr. Kutsch also serves as CEO of Dental Alliance Holdings LLC, manufacturer of the Carifree system, and Remin Media. As a clinician he is a Graduate, Mentor and Scientific Advisor of Dental Caries at the prestigious Kois Center. Dr. Kutsch maintains a private practice in Albany Oregon.
Dr. V. Kim Kutsch, DMD
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22 years in US Public Health Service
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Life Diplomate – American Board of Dental Public Health
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General Practice Residency and 3 years of clinical practice
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Taught four-handed dentistry at UOP and dental public health at UCSF
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Director, Project ACORDE – A Consortium on Restorative Dentistry Education
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Development of self-instruction course in restorative dentistry.
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Clinician - National Health Service Corps in Bayview/Hunter’s Point, San Francisco
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Dental consultant to Head Start, Region IX
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Reviewed Guam’s dental services and introduced sealants.
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13 years as the Preventive Dentist for Aramco Oil Company in Saudi Arabia
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Federation Dentaire Internationale (FDI) Preventive Dentistry Award.
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Caries control program in public schools
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Caries Risk Assessment Test
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Fluoride urinalysis program
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Maternal and child health program
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Discussed dental caries with all the leading experts in the field between 1984-1997.
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Since 1997 - Retired but still active in preventive dentistry discussions via the Internet.
Dr. Martin MacIntyre, BA, DDS, MPH
Dr. Jeanette MacLean is a private practice pediatric dentist from Phoenix, Arizona. She graduated from the University of Southern California School of Dentistry in 2003 and completed her pediatric dental residency in 2005 at Sunrise Children’s Hospital through the University of Nevada School of Medicine. She joined Affiliated Children’s Dental Specialists in Glendale, Arizona, in 2005, and became an owner in 2007. She is a Diplomate of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry and Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. She is an active member of the American Dental Association, holding committee positions at the state level with the Arizona Dental Association. Her clinical research and editorial articles have been published in numerous dental journals and periodicals. She currently lectures on the topic of silver diamine fluoride and SMART restorations, including an online continuing education course offered by Dentaltown, Silver is the New Black: Improving Your Practice with Silver Diamine Fluoride. Notably, Dr. MacLean was featured in the New York Times article A Cavity Fighting Liquid Helps Kids Avoid Dentists’ Drills for her use of Silver Diamine Fluoride. Visit her website www.kidsteethandbraces.com, and YouTube channel, Affiliated Children’s Dental Specialists.
Dr. Jeanette MacLean, DDS
Dr. Amal Noureldin is a dentist, scholar, educator and a dedicated mentor. Currently, a Clinical Associate Professor and Director of Cariology in the Department of Public Health Sciences of College of Dentistry Texas A&M University, specializes in three areas of dentistry, operative dentistry, preventive dentistry and cariology (caries management). She received her dental degree (1993) at the Faculty of Oral and Dental Medicine, Cairo University, Egypt. Dr. Noureldin began her career as a dentist and a faculty with specialist training and Master’s degree in Operative Dentistry at Cairo University, Egypt (1998). Earned Masters of Science major Biomaterials (2003) from Baylor College of Dentistry (currently College of Dentistry Texas A&M University, USA) and a PhD degree in Operative dentistry (2007) as a joint supervision between Baylor College of Dentistry and Faculty of oral and Dental Medicine, Cairo University. Currently as Associate Professor her responsibilities include pre-doctoral and postdoctoral didactic and preclinical/clinical Cariology and Prevention teaching. She is the program director of SRG (Summer Research Group) for undergraduate students. Her research interest, which is on dental caries and white spot lesion prevention and treatment, has been supported by Industry contracts. She has published in peer reviewed journals. Dr. Noureldin is the elected President of the American Association for Dental Research (AADR)- Dallas Chapter, and a board member of the community-based health organization American Muslim Women Physician Association AMWPA. Dr. Noureldin was honored with Distinguished Teaching Excellence Award (2016) by Texas A&M College of Dentistry in recognition of her leadership qualities and accomplishments in the undergraduate and graduate levels and honored with Clinical Faculty Research Award in 2019.
Dr. Amal Noureldin, BDS, MSD, MS, PhD
Jonalee has been practicing dental hygiene for over 36 years. I graduated from Weber State College (Ogden Utah) in 1982 with an Associate Degree in Dental Hygiene, graduated from Weber State University (Ogden, Utah) in 2004 with my Bachelor’s Degree in Dental Hygiene and graduated in 2010 from Pacific University (Forest Grove, Oregon) with a Master of Health Care Administration degree. I have an Expanded Practice Permit in the State of Oregon which allows me to deliver care outside of a dental office under a Collaborative Agreement with a dentist. I have worked in group practices, private practices, in assisted living/homes, and with the NoDK Team.
Jonalee Potter, MHA, BSDH, RDH, EPP
Dr. Nayda Apata Rojas is a Dental Surgeon who graduated from the Universidad Mayor de San Simón (UMSS) in 2013. Before becoming a dentist, she studied in the Dental Hygiene program at Smiles Forever Foundation, graduating in 2006. Post-graduate Education includes Superior Education in 2014 (UMSS), Dental Surgery in 2016 (UPAL), Dental Aesthetics and Oral Rehabilitation in 2018 (UPAL) and is currently taking an online course in oral pathology.
Previously, after completing her studies in the dental hygiene program, she worked as a dental assistant and hygienist in a private clinic for 5 years. After dental school, she carried out her social service in a province of Cochabamba (Mizque). It was there that she confirmed her commitment to provide all the help she could give to the children and people who needed it most, to relieve the ailments they presented. But that was not enough, she realized that the best way to avoid pain was to prevent the occurrence of tooth decay. Therefore she carried out several educational campaigns for tooth brushing and nutrition in schools, kindergartens, and parent meetings in the different communities of the province.
After finishing her social service, she returned to the Smiles Forever Foundation where she studied and worked with children from shelters and the underprivileged. She is currently continuing to work at the Smiles Forever Foundation community clinic as a dentist and Director of the community service clinic. From the year 2014 to the present, she and the Smiles Forever Foundation carry out a program where they apply Silver Diamine Fluoride (SDF) every 6 months to children in Villa Tunari.
In her spare time, she is a member of the Search and Rescue (SAR – BOLIVIA) group of volunteer firemen. She always enjoys helping those who need it.
Dr. Nayda Apata Rojas
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Professor of Pediatric Dentistry, University of Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil
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Senior Clinical Investigator, Forsyth Institute, Boston, MA. Harvard School of Dental Medicine and Children’s Hospital, Boston
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General Manager for Politics of Higher Education and Research of the State Government of Pernambuco, Secretary of Sciences and Technology, Pernambuco, Brazil.
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Director of International Affairs Pernambuco Funding Agency for Science Technology and Innovation
Dr. Aronita Rosenblatt DDS, MSc, PhD
My primary and secondary education was received in parochial schools in Camden, New Jersey. My college education was at Stonehill College, North Easton, Massachusetts, where I received a B.A. in Philosophy in 1964. Thinking I wanted a career in the clergy, I enrolled at Holy Cross College, Washington, D.C., where I earned a M.A. in Theology in 1967. I then spent a year teaching Theology at St. Peter’s Boys’ High School in Gloucester, Massachusetts. However, I concluded that my interests were more in line with Psychology than Theology. To this end, I enrolled at the University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana, in their doctoral Psychology program in 1968. As I worked towards this degree, I received a M.A. in Counseling in 1970. I continued towards the doctoral degree and received a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology in 1974.
I began my professional career as the Director of the regional out-patient office in Goshen, Indiana, for the area Community Mental Health Center. Ten years later I left to start my own private practice in Psychology. From 1984 to 1995 I ran an office-based, out-patient practice in Clinical Psychology in South Bend, Indiana. One of the contracts for services I had during those years was with The Family Practice Residency Program of the St. Joseph Regional Medical Center in South Bend, Indiana. My job description included teaching these young physicians the ages and stages of individual and family growth and development which would aid them in their future practice of Family Medicine. The other component of my job description was to teach these young physicians interviewing techniques and “bed side manner.” While I enjoyed this component of my job, I found it far more challenging than with the more “academic” aspects of my work. In any event, the Program excelled and my part-time position as a consultant transitioned to the position of full-time Behavioral Science Faculty member. I was named to that position in 1995 and remained as a faculty member with the residency program until 2000.
Dr. Joseph Schwab, PhD
Dr. Eyal Simchi attended UMDNJ-New Jersey Dental School where he maintained Dean's List throughout his 4 years of dental school. As one of ten siblings, a childhood full of brothers and sisters established his true passion: caring for children. Dr. Simchi went on to complete a two-year pediatric dental residency training program at Maimonides Medical Center. He then continued to advance his specialization by becoming Board Certified.
Having completed his training, he has worked in several prestigious pediatric dental offices before having the opportunity to open Riverfront Pediatric Dentistry in Elmwood Park, NJ.
Dr. Simchi continues advancing his knowledge in Pediatric Dentistry with continuing education classes, incorporating the latest technology and techniques from all over the world.
Dr Simchi is a trailblazer in the field of minimally invasive dentistry. He was one of the first dentists to incorporate hall crowns, LSTR, SDF and SMART into his everyday practice. He is looked up to by his
colleagues and constantly asked to consult in this field. He was recently featured in the NY Times article on his use of Silver Diamine Fluoride.
Dr. Simchi prides himself on 'doing dentistry differently.' As a child, Dr Simchi was afraid of the dentist and therefore has a special way of relating to fearful children. Whether it be though magic, jokes, balloon making or song, Dr Simchi ensures that all children leave his office with a smile on their face.
Residing in Passiac, New Jersey with 6 wonderful children and his wife Rochie, who is a certified Labor and Delivery nurse, Dr. Simchi's heart for children beats strong. Nurturing children isn't simply what he does it's who he is.
Dr. Eyal Simchi, DMD
Dr. Karen Sokal-Gutierrez is a physician trained in pediatrics, preventive medicine and public health, with a focus on maternal-child health. She received her BS degree from Yale University, MD from University of California San Francisco, and MPH from University of California Berkeley. She is a Clinical Professor at the University of California, Berkeley School of Public Health teaching medical students, public health graduate students and undergraduate students, and a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. She has over 30 years of experience working locally and globally as a physician in community health clinics, public health program administrator, consultant to childcare and preschool programs, writer for a parenting website, health care professional educator, researcher, and child health advocate. Over the past 15 years, the focus of her research and advocacy has been early childhood nutrition and oral health in developing countries, including serving as Principal Investigator for studies in El Salvador, Ecuador, Vietnam, Nepal and India.
Dr. Karen Sokal-Gutierrez, MD, MPH
I grew up in the rural town of Nipomo, California, which was about 90% Hispanic. My father was an oral Surgeon and was considered by many of his patients “their dentist” as most could not afford restorative care, they opted for extractions. While working as a teenager in his office, I mostly saw the aftermath of lack of dental services for people who needed it the most. I knew I was just lucky to have a dentist. I started my public heath career in 1976 by joining the Amigos De Las Americas as a sophomore in high school. With them, I went to Blue Fields, Nicaragua and helped vaccinate the children in the barrios surrounding the town. Upon high school graduation, I left home and became a dental assistant for 9 years in the Seattle area. This is where I learned about dental hygienist and the role they play in prevention. In 1992, I graduated from dental hygiene school at Foothill Community College. In 1997, I graduated from the University of Washington’s Bachelor’s program in Dental Hygiene with a pathway in Oral Health Promotion. I then worked for the University of Washington Oral Health Collaborative for 4 years. This group of dental professionals went to rural areas of Washington state and developed programs to help promote children’s oral health with locals at health fairs, schools etc. With help, I developed a program called The Tooth Fairy Academy. This program was a “train the trainer” and worked with high schoolers. In 2001 I and Nancy Alleman RDH, BS developed and implemented “The Tooth Fairies”, a school based oral health program. It is currently operating in 38 schools and now serves as group of hygienists. I am currently the sole proprietor. In 2011, Nancy and I went to Cameroon and provided our services to Inkun Village children with a local doctor, Dr Anna Eno Aret. We found no cavities in 161 children, so no services were needed. Currently, I and the fairies have been involved with Sandy Kemper’s Smiles forever program in Bolivia and have traveled there five times to help improve the oral health education portion of her program. I have worked in dental offices part time since 1992. In 2014 I learned about Silver Diamine Fluoride and retired from traditional clinical practice to pursue more opportunities with The Tooth Fairies. Currently, we (there’s about 14 registered Dental Hygienist with the fairies) want to start providing Silver Diamine Fluoride treatments on children’s teeth in schools and inspire anyone who wants to work with us to stop tooth decay anywhere in the world. I look forward to hearing from you. I can be reached at thetoothfairiesrus@gmail.com.
Elise Tanner RDH, BS
Dr. Bathsheba (Bethy) Turton is a New Zealand trained specialist in Public Health Dentistry. In 2014 Bethy shifted her life to Cambodia in order to establish evidence for best practice in the prevention of dental caries among high risk populations. She has published work on the use of GIC fissure sealants, Fluoride Varnish, and Silver Diamine Fluoride in a Cambodian Environment. Her ongoing research interests are socially accountable models for delivery of oral health care, and on caries-related undernutrition among preschool children. During the last 5-years, Bethy has worked closely with the academic sector, non-governmental organizations, government agencies and the private sector to design interventions and move towards a more coordinated approach to oral health management. Her goals over the next five years are to support the department of Maternal-Child Health Bureau, Cambodia, to implement a program of fluoride varnish application in community health centers (The Cambodia Smile strategy) and to support the school health department to help schools to implement daily tooth-brushing and application of Silver Diamine Fluoride (Level 1 of the Healthy Kids Cambodia strategy).
Dr. Bethy Turton, BDS, MComDent, PhD
Kellie Whitcomb graduated in 2009 from Lake Washington Institute of Technology with an AAS in Dental Hygiene. She then completed her degree with a BSDH at Eastern Washington University, where she is currently working on a MSDH degree. With 21 years in dentistry, the last 9 as a dental hygienist, she has worked in general, periodontal, and oral medicine private practice settings. Her most formative years were spent at the University of Washington's Regional Clinical Dental Research Center, where her experiences fostered a passion for public health. She is co-director and clinician of the Tooth Fairies school-based oral health program and direct provider for the elderly in long term care settings through her business, Cornerstone Dental Hygiene Services, LLC. Kellie is an adjunct professor in the dental hygiene program at her alma mater, Lake Washington Institute of Technology.
Kellie Whitcomb RDH, BSDH, MSDH(c)
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Education: University of the Pacific Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry
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Advanced Clinical Experience and Advanced Education in General Dentistry Certificates
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Fellowship in American Academy of Hospital Dentistry, American College of Dentists, International College of Dentist, Pierre Fauchard Academy, Academy of Dentistry International
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Diplomat American Board Special Care Dentistry (Hospital Dentistry)
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Doctorate, Professional Education and Leadership (EdD)
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Currently teaches at the University of the Pacific Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry in the Department of Dental Practice as well as private practice in San Francisco. He is a member of ADA, CDA and San Francisco Dental Society. Serves as vice chair of SFDS Dental Health Committee. President, National CAMBRA Coalition
Dr. Allen Wong, DDS, EdD
