Speaker Biographies

Mr. Albertini joined Henry Schein, Inc. in 2013, and currently serves as Chief Executive Officer, International Distribution Group, which combines the Dental and Medical distribution businesses of Henry Schein operating outside of North America. He is a member of the Company’s Executive Management Committee.

​Mr. Albertini has nearly 20 years of experience in senior leadership positions in the health care industry. After starting at Henry Schein as Vice President of International Dental Equipment, he gained increasing responsibility and management of the Company’s portfolio of businesses in Southern Europe and China. Most recently, he served as President of Henry Schein’s International Distribution Group and before that President of Henry Schein’s EMEA Dental Distribution Group responsible for the development and execution of a cohesive Dental business strategy across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Before joining Henry Schein, Mr. Albertini held leadership positions at Cefla Dental Group and Castellini, leading global manufacturers of dental and medical equipment and instruments.

​Mr. Albertini holds a Master of Engineering from Bologna University, Italy, and a Master of Business Administration from Profingest Business School, Bologna, Italy.

Dr. Kathryn Alderman, DDS, EMBA, is a dentist, entrepreneur, and nationally recognized speaker specializing in AI integration, dental innovation, and practice growth strategy. With over 20 years of experience in dentistry and healthcare leadership, she helps practices modernize operations, improve profitability, and elevate patient care through intelligent systems and emerging technologies. As Founder and CEO of Intelligent Care Alliance, Dr. Alderman leads AI-driven initiatives that support dental teams in clinical decision-making, workflow optimization, marketing, and business development. She has spoken at national and international conferences on AI in dentistry, venture innovation, and healthcare transformation, and is known for translating complex technology into practical, implementable strategies for real-world practices.

Greg Ambra is a seasoned CEO with extensive executive leadership experience driving growth and operational excellence in innovation-focused healthcare companies. With decades of expertise across MedTech, Pharma, Biotech, and Clinical Services, he has successfully led teams and organizations through complex challenges to deliver transformative results and sustainable commercial success. Greg’s strategic vision and execution have enabled multiple product launches and business transitions, underscoring his capability to lead companies to significant milestones and market impact.

Andreas Augat is a dental technology advisor with more than a decade of experience in digital dentistry, market development, and commercial execution. He is the founder of dentaiware, a comprehensive market intelligence platform that maps and categorizes the rapidly growing ecosystem of dental AI and software solutions. Through dentaiware and his consulting firm, Viviscus Dental Partners, Andreas works with dental technology companies, dentists & DSOs, and other industry stakeholders to accelerate innovation and support the adoption of emerging technologies. Before launching his own ventures, he held key strategic and commercial roles at Straumann Group, where he helped advance digital workflows and scale innovative solutions globally across implantology and orthodontics.

Dr. Bernard Casse is the CEO of Trust AI, where he's building dentistry's operating system – a single AI brain replacing the dozens of fragmented tools that have held practices back for decades. A visionary leader in AI, robotics, and emerging technologies, Dr. Casse brings over two decades of experience transforming cutting-edge research into commercial success while building world-class teams. As the founder of RIOS Intelligent Machines and co-founder of Metawave Corporation, he has demonstrated exceptional skill in scaling AI and robotics technologies, securing over $100M in combined venture capital, commercial contracts, and government grants. His pivotal tenure at Xerox PARC and extensive experience with defense and energy sector projects showcase his unique ability to bridge the gap between laboratory innovation and market application. Dr. Casse's credentials include a Ph.D. in Experimental Physics specializing in Metamaterials Engineering, over 40 peer-reviewed publications, complemented by multiple patents and thought leadership contributions to Forbes on AI-powered robotics. His track record of building ventures and strategic partnerships has established him as a leading voice in the commercialization of advanced technologies. Driven by a passion for transforming healthcare through AI, Dr. Casse is committed to empowering dentists with tools that enhance patient outcomes and redefine clinical workflows.

Brian Colao is the Director of Dykema’s Dental Service Organizations Industry Group. Brian has been in the dental space for over 25 years. He is widely regarded as one of the foremost authorities in the United States on DSO formation, DSO business structures, DSO related mergers and acquisitions, and regulatory compliance for DSOs including the corporate practice of dentistry, illegal fee splitting, advertising regulations, laboratory regulations, patient finance regulations, billing regulations, HIPAA regulations, credentialing, permit and licensure regulations, marketing regulations, and labor law regulations affecting dental practices.

John Cox is the Chief Growth Officer at SprintRay, where he leads strategic business development initiatives focused on accelerating the adoption of disruptive technologies in dentistry. He plays a key role in driving innovation-led growth by forging enterprise partnerships, developing new commercial models, and translating advanced technology into scalable, real-world clinical and financial value. John works at the intersection of strategy, innovation, and market adoption, helping dental practices, DSOs, and labs modernize workflows through frictionless 3D printing, AI-driven design, and next-generation dental materials.

Paul Feuerstein, DMD, graduated from SUNY Brook during the '60s, studying chemistry, physics, math, computer science, and MUSIC. He is a 1972 graduate of UNDMJ (now Rutgers) and is in a general practice in Massachusetts. He installed one of the first in-office computers in 1978 and has been teaching and consulting since then. He is currently the Editor in Chief of Dentistry Today, author of over 250 technology articles, and lectures at many national and local dental meetings. His work with CAD/CAM helped develop the LAVA C.O.S. intraoral scanning system. He was named Clinician of the Year at the 2010 Yankee Dental Congress. In 2020, he was named as one of the top 100 dental professionals in the world by the Global Summits Institute.

Mariya Filipova is a Fortune 20 healthcare executive turned venture investor on a mission to reconnect the dots between oral health, systemic health, and the business of healthcare. Currently, Mariya is the CEO of Proclaim Health, a precision oral-health company transforming prevention through whole-mouth cleansing technology, and General Partner at 4100DX, an early-stage venture fund backed by healthcare and dental industry strategics advancing care convergence across medicine and dentistry. Previously, Mariya served as President of CareQuest Innovation Partners, Managing Director at Deloitte, and Vice President of Innovation at Anthem (now Elevance Health), where she launched programs translating emerging science into large-scale clinical and business transformation. She began her career in finance at Barclays Capital, grounding her in the economic realities that shape healthcare innovation today. Mariya is a recognized though leader and the cohost of The Convergence Lab, a platform uniting clinicians, technologists, and investors to close the gap between what science knows and what care delivers. She serves on multiple boards and advisory councils across health technology, dental innovation, and academia. Her work has been featured in Forbes, Dental Economics, and leading forums from HLTH to Harvard Business School. Through her own story of surviving a rare tumor—one she famously named Bertha—Mariya brings an urgent, deeply personal perspective to re-imagining how healthcare heals, beginning where we least expect it: the mouth. Mariya holds a Master of Business Administration degree from Harvard Business School and a Bachelor of Arts from Mount Holyoke College.

Mark is CEO of Great Gums Inc. The manufacturer of the Great Gums and Sonic Gums toothbrushes. New to the dental space, he is a digital health expert, and Founder and Chairman of the Digital Health Hub Foundation, a non-profit that produces the world's largest healthcare awards show each year in Las Vegas. Mark also is a venture capitalist at Builders VC, an investor in over 100 tech companies and a twelve time entrepreneur himself, having started companies that sold to Thompson Reuters, Sears, Yahoo, Microsoft and others. He lives in San Francisco and New York City.

Dr. Arash Hakhamian, DDS is a globally recognized dentist, entrepreneur, and thought leader at the intersection of dentistry, medicine, and technology. He is the Founder and CEO of Dentulu Inc., a leading digital oral health platform providing services at the intersection of dentistry and medicine. As an oral physician, Dr. Hakhamian is focused on improving overall health through dentistry. Recently knighted for his contributions to global oral health innovation and humanitarian service, Dr. Hakhamian’s career bridges the gap between clinical expertise and technological advancement. His work pioneers the integration of Sleep Apnea, AI-driven diagnostics, salivary biomarker testing, remote patient monitoring, and oral-systemic health programs, establishing a new model for preventive and personalized dentistry. Dr. Hakhamian has been recognized among the Top 100 Dentists in the World by the Global Summits Institute, inducted into the International College of Dentists—representing the top 1% of the profession—and honored by Incisal Edge Magazine as one of America’s Top 40 Dentists Under 40. As a global ambassador for the ADA Forsyth Institute, Dr. Hakhamian has lectured internationally on topics including artificial intelligence in dentistry, medical-dental integration, precision oral health, and sleep apnea therapy. His presentations emphasize the convergence of medicine and dentistry and the evolution of the modern dentist into an Oral Physician—a provider deeply engaged in systemic health and interdisciplinary care. Under his leadership, Dentulu has become a transformative force in digital health, forging partnerships with innovative companies such as Viome, OralDNA, Xandar Kardian, and Happy Sleep, Reset Smiles, Good Sleep CO to expand access to care, enhance patient outcomes, and empower clinicians with cutting-edge tools. Dr. Hakhamian also serves as an advisor, investor, and executive board member and fractional Chief Dental Officer across a multitude of dental startups. He has raised over 20MM dollars for early and mid-stage dental startups with transformative technologies. Beyond his professional pursuits, Dr. Hakhamian is a passionate philanthropist and humanitarian. He has participated in dental outreach missions across five continents, served as the dentist to the special Olympics, helping underserved populations access essential oral healthcare. His lifelong mission is to modernize dentistry while preserving its human essence uniting compassion, science, and technology to build a healthier, more connected world.

Dr. Ryan Hungate, Chief Clinical and Strategy Officer, is revolutionizing revenue cycle management and integrating our diverse products into the unified Henry Schein One platform. As an orthodontist and the founder of Simplifeye, a company that streamlines dental practice operations with cutting-edge technology, Dr. Hungate is most passionate about making the RCM process for all dentists invisible. Dr. Hungate holds a BA, MS, & DDS from Ball State University, Indiana University School of Dentistry, and the University of Southern California. He currently lives in Indianapolis, IN with his amazing wife Lauren and enjoys golfing and hanging out with his new daughter.

Dr. Marty Jablow is known as America’s Dental Technology Coach. Due to his expertise in dental technologies, he is in high demand both as a lecturer from all around the world and as a consultant to the manufacturer community. He is a member of the prestigious Cellerant Best of Class selection committee, charged with the annual selection of industry awards. and is the Chief Development Officer of Cellerant Consulting Group dentistry’s leading incubator and accelerator. He is cofounder of the Dental VIP Summit. Dr. Jablow has written articles for every major dental journal including his own column and video series. He received his dental degree from Rutgers Dental School in 1986 and practices in Woodbridge, NJ, and has achieved Fellowships from the Academy of General Dentistry and the International Association of Dental-Facial Esthetics. He has been selected multiple times as one of Dentistry Todays magazine Top Lecturers. He has been selected as a World Top 100 Doctor. He holds memberships in the American Dental Association and NJ Dental Association and is a long time member of his county’s Peer Review Committee.

Arwinder Judge, DDS serves as the Chief Clinical Officer at Aspen Dental, a role in which he has played a pivotal part in shaping and advancing the organization’s vision to revolutionize dental care across the nation. With over 1,800 dentists in its network, Aspen Dental, a flagship entity of The Aspen Group (TAG), is the largest branded dental support organization (DSO) in the world, with over 1,100 practices spanning 46 states. Dr. Judge’s leadership has been instrumental in building and driving strategic excellence, ensuring the growth and success of Aspen Dental and its affiliated entities, including ClearChoice Dental Implant Centers, WellNow Urgent Care, Chapter Aesthetic Studio, and Lovet Pet Health Care. Outside of his executive responsibilities, Dr. Judge is a passionate advocate for community health and founder of TAG’s Oral Care Center for Excellence – a community giving program that provides comprehensive dental care, including life-changing implants at no cost to underserved Illinois residents. He is also a founding member of Aspen Dental’s Healthy Mouth Movement, a program dedicated to providing free dental care to low-access communities and veterans - both in the US and abroad. To date, these programs combined have exceeded $52 million in donated dental care. A respected voice in the dental community, Dr. Judge maintains affiliations with the American Dental Association and heavily involved with the Dental Innovation Alliance - a Venture Capital firm guiding and investing in emerging dental technologies that are shaping the world of dentistry. Prior to joining Aspen Dental in 2008, Dr. Judge served as CEO of East West Management Services DSO, where he built and led support operations across multiple states for Great Lakes Dental, Northstar Dental Services, and Dentureworks. Dr. Judge earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) from the New York University College of Dentistry. Additionally, he completed the Executive Management Program at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, further enhancing his expertise in leadership and organizational strategy.

Dr. Aman Kaur DSO executive and Dental Industry veteran currently holds multiple board roles, while working as the operating partner with PE groups and consultant for their DSO portfolio companies. As a trained dentist and with extensive financial and business experience, Dr. Kaur has been very involved in the growth of DSO industry over the years along with government funded plans, enhancing access to care with appropriate compliance programs and standard of care measurements for the industry. Dr. Kaur has worked with multiple DSOs over her career in various executive roles and is very involved with Dental technology companies, Product Vendors, DSOs, Not for profit and state Dental Associations developing business solutions along with helping emerging dental organizations to execute on their development and growth strategies. Dr. Kaur’s vast dental industry knowledge and love for developing leadership teams throughout her career has given some great women business leaders to the DSO industry, especially through her partnership and mentoring relationships. Respected as a credible voice in industry for her clinical and business decision-making, finding strategic solutions and building partnerships and alliances Dr. Kaur is constantly shaping the industry.

Dr. Kessler is a past president of the Colorado Dental Association and now the President of the National American Dental Association. He also serves as the chairman of the Well-being Committee for the State of Colorado and is a consultant for the American Dental Association, serving for several years on the Dental Well-Being Advisory Committee as well as the Council on Dental Benefits. Dr. Kessler currently serves as the Trustee from the 14th ADA District as its representative to the ADA’s Board of Trustees. As a Trustee, he is Chair of the ADA’s Science and Research Institute, Chair of the Diversity and Inclusion Committee, as well as the Chair of the ADA’s Audit Committee. Dr. Kessler is a Fellow of the American College of Dentists, the International College of Dentists, and the Pierre Fauchard Academy. In the fall of 2007, he testified on behalf of the American Dental Association before the US Congress on the ravages of methamphetamines on oral health. He speaks internationally to various organizations and dental societies with a focus on well-being and leadership concepts. While in private practice, Dr. Kessler was a clinical associate professor at the University of Michigan until he moved to Colorado in 1999. He then taught occlusion and morphology at the University of Colorado School of Dental Medicine from 2003-2011. Dr. Kessler keeps in shape by both coaching and participating in various endurance races across the United States, including the Ironman World Championships in Kona, HI.

David Kochman serves as Senior Vice President & 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. A member of the Executive Management Committee, David is responsible for a diverse array of the Company’s global corporate functions, including Corporate Communications, Professional Relations and Strategic Partnerships, Government Relations, Public Policy, Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility, Team Engagement, Customer and Employee Experience, and Creative Services 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 charitable organizations focused on health care and criminal justice, and currently serves on the Board of Directors of both MedShare International (Atlanta) and The Fortune Society (NYC), as well as the NYU Dental Dean’s Strategic Council, Penn Dental Medicine Board of Advisors, Temple University School of Dentistry Board of Visitors, and Harvard University Initiative to Integrate Oral Health and Medicine. As a volunteer, David represents death row inmates in post-conviction proceedings, and has received numerous awards recognizing his dedication to public service. David received his B.A. in Philosophy from Emory University and his J.D. from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law.

Dr. Jeremy Krell is a general dentist and a business expert. He is the founder of Revere Partners, the first independent venture capital fund dedicated to oral health, and RISE Health, the only inclusion-driven venture capital fund dedicated to oral health. Previously built out the Barchester Bay Group consisting of over 40 ventures. Has also held senior positions at startups, including Simplifeye and Verena Solutions. He has contributed to the success of companies like quip and Oscar Health. Dr. Jeremy is also involved in dental policy and serves as the Chairman of the Workman School of Dental Medicine Board of Advisors at High Point University. He is a Member of an ADA SCDI Committee and the Chair of the Business Development Committee for the Massachusetts Dental Society.

Joe Lynch is the Head of Go to Market (GTM) at Dandy, where he transforms dental lab experiences for dentists and DSOs. Before Dandy, he built his expertise in healthcare strategy and operations at Bain & Company, advising Fortune 100 companies on Go-to-Market and Post-Merger Integration. Joe also served 7 years as a U.S. Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal officer, where he led special operations teams and defused bombs underwater and on land. He holds a B.S. from the United States Naval Academy, an MBA from Columbia Business School, an M.S. in Cybersecurity Policy from the University of Maryland Global Campus, and an A.A. in Spanish from the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center.

John T. McDevitt, PhD, is Professor and Chair of Biomaterials and Biomimetics at NYU College of Dentistry, leading pioneering work in bio-nano-chip diagnostics. He is also the founder of OraLiva, advancing early cancer detection.

Dr. Shervin Molayem is a periodontist, innovator, and AI advocate, pioneering dental technology and research. He co-founded Trust AI and The DAS Group, introduced AI-powered periodontal tools, and advances oral-systemic health.

Alon Mozes is the CEO and Co-founder of Neocis, which develops robotic surgery systems for the dental industry. He led the company from inception through FDA clearance and commercialization. Neocis has raised more than $200M, and their Yomi systems have placed nearly 100,000 implants. Before founding Neocis, Dr. Mozes was a Principal Engineer at MAKO Surgical, where he designed software for the company’s groundbreaking robotic system for orthopedic surgery. He has been working in computer graphics and image-guided applications for more than 20 years. He started his career at special effects company Sportvision and earned an Emmy for his work on a real-time baseball pitch tracker used during ESPN television broadcasts. Dr. Mozes has a BS and MEng in Computer Science from MIT and a PhD in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Miami.

Carol Anne Murdoch-Kinch is dean and professor of dentistry in the Indiana University School of Dentistry. She earned her DDS from Dalhousie University, and clinical certificate in dental diagnostic sciences and Ph.D. from Indiana University School of Dentistry. Before returning to IU, Murdoch-Kinch served as the associate dean for academic affairs and Dr. Walter H. Swartz Professor of Integrated Special Care Dentistry at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry, and clinical professor of oral and maxillofacial surgery/hospital dentistry. A board certified oral medicine specialist, Murdoch-Kinch's research has included multidisciplinary clinical research in oncology, the development of dental curriculum, dental school climate, and engaged and active learning pedagogies in dental education. Murdoch-Kinch received the IU Bicentennial Medal in August 2019 in recognition of her distinguished service as dean of the Indiana University School of Dentistry.

Dr. Nader A. Nadershahi serves as the Senior Vice President for Education and Professional Affairs for the American Dental Association and previously served as the ninth Dean of University of the Pacific’s Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry and Vice Provost of the San Francisco campus, bringing to the role nearly 30 years of leadership experience in dental education, organized dentistry, and clinical practice. He earned his DDS, completed GPR training, and has also earned MBA and EdD degrees. He is a fellow of the American College of Dentists, Academy of Dentistry International, International College of Dentists, and Pierre Fauchard Academy. He also completed fellowship in the ADEA Leadership Institute. Dr. Nadershahi served on the boards of the Bay Area Council, the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce, and was appointed by the Governor and serves as Chair of California Health Workforce Education and Training Council . He practiced in Marin County, California, and during his academic career, has more than 140 presentations, 30 publications, five book chapters, and numerous abstracts and other publications. Dr. Nadershahi served as chair of the American Dental Education Association Board of Directors and has been a leader at the California Dental Association, American Dental Association, and is also a member of the Santa Fe Group, a national organization focused on catalyzing improvement of oral health and health care in the United States and beyond.

Lawrence Obstfeld, CEO of Image Navigation, a former Wall Street analyst is the architect of the IGI product-market fit, including: the installed base of 40,000 dental CT scanners, the robotic auto-stop value added and the importance of a chairside workflow.

Khamir Patel, DMD, FAGD is the CEO and Co-Founder of SmartChair.AI, a dental technology company building the industry’s first chair-level utilization data infrastructure. A practicing dentist with over a decade of experience across U.S. DSOs and private practices, Dr. Patel brings deep, hands-on insight into the operational inefficiencies that limit productivity and growth in dental offices. Through SmartChair.AI, he is translating real-world clinical pain points into scalable, data-driven solutions by retrofitting existing dental chairs with smart occupancy sensors and analytics. The platform enables DSOs, private practices, and manufacturers to objectively measure utilization, reduce idle time, and improve revenue per chair hour. SmartChair.AI is already deployed across multiple states and is an exclusive retrofit partner with DentalEZ, integrating into their Aeras Intel ecosystem. Dr. Patel is passionate about building foundational infrastructure that powers smarter decision-making across dentistry for decades to come.

Brock Predovich is the Founder and CEO of BiteZen, a dental healthtech company revolutionizing bruxism care through sensor-enabled diagnostics and AI-powered insights. After personally suffering from bruxism, Brock has spent over a decade developing a scalable, technology-driven solution to help dental professionals diagnose and manage the condition before it leads to damage, pain, and long-term complications. BiteZen’s platform is built on a proprietary, patent-pending force-sensing material that enables real-time detection of clenching and grinding. The company’s ZenSensor module allows dental labs to seamlessly integrate smart capabilities into every night guard they produce. In parallel, BiteZen's ZenFit assessment device empowers DSOs and dental teams to proactively identify bruxism in patients at scale—improving outcomes and increasing treatment acceptance rates across practices. Since launching its pilot program in late 2025, BiteZen has partnered with six dental labs and is actively expanding its footprint nationwide. Its sensor technology, while currently focused on dental applications, has broad potential in adjacent markets including medical devices, robotics, and automotive systems. Previously, Brock founded Bravrr, a digital health venture that earned the prestigious Cellerant “Best of Class” Technology Award in 2020. He is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy and brings a multidisciplinary background in engineering, product development, and go-to-market execution.

Travis Rodgers specializes in technology, go-to-market strategies, and tools for dental startup companies. His Dental Venture Capital brand helps startups find investors, advisors, customers, and partners.

Dr. Rosato is a native New Englander. He was born in Revere, MA, and raised in Danvers, MA. He moved to NH in 1986 to attend Saint Anselm College. After college, he attended Tufts University School of Dental Medicine and graduated in 1994. Then he was off to Chicago to the University of Illinois Medical Center, Cook County Hospital, Michael Reese Hospital, Mercy Hospital, and the West Side VA for his residency in oral and maxillofacial surgery which was completed in 1998. He then moved back to New England and practiced initially in Rhode Island before finding a home back in NH in 2000. He quickly enjoyed being a part of shaping the profession of dentistry and advocating for patients through leadership. Initially, he served the NH Dental Society as the Council on Government Affairs Chair for 5 years before ascending through the leadership ladder from 2006-10 culminating with becoming president of the NH Dental Society in 2010. Following his year as president he was appointed to the American Dental Society Council on Ethics, Bylaws, and Judicial Affairs and served as chair in his final and fourth year on the Council in 2015. During his national leadership time, he also continued to serve the NH Dental Society as Long Term Delegate for 8 years 2011-2019. He was then appointed to serve from 2015 to 2019 as caucus chair of the ADA First District representing all 6 New England States. Following this he ran and was elected to the ADA board of trustees to serve from 2019-2023. While on the ADA BOT, he also served as compensation chair, ADA Business Enterprise Inc. as a board member, and a board member of the Innovation Advisory Committee. He has a tremendous calling to be at the tip of the profession fighting for oral healthcare so that everyone can have a dental home. He resides in Concord with his wife (Dr. Laurie Rosato) and 3 children (Richard Jr, Colin, and Madison). He cherishes family time and enjoys golf, the Boston Bruins, and car rides with his labradoodle Roma. In 2025, Dr. Rosato was elected the 162nd President of the American Dental Association, a new journey he is excited about as he continues to provide excellent service to his patients.

Dr. Kianor Shah is a practicing dentist, inventor and an entrepreneur from Palm Desert, California. As a traveling healthcare provider, Dr. Shah has practiced in more than 300 offices. As a businessman, Dr. Shah has built numerous cobrand, private label, and doctor-to-doctor partnerships in the healthcare industry. Dr. Shah completed his undergraduate studies at Western Illinois University as a Summa Cum Laude, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in 2000. Dr. Shah graduated in 2006 with a Doctorate in Dental Medicine from Southern Illinois University. He completed an MBA program at Brandman University in international business in 2016. His participation as a fellow of the International Congress of Oral Implantologists, fellow of the California Implant Institute, and fellow of the International Academy of Dental-Facial Esthetics has culminated in his Mastership and Diplomate status of the International Congress of Oral Implantologists. Dr. Shah has been in various roles as a founder, owner, chairperson, CEO, president, managing director, partner, associate, and consultant for a variety of domestic and international related business matters. Dr. Shah is also the founding regent of the Global Summits Institute. Dr. Shah currently serves as a key opinion leader for a host of companies and organizations. In addition to his expertise practicing general dentistry, Dr. Shah practices in the fields of prosthodontics, periodontics, endodontics, pedodontics, orthodontics, and oral surgery. Dr. Shah reads, writes, and speaks English, German, and the Farsi languages. Dr. Shah enjoys world travel, public speaking, studying, and researching historical events, and participating in sports including soccer, table tennis, and fitness

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. When brushing his teeth, Dr. Shazib puts water on his toothbrush before putting on toothpaste.

Eric Shirley is the CEO of VistaApex Solutions, a leader in dental materials development and manufacturing. VistaApex Solutions also owns PerioProtect and PerioSciences, two companies recognized for developing patient-centric and practice-building solutions to promote periodontal and oral health. Before joining VistaApex, Eric held leadership positions at Keystone Industries, Patterson Dental, Midmark, Dentsply International and several other medical device manufacturers. He is also the Chairman of the Board of TeamSmile, an organization that provides children in need with life-changing dental care through partnerships with professional sports teams, and he is also a former Chairman of the Dental Trade Alliance. Eric holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Long Beach State University, and a Master of Business Administration from UCLA Anderson School of Management.

Andrew Smith served as executive vice president of government relations and external affairs for Parallel (formerly Surterra Wellness) where he managed the state and federal government relations teams, served as the company’s chief advocate and spokesperson to policymakers and regulators, and led the company’s advocacy and communications goals in the public affairs space. Prior to joining the private sector, Andrew spent a decade working in government, campaigns, and public policy. In particular, Andrew worked as finance director and senior advisor for Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe where he oversaw the strategy, development, and implementation of a record-breaking $44 million fundraising operation. Andrew is a graduate of Georgetown University with a degree in government and history. Originally from Chicago, Andrew now resides in Greenwich, Connecticut.

Stephen Socolof is Managing Partner of Tech Council Ventures, a New Jersey-based firm investing in healthcare, enterprise, and clean tech opportunities across the Mid-Atlantic region. He has been a venture capitalist for over 25 years. He originally launched a corporate venture activity for Lucent Technologies. Upon leaving Lucent, Stephen co-founded New Venture Partners to partner with large technology companies in the US and Europe to co-create startups from their labs. Stephen joined Tech Council Ventures 10 years ago focusing on the growing entrepreneurship in the region and partnering with the strong local corporate community and value chains.

I've combined a passion for life sciences with an entrepreneurial drive to build ventures that make a difference in healthcare. My career is focused on pioneering products and services targeting high unmet needs. As a strategic leader, I specialize in navigating the complexities of the healthcare landscape. This includes identifying market opportunities, structuring and managing key alliances/partnerships, driving corporate development through acquisition and integration, and launching impactful new offerings.

Sam Strain is Co-Founder and Chief Development Officer of HealthStream, a dental-focused boutique investment banking advisory firm serving the long-underserved lower middle market. HealthStream advises clients ranging from enterprising single-practice dentists to multi-state DSOs and MSOs backed by private equity, delivering transaction and growth advisory historically reserved for institutional operators. Sam partners with founders and leadership teams to drive growth, execute transactions, and build durable enterprise value. She is also Co-Founder of DoubleMint Ventures, a strategic go-to-market advisory working with category-defining oral health and healthcare technology companies including vVardis, Anatomy Financial, Immersify Education, Presto Smile, Overjet, and TwoFront, supporting innovation from early commercialization through scale. Sam co-founded Cara Capital, a venture fund-of-funds expanding access to institutional-quality investments through its partnership with 4100dx. She serves on DSO advisory boards, is an angel investor, and was part of a successful dental exit to KKR. Sam brings deep experience across investment banking, healthcare M&A, and strategic growth. Sam brings a capital markets perspective grounded in firsthand experience advising, investing in, and scaling dental and healthcare businesses across the lower middle market.

Dana Sun is a Partner at Equitage Ventures, an early stage venture capital firm investing in companies transforming how we care for older adults. Equitage’s mission is to improve care quality, affordability, and dignity for an aging population. She previously served as a healthcare investor at OCA Ventures and the Laerdal Million Lives Fund, where she backed Seed to Series B companies across digital health, diagnostics, and medical devices. Dana started her career as a management consultant at Accenture and advised Fortune 500 healthcare clients including providers, payers, and biopharma companies on business and technology strategy. Dana earned her MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and BSE in Biomedical Engineering from Duke University. Outside of work, she enjoys experimenting with new baking recipes, chasing down errant tennis balls, and doing the occasional improv acting.

Ophir Tanz is an award-winning entrepreneur and technologist. He is the founder and CEO of Pearl, an AI company focused on delivering transformative solutions for the dental industry. Previously, Ophir founded and led GumGum to well over $1B in value by applying computer vision machine learning to drive and measure performance for the digital media and sports sponsorship industries. Ophir received his Bachelor’s and Master’s from Carnegie Mellon University. An established member of the Los Angeles startup community, Ophir actively advises and invests in startups, has been featured on the cover of Entrepreneur magazine, and is the recipient of multiple business leadership awards.

Heather Trombley is a visionary, growth-driven, leader with more than 30 years of success across manufacturing industries, including industrial and consumer products, and specifically medical devices. Leveraging extensive experience commercially and operationally, she leads from the passion to grow businesses globally, drive channel distribution, and innovate. Heather has held leadership positions at Conmed Corporation and General Electric. She is currently named President and Chief Operating Officer and operating as CEO of DentalEZ, Inc., a privately held company in PA. She has re-energized the company with a new mission, vision, and set of core values to focus on the customer and target growth segments, featuring customer-focused technology innovations. Previously as the Vice-President of Marketing, Orthopedics, she was responsible for product development and commercial campaigns to reposition the company in the marketplace. Among her many roles at GE, as GM of sub-acute patient monitoring, she grew the business globally with both product and channel development initiatives. Heather holds a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering from Purdue University, graduating with distinction. She received her M.B.A. from Vanderbilt University. She is the board chair of Kids Smiles, Philadelphia, PA, board chair of Calcivis, Ltd. and serves in advisory capacity to two prominent dental schools.

Tiffany Yu is a Principal at 7wireVentures, a healthcare venture fund focused on digital health and tech-enabled healthcare services. Prior to 7wire, Tiffany was a Senior Director at Redesign Health where she led three new company launches in healthcare. Tiffany also has experience in growth equity/private equity investments in healthcare IT and services and began her career at F-Prime Capital.