ADEA Leadership Institute 
Class of 2023 

Dr. Afshari is a Clinical Professor in the Department of Restorative Dentistry at the University of Illinois Chicago College of Dentistry (UIC COD). Dr. Afshari received her B.A. from Northwestern University. She received her D.M.D. from the Harvard School of Dental Medicine, followed by a Certificate in Prosthodontics and M.S. in Oral Sciences from UIC COD. She currently serves as one of five Managing Partners for the Predoctoral General Clinics at UIC COD and the Assistant Director of Assessment and Faculty Development.

Dr. Afshari has co-authored several peer-reviewed papers and mentored predoctoral, postgraduate and master’s students—many of which have received local and national research awards. Her research interests include education, outcomes assessment and caries risk assessment. She maintains a membership in the American College of Prosthodontists, the American Academy of Fixed Prosthodontics, ADEA and the Academy of Prosthodontics.

ADEA Leadership Institute 
Class of 2023 

Dr. Baskaran is a Clinical Associate Professor and the Director of the Advanced Standing International Student Program at the University of Colorado School of Dental Medicine (CU SDM). While Dr. Baskaran has significant administrative responsibilities including admissions, she also co-directs eight courses with intense didactic and preclinical responsibilities and teaches in the student clinics. She also serves on various academic committees and was inducted into the Omicron Kappa Upsilon National Dental Honor Society.

Dr. Baskaran received her B.D.S. from Sri Ramachandra University, India. She received her D.D.S. from the University of Illinois Chicago College of Dentistry. She also completed a General Practice Residency from UMASS Chan Medical School. Dr. Baskaran was an associate dentist in private practice before joining CU SDM as a full-time faculty member. She has always been very committed to continuing education and has completed the Dawson Academy’s Core Curriculum. She has also served as a Dawson Study Club Leader and Ambassador. Dr. Baskaran maintains membership in the American Dental Association, the Colorado Dental Association, the Metro Denver Dental Society, the Academy of General Dentistry, ADEA and The Dawson Academy. She has also worked on various research projects and presented at ADEA and the International Association for Dental Research.

ADEA Leadership Institute 
Class of 2023 

Dr. Bompolaki is an Associate Professor at Oregon Health & Science University School of Dentistry (OHSU SOD), where she currently serves as Director of Clinical Restorative Dentistry. She is a Diplomate of the American Board of Prosthodontics. She earned a D.D.S. from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece, in 2009. Her academic career started in 2014, after completing a Certificate in Prosthodontics and a Master’s in Oral Biology at Texas A&M College of Dentistry. Her research, focusing on clinical outcomes of prosthodontic procedures as well as gender equity issues, has been published in several peer-reviewed dental journals. Dr. Bompolaki practices prosthodontics and implant dentistry at a specialty private practice in the Portland area.

She is a member of several professional organizations, including the American College of Prosthodontists, the Academy of Osseointegration, the International Association for Dental Research and ADEA. She currently serves as Chair of the ACP National Prosthodontic Resident Examination Committee. At OHSU, she serves on multiple committees and is the Chair of the Faculty Council as well as the Faculty Chair of the Curriculum Committee. She is the Course Director of several predoctoral courses and lectures for postgraduate residents.

ADEA Leadership Institute 
Class of 2023 

Dr. Brachvogel is an Associate Professor at Midwestern University College of Dental Medicine-Arizona (CDMA). He completed his D.D.S. in 1990 from the University of Washington School of Dentistry. Dr. Brachvogel owned a general practice in Boulder, CO, from 1991 to 2014. He was also an Adjunct Clinical Professor at the University of Colorado School of Dental Medicine from 2012 to 2014. Since 2015, he has served as a Clinical Care Coordinator at CDMA. Dr. Brachvogel was Ad Hoc Chair and Director of Practice Management Curriculum. He also created and is the Course Director for Orofacial Pain and Temporomandibular Disorders. He was named faculty of the year in 2019 and 2020. Dr. Brachvogel has mentored research students (2016 – present) who have published abstracts/posters through the ADEA Academic Dental Careers Fellowship Program. Dr. Brachvogel has served as Co-Chair for American Association for Dental Research-AZ Section Scientific Symposium (2016 – present).

Dr. Brachvogel earned his Mastership in the Academy of General Dentistry in 2019 and became a Distinguished Fellow in both the American College of Dentists in 2020 and the International College of Dentists in 2016. His areas of research interest include lasers, polymer-based materials, implants and practice management. Dr. Brachvogel also served as a trip leader for 40 dental students on three separate humanitarian service trips to the South Pacific Islands.

ADEA Leadership Institute 
Class of 2023 

Dr. Cooke joined the Departments of Dental Anesthesiology & Pediatric Dentistry at the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine (Pitt SDM) in April 2011. He received his dental and medical degrees from Virginia Commonwealth University Medical College of Virginia. Dr. Cooke completed residencies in pediatric dentistry and anesthesiology. Also, he completed a master’s degree in Public Health.

Dr. Cooke is actively involved in advancing the profession. In addition to patient care and scholarly research, Dr. Cooke oversees the local anesthesia curriculum at Pitt SDM and serves as the director of the Healthy Athletes Program for Special Olympics of Virginia and Pennsylvania. In addition, he is a Part Leader for the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry’s Qualifying Exam and an expert consultant on the Council of Clinical Affairs of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. Dr. Cooke’s overall goal is to improve access to care and to be an advocate for sedation and anesthesia in Pediatric Dentistry.

ADEA Leadership Institute 
Class of 2023 

Dr. Furness is Assistant Dean of Patient Services at Dental College of Georgia at Augusta University (DCG at Augusta). His current responsibilities include direct clinical and Simlab operations, overseeing the resolution of patients’ concerns, student clinical skill development and overseeing the clinical education of the students. In addition, as Assistant Dean, Dr. Furness also manages a staff of over 75 people in the Patient Services Department.

Dr. Furness began his career in dental education over 11 years ago as a Clinical Instructor. Throughout that time, he had an opportunity to lecture, mentor and teach clinical dentistry as well as skills development in the Simlab. He became the first Section Director of Treatment Planning for the largest department at DCG at Augusta. Dr. Furness has been in his current position for almost four years. One and half of those years have been immersed in leading through a pandemic. COVID-19 has been extremely disruptive to dental education, but Dr. Furness has seen opportunities to change the way DCG at Augusta delivers education as a result. He is excited about leading through this change and improving the way his department teaches chairside clinical dentistry.

ADEA Leadership Institute 
Class of 2023 

Dr. Guajardo is full-time faculty at the University of Texas School of Dentistry at Houston (UTSD). She began her academic career volunteering for UTSD in 2012. In 2013, her position changed to a part–time status, and in August 2014, she joined UTSD full–time.

Dr. Guajardo received her D.D.S. from Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon, Mexico, in 1990 and an Endodontics Certificate from the University of Nuevo Leon, Mexico, in 1994. Dr. Guajardo has 12 years of private practice experience, which seven of those years were privately owned. Dr. Guajardo is a native Chicagoan. She is also a member of the American Association of Endodontics, the International Association for Dental Research and ADEA. Her research interests are in clinical endodontics, use of BigMouth Dental Data Repository and patient outcomes related to different systematic disease.

ADEA Leadership Institute 
Class of 2023 

Dr. Gyurko is the Director of Predoctoral Periodontology at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine (TUSDM). He has graduated from Semmelweis University in Budapest, Hungary, with D.M.D., and obtained a Ph.D. in Medical Sciences at the University of Florida in Gainesville, FL.

Dr. Gyurko pursued research at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, and consequently, was appointed to the faculty of the Department of Periodontology and Oral Biology at Boston University. He has been on the faculty of the Department of Periodontology at TUSDM since 2014. Dr. Gyurko is a board-certified periodontist, and has received numerous research grants, including a Research Project R01 grant from the National Institutes of Health. He has more than 30 publications and has lectured nationally and internationally. Dr. Gyurko is a past president of the Boston section of the American Association for Dental Research. He is an Honorary member of the Omicron Kappa Upsilon National Dental Honor Society and the recipient of the Educator Award from the American Academy of Periodontology.

ADEA Leadership Institute 
Class of 2023 

Dr. Hashmani graduated from the University of Texas School of Dentistry at Houston (UTSD) with a dental hygiene certificate in 2001. She completed her Doctor of Education in Professional Leadership for Health Sciences from the University of Houston in 2021. Dr. Hashmani serves as Assistant Professor at UTSD and First-year Clinic Coordinator as well as Visiting Faculty at the Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan. She currently teaches preclinical, clinical and didactic courses and graduate courses for the Master’s Degree in Dental Hygiene program at UTSD. She is passionate about dental hygiene and is a member of the American Dental Hygienists’ Association, ADEA and the American Association for Dental Research Houston Section.

Dr. Hashmani has served as Membership Director for the Texas Dental Hygienist’s Association (TDHA), Vice Coordinator for the Dental Hygiene Admissions and Curriculum Committee, Member of the Curriculum Committee for Aga Khan University in Karachi, Pakistan, since 2014, and President of Greater Houston Dental Hygienists' Association (GHDHA) in 2009. She has also served as Chair on various committees for GHDHA, such as the Membership, Professional Education Committee and Programs. Dr. Hashmani has also served as a TDHA delegate representing GHDHA for many years. She has volunteered to help develop the dental hygiene curriculum as well as teach many courses in dental hygiene at the Aga Khan University in Karachi, Pakistan.

ADEA Leadership Institute 
Class of 2023 

Dr. Hasslen is an Assistant Professor in the General Dentistry Department at Creighton University School of Dentistry (Creighton SOD). She received her D.D.S. in 2003 from Creighton SOD and completed a one-year Advanced Education in General Dentistry Program with the United States Air Force (USAF) in 2004. In 2012, she completed an Advanced Clinical Preceptorship with the USAF. She served as an active-duty general dentist for nine years and transitioned to the Nebraska Air National Guard Reserve Component, where she is the Chief of Dental Services and the Deputy Medical Group Commander.

For seven years, Dr. Hasslen has played an integral part in the General Dentistry curriculum at Creighton SOD. She is Course Director for Second-year Operative Dentistry and instructs in all semesters of Preclinical Operative Dentistry Lab. She is active in the clinical setting mentoring students in comprehensive general dentistry, emergency/acute care clinic, CAD/CAM technology and as the Laser Trainer and Laser Safety Officer. In 2019, Dr. Hasslen was inducted into Omicron Kappa Upsilon. She was selected for Fellowship in the American College of Dentists in 2020, and was appointed as the Director of Federal Services for the national chapter of the American Association of Women Dentists in 2021. Dr. Hasslen is also a Commission on Dental Competency Assessments-Western Regional Examining Board Examiner.

ADEA Leadership Institute 
Class of 2023 

Dr. Kang is a full-time Clinical Assistant Professor in the Ashman Department of Periodontology and Implant Dentistry at NYU College of Dentistry (NYUCD), focusing on prosthetically driven implant treatments. Dr. Kang graduated from NYUCD and then pursued a General Practice Residency at Flushing Hospital Medical Center prior to returning to NYUCD for the three-year Advanced Education Program in Prosthodontics. Upon completing her specialty training, Dr. Kang sub-specialized in two fellowships: Maxillofacial Prosthetics at University of California, Los Angeles, School of Dentistry and Oncologic Based Maxillofacial Implant Fellowship at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.

Dr. Kang serves as a full-time clinical faculty at NYUCD and a Dean’s Faculty at the University of Maryland School of Dentistry. She is a Fellow of the New York Academy of Medicine and the International College of Dentists. Dr. Kang mentors numerous students and has been recognized with the Mentor Award from the Lucy Hobbs Project Awards and was inducted in the Academy of Distinguished Educators. She is currently an officer of the ADEA Special Interest Group, Career Development for the New Educator. Her goals are to serve others as health care professionals and dental educators.

ADEA Leadership Institute 
Class of 2023 

Dr. Kim is Associate Professor and Clinical Managing Partner for Specialty Care at Western University of Health Sciences College of Dental Medicine (WU CDM). She received her D.M.D. from Harvard School of Dental Medicine in 2007 and attended the University of Southern California, Advanced Periodontology Program where she received both her Certificate in Periodontology and M.S. in Craniofacial Biology in 2010.

Dr. Kim began her academic career as Clinical Assistant professor at Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC. In 2012, she joined WU CDM as an Assistant Professor before her promotion to Associate Professor and Clinical Managing Partner in 2018. Dr. Kim is Co-director of Predoctoral Periodontology Education where she teaches didactic and clinical periodontology. As specialist Managing Partner, she works with specialist faculty and school leadership, and manages all aspects of clinical specialty care and curriculum delivery. Dr. Kim is a Test Constructor for the American Dental Association, Joint Commission National Dental Examination Dental Licensure Objective Structured Clinical Examination (DLOSCE) and Integrated National Board Dental Examination (INBDE) Committees. She also serves as an Examiner for American Board of Periodontology Oral Examination.

ADEA Leadership Institute 
Class of 2023 

Dr. Kramer is an Associate Professor in the Department of Oral Biology in University at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine. She teaches in several graduate and dental school courses. She is a Fellow in the American Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology and a Diplomate in the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology. She has been awarded numerous National Institutes of Health grants for the study of autoimmunity. She has authored more than 30 peer-reviewed publications to date primarily in the areas of Sjogren’s syndrome and oral pathology.

Dr. Kramer serves as a reviewer for many scientific journals and is an active member of several scientific societies. She is the current Chair of the Research and Scientific Affairs Committee of the American Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology and a Past President of the International Association for Dental Research Salivary Research Group.

ADEA Leadership Institute 
Class of 2023 

Dr. Kumar is Professor and Director of Periodontics at A.T. Still University Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health (ATSU-ASDOH). He teaches, supervises and provides direct patient care in the Periodontics Clinic at ATSU-ASDOH and works part-time in private practice. Prior to joining ATSU-ASDOH, Dr. Kumar taught and provided patient care at the Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry at USC and at the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine. He is a board-certified specialist in Periodontology, Dental Implant Surgery, Oral Medicine and Orofacial Pain.

Dr. Kumar’s research training includes basic scientific research to understand oral carcinogenesis, clinical research design and management and evidence-based health care. He also has a vast experience in teaching and mentoring dental students and residents since 2007. Dr. Kumar has won several awards for his efforts in education as well as research, including American Academy of Periodontology (AAP) Foundation’s Educator Scholarship and AAP’s Balint Orban Memorial Award. Dr. Kumar has published about 70 original articles, reviews, critical summaries and book chapters.

ADEA Leadership Institute 
Class of 2023 

Dr. Melo is an Associate Professor and Director of the Operative Dentistry Division at the Department of General Dentistry at the University of Maryland School of Dentistry (UMSOD). She received her D.D.S. from the Fortaleza University, Brazil, in 2000, and a M.Sc. and Ph.D. from Federal University of Ceara, Brazil, in 2009 and 2012, respectively. She joined the UMSOD faculty in 2013 and is actively involved in many other aspects of the graduate and undergraduate curricula, serving as a lecturer, research mentor and course director.

Her main areas of research focus primarily on oral biofilm control by investigating anti-biofilm nanotechnologies for the oral health care field. She was the recipient of the International Academy for Adhesive Dentistry’s Fusayama Scientist Award in 2017. Her research has led to numerous peer-reviewed publications and several presentations at local and national meetings. She has mentored several undergraduate students, dental students and residents in research. Dr. Melo is a fellow of the Academy of Dental Materials and a member of the Academy of Operative Dentistry, the International Association for Dental Research, the Society for Color and Appearance in Dentistry and the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry.

ADEA Leadership Institute 
Class of 2023 

Dr. Moazzez joined the University of the Pacific, Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry in 2021 as the Chair of the Department of Preventive and Restorative Dentistry. Previously, she was Professor of Prosthodontics and Oral Clinical Research at King’s College London School of Dentistry in the United Kingdom, where she began teaching in 1998, focusing on predoctoral and specialty prosthodontics. In 2013, she also served as the college’s Founding Director of the Oral Clinical Research Unit, which has attracted over $7 million of funding since its inception.

Dr. Moazzez received her B.D.S. in 1986 from University of London and subsequently earned the gold medal and prize for the fellowship examination of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, a master’s degree in prosthodontics and a Ph.D. with work in the field of Erosive Tooth Wear (ETW), as well as several other specialty qualifications. Dr. Moazzez is a specialist in prosthodontics and one of 16 global experts in the field of ETW. She has supervised 10 Ph.D. and 15 M.Sc. projects. She has, to her credit, over 50 publications in refereed journals and several book chapters, as well as grants totaling $4 million. She is a member of the International Association for Dental Research, the European Organisation for Caries Research and ADEA.

ADEA Leadership Institute 
Class of 2023 

Dr. Musawi is an Associate Professor of Restorative Dentistry and Assistant Dean of Preclinical Education and Simulation Clinic at A.T. Still University Missouri School of Dentistry & Oral Health (ATSU-MOSDOH). He earned his bachelor’s in dental surgery from Baghdad University in 2002, Master of Dental Surgery in Prosthetic Dentistry from University Malaya in 2009 and Master of Public Health with dental emphasis from the ATSU College of Graduate Health Studies in 2021.

Dr. Musawi is the Academic Advisor for ATSU-MOSDOH’s ADEA Student Chapter. He received the Academic Excellence Award from the Students’ Government Association ATSU-MOSDOH as well as the Elsie Gaber Compassion and Integrity Award in 2016. Areas of interest include, but are not limited to, designing and implementing Objective Structured Clinical Exam and Objective Structured Practical Exam into the curriculum along with case-based learning and problem-based learning activities for students.

ADEA Leadership Institute 
Class of 2023 

Dr. Neiva graduated from The Federal University of Paraná School of Dentistry, Brazil, in 1991. She earned an M.S. in Restorative Dentistry from the University of Michigan School of Dentistry (U-M SOD) in 1996 and an M.S. in Clinical Research Design & Statistical Analysis from the University of Michigan School of Public Health in 2005. Dr. Neiva has been faculty at U-M SOD since 2001, where she holds the title of Clinical Professor. She has been the Director of the Graduate Restorative Clinic since 2012 as well as Director of the Graduate Restorative Dentistry Program since 2016.

Dr. Neiva’s accomplishments include chairing or co-chairing over 35 master thesis projects, publishing five book chapters and 31 peer-reviewed and 11 non-peer-reviewed publications. She was either the principal investigator or co-investigator on multiple clinical research projects and corporate laboratory research contracts. Dr. Neiva has been involved in clinical and laboratory research for over 20 years. Her initial work focused on laboratory testing of composite resins, resin cements and dental ceramics. For the last 13 years, she has been collaborating on several longitudinal, randomized clinical trials of CAD/CAM and digital dentistry technology applied to restorative dentistry.

ADEA Leadership Institute 
Class of 2023 

Dr. Pérez is an Associate Professor at the University of Puerto Rico School of Dental Medicine (UPR SDM). She graduated in 2001 from the school’s D.M.D. program and, in 2002, from a General Practice Residency Program. In 2020, she completed a Gerontology Certificate. She is currently the Curriculum Director, Faculty Development Officer and Principal Coordinator of the Comprehensive Care Clinic Course for the D.M.D. Program. As faculty, Dr. Pérez is a member of the Outcome Assessment Committee, the Faculty Affairs Committee, the Diversity, Inclusion and Access Committee and the Curriculum Committee.

Dr. Pérez was appointed as the Project Coordinator of the Health Resources Service Administration Grant “Puerto Rico Innovation in Dental Education” to educate D.M.D. dental students on how to manage patients with special needs. In 2018, she was awarded by the Special Care Dentistry Association with the Harold Berk Award. Dr. Pérez has also occupied leadership positions in organized dentistry at Colegio de Cirujanos Dentistas de Puerto Rico (state dental organization), in addition, to being member of several committees such the Legislative Affairs Committee and Special Care Patient Committee. Dr. Pérez participated in several public hearings at the Legislature of Puerto Rico advocating for the rights of patients and benefits for the dental community.

ADEA Leadership Institute 
Class of 2023 

Dr. Pugach-Gordon is Director of Education and Assistant Investigator at The Forsyth Institute and Instructor at Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM). She is also Director of Forsyth Student Scholars and Chair of Forsyth’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Committee. Dr. Pugach-Gordon received her Ph.D. in Oral and Craniofacial Sciences at University of California, San Francisco, School of Dentistry. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship at University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine where she received a National Institutes of Health/National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research Pathways to Independence (K99/R00) Award. This led to her faculty position as Assistant Member of Staff in the Mineralized Tissue Biology Department at The Forsyth Institute, an affiliate of HSDM, and Instructor position at HSDM.

At Forsyth, she is in charge of all oral health education activities and focused on improving access for underserved and underrepresented youth, including integration with ForsythKids, the school-based mobile dental program, remote camps for middle and high school students, summer internship programs for high school and both domestic and global continuing education activities. Since 2015, Dr. Pugach-Gordon also has been guest lecturing at Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine on tooth development and malformation to first-year dental students and orthodontics residents.

ADEA Leadership Institute 
Class of 2023 

Dr. Venugopalan is an Associate Professor in the Department of Orthodontics at The University of Iowa College of Dentistry & Dental Clinics (UI COD) and is a Diplomate of the American Board of Orthodontics. He teaches dental students and residents in the Orthodontic Clinic as well as directs two courses in the Orthodontics Department. He maintains an active practice within UI COD. He received his B.D.S. degree in 2003 from the Tamil Nadu Dr. MGR Medical University, India; his Ph.D. degree in 2010 from the Texas A & M University Health Science Center; and Orthodontic Certificate and D.M.Sc. in 2014 from the Harvard School of Dental Medicine. He also received a D.D.S. degree in 2017 from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Dentistry.

Dr. Venugopalan’s research is focused on understanding the genetics of congenital craniofacial disorders. He is an active member of UI COD’s Admissions Committee, Curriculum Committee, Student Dental Research Committee and Dean Search Committee. Dr. Venugopalan serves as the President-elect of the Craniofacial Biology Group (CBG) of International Association for Dental Research (IADR). In the past, he had served as the Director and Vice-President of the CBG of IADR and as Editor of the Society of Orthodontic Educators in American Association of Orthodontics. He is an active member of the American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research, IADR and ADEA.

ADEA Leadership Institute 
Class of 2023 

Dr. Reuben is an Instructional Associate Professor and Director of Instructional Effectiveness at the Texas A&M University College of Dentistry (Texas A&M Dentistry) where she works to develop educational research opportunities for students and faculty. Dr. Reuben returned to the college after serving as a founding faculty member at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine. She directs all of Texas A&M Dentistry’s undergraduate and graduate pharmacology courses and serves on the Faculty Development, P&T, Admissions and Curriculum committees. She received her Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences with a Specialization in Pharmacology and Toxicology from Florida A&M University.

Dr. Reuben studies the role of metacognition in the integration of basic and clinical sciences. A long-time advocate of diversity and inclusion, she has received a Texas A&M University (TAMU) ADVANCE grant to develop a mentoring program to help prepare dental students, residents and faculty for successful careers in academic dentistry. Dr. Reuben is the 2021-2022 Chair of the ADEA Section on Physiology, Pharmacology and Therapeutics. She is also the recipient of the 2021 College of Dentistry Distinguished Teaching Award, the 2021 TAMU Provost APTF Teaching Excellence Award, a 2020 TAMU Presidential Teaching Grant and was recently selected as a Fellow of the ASPET Academy of Pharmacology Educators.

ADEA Leadership Institute 
Class of 2023 

Dr. Rulli is Clinical Associate Professor and currently serves as Director of the Graduate Dental Hygiene Program at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry. She is very involved in interprofessional education (IPE) and collaborative practice. She was a University of Michigan Interprofessional Leaders Fellow 2018-2019. She currently is faculty lead for the University’s introductory IPE courses and developed an interprofessional, team-based care course with colleagues from the Schools of Nursing and Social Work. Dr. Rulli’s current grant-funded research focuses on the integration of oral health and behavioral health and was a contributor to the National Council for Mental Wellbeing's OH/BH Integration Framework.

Dr. Rulli serves on the Editorial Advisory Board for the Journal of Dental Hygiene and the Editorial Review Board for Health, Interprofessional Practice & Education, and serves as a reviewer for several journals, including the Journal of Dental Education. She has contributed to textbooks and frequently gives continuing education program instruction. Dr. Rulli recently chaired the 2020 ADEA/American Dental Hygienists’ Association Graduate Dental Hygiene Education Workgroup to update the 2010 graduate dental hygiene education competencies. She currently serves as Chair for the ADEA Council of Allied Dental Program Directors and the Annual Session Program Committee.

ADEA Leadership Institute 
Class of 2023 

Dr. Samaniego is an Associate Professor of Microanatomy & Cellular Biology and the Dental Scientific Principles of Scientific Medicine I Program Director for Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso Woody L. Hunt School of Dental Medicine (Hunt School of Dental Medicine). She obtained her Ph.D. in Pathobiology from the University of Texas at El Paso. Previously, Dr. Samaniego was one of the founding faculty members for an undergraduate Applied Biology Program at Kettering University in Flint, MI, where she designed several classes, led program assessment, led grant-funded project assessments, mentored research teams and created opportunities for undergraduates to engage with the community of Flint to increase STEM and health awareness. Her cellular and biochemical research focuses were in evaluation of biocompatibility of prosthetics, assessing nutraceutical properties of extracts and investigating mechanisms of anti-cancer compounds.

Dr. Samaniego currently serves on the Hunt School of Dental Medicine Executive Committee, Wellness Committee, and in 2022, the Curriculum Committee. Her educational research interests include service learning, implementation of remediation strategies and developing integrated curricular nodes in dentistry. The development of a new program engages much of her time, but in the future, she plans to study biocompatibility of implant materials or mechanistic studies related to periodontal disease.

ADEA Leadership Institute 
Class of 2023 

Dr. Scarpa-Lota is the Assistant Dean for Clinical Affairs at the Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey School of Dental Medicine (RSDM). She earned her B.S. degree from the University of South Carolina and her D.M.D. from RSDM. She completed two years of a General Practice Residency, serving the second year as Chief Resident at St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center in Paterson, N.J. She was an attending for 16 years before she moved to RSDM as a Group Practice Administrator.

Dr. Scarpa-Lota serves as the Course Director of the Patient Care and Management Course for the third- and fourth-year students. The course is a model of health care delivery, which meets the total oral health needs of the patient while emphasizing the patient as the central focus of the organized system of care. During their clinic experience, students must learn to integrate the behavioral, social, ethical, legal and humanitarian components of patient care and recognize how these factors can influence patient decision-making, compliance and overall satisfaction. Dr. Scarpa-Lota also serves as the Chairperson of the RSDM Admissions Committee, the Student Academic Performance Committee and numerous other committees.

ADEA Leadership Institute 
Class of 2023 

Dr. Sousa Melo is an Assistant Professor of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology at the Oregon Health & Science University School of Dentistry (OHSU SOD). He was affiliated with The University of Iowa College of Dentistry & Dental Clinics since 2013, first as Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology resident and then as Clinical Assistant Professor. He joined OHSU SOD in January 2019 to serve as Director of the Oral Radiology Clinic and Course Director of the Radiology curricula. He was recently elected to the Faculty Council for a two-year term. He is the Radiation Safety Officer, representing the School at the Radiation Safety Board.

Dr. Sousa Melo is a diplomate of the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology. He is also the elected Councilor for Public Policy and Scientific Affairs at the American Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology and has served as Chair of the ADEA Section on Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology. He is on the Editorial Board of the Dentomaxillofacial Radiology Journal and is a member of the ad-hoc Education Committee at the International Association of Dentomaxillofacial Radiology. Dr. Sousa Melo has published nine book chapters and 25 papers in peer-reviewed journals in the last five years. He is a Fellow of the ADEA Emerging Leaders Program.

ADEA Leadership Institute 
Class of 2023 

Dr. Stewart is the James J. Baldwin Associate Professor in the Department of Orthodontics at the Indiana University School of Dentistry (IUSD) and currently serves as Chair and Program Director. In this capacity, he facilitates the day-to-day and strategic operations within the Department. He coordinates the didactic, clinical and research activities of the Department’s residents, and the professional development opportunities for the department’s faculty and staff.

During his career, Dr. Stewart has facilitated numerous predoctoral and graduate orthodontic courses at IUSD. Nationally, he has served as a member of the National Board Dental Examination (NBDE) Part II and Integrated NBDE test construction committees and has been a Commission on Dental Accreditation site visitor since 2017. He has received numerous awards including the Omicron Kappa Upsilon Charles Craig Teaching Award in 2013; the Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis Trustee's Teaching Award in 2014, 2015 and 2019; and the IUSD Outstanding Faculty Member of the Year Award in 2017.

Dr. Stewart has actively engaged in organized dentistry through various of leadership roles including Chair of the ADEA Section on Orthodontics, President of the Indiana Association of Orthodontists, President of the American Association of Orthodontists-Society of Educators and Chair of the American Association of Orthodontists-Council on Orthodontic Education.

ADEA Leadership Institute 
Class of 2023 

Dr. Sykes-Smith is a General Dentist, Associate Professor and Assistant Dean of Patient Services at Meharry Medical College School of Dentistry (Meharry SOD). Dr. Sykes-Smith completed her D.D.S. at Meharry SOD and a M.B.A. at Tennessee State University. She attended and participated in the American Dental Association’s (ADA) Diversity and Leadership Institute, the Interprofessional Education eXchange Program (iPEX), the ADEA/AAL Emerging Leaders Program, the ADEA/AAL Institute for Teaching and Learning and the ADEA Enid A. Neidle Scholar-in-Residency Program for Women Faculty, where she conducted a study on the “Pathway for the Successful Advancement of Women Faculty”. She was recently inducted into the American College of Dentists.

Before joining Meharry SOD, Dr. Sykes -Smith served as a General Dentist in private practice, committed to providing service and care for her community in Detroit and Southfield, MI. Dr. Sykes-Smith is a member of ADA, ADEA, the National Dental Association, the Pan-Tennessee Dental Association, the Capital City Dental Society, the International Women’s Leadership Conference and various other dental professional organizations.

ADEA Leadership Institute 
Class of 2023 

Dr. Wong is an Associate Professor of Dentistry and Pediatrics at the Eastman Institute for Oral Health (Eastman Institute) at the University of Rochester Medical Center. She graduated from the Université de Montréal. She subsequently completed a Multidisciplinary Residency at the Montreal Children’s Hospital (McGill University) where she served as a Staff Dentist and Clinical Instructor. She completed a Pediatric Dentistry Residency Program and a M.S. in Dental Science from the Eastman Institute.

Dr. Wong has served as the Pediatric Dentistry Residency Program Director at the Eastman Institute since 2018. Her research focuses on clinical outcomes, prevention and social determinants of early childhood caries. Her educational focuses are on digital education and resident assessment. She is a board-certified pediatric dentist, Fellow of the Royal College of Dentists of Canada (Pediatric Dentistry), Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and Associate Member of the American Academy of Pediatrics. She is the Secretary of the College of Diplomates of the American Board of Pediatric Dentists and Committee Member of the Accreditation Council Graduate Medical Education Pediatric Surgery Milestone 2.0 Project.

ADEA Leadership Institute 
Class of 2023 

Dr. Wright is the Assistant Dean for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at East Carolina University School of Dental Medicine (ECU SoDM). She serves as Chair of the Diversity and Inclusion Community, Faculty Co-Chair of the Professional Conduct and Course Director of the Community Oral Health Practice Course. Dr. Wright is also the Dental Director for the Bertie County School-based Oral Health Program. She serves on the Strategic Planning Committee for the Commission on Dental Accreditation, the Student Progress Committee and the Curriculum Committee. She also served as the Division Director of Dental Public Health from 2015 to 2020.

Dr. Wright is the Principal Investigator for the Health Resources and Services Administration’s Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students and the Dental Faculty Loan Repayment Program. She is the recipient of ECU’s Service-Learning Teaching Award, the ECU Faculty Recognition Award, the ECU Four Corners Study Club Faculty Leadership Award and a member of the Omicron Kappa Upsilon Dental Honor Society, Beta Omicron Kappa Chapter. Her research expertise and interests include oral health disparities, access to care and oral health-related quality of life.