Little Teeth, BIG Smiles

Host Dr. Joel Berg is joined by seasoned talent acquisition expert Ron Harrison for a conversation focused on the struggles of finding – and keeping – talent in dentistry. Harrison specifically dives into the similarities between the hiring practices of the early 2000s tech boom companies and DSOs, and how they can impact smaller, privately-owned practices. Learn how important a fast-paced, efficient decision-making process is when hiring to best meet your staffing needs in a competitive market. 

Guest Bio: 

Ron Harrison is a seasoned talent acquisition expert with over two decades of recruiting experience. He is the founder of two successful technology recruiting firms and has trained hundreds of recruiters and recruiting leaders throughout his career. Drawing on his deep understanding of competitive hiring markets, including his time working in Silicon Valley during the tech boom and bust cycles, Ron has brought his expertise to the dental industry through Sage Dental Recruiting Outsourcing (Sage DRO).

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On this episode of little teeth, BIG Smiles, Dr. Susan Fisher-Owens, a nationally known pediatrician who is joining pediatric dentists on the front lines protecting children’s oral health, to discuss the importance of the care of adolescents to support them as they grow into their adult selves. Dr. Fisher-Owens shares important aspects of the adolescent psyche that all health care providers should keep in mind when counseling them on good health and habits and where pediatricians and pediatric dentists can bridge the two specialties. 

Guest Bio: 

Susan Fisher-Owens is a Clinical Professor of Pediatrics in the UCSF School of Medicine, and Clinical Professor of Preventive and Restorative Dental Sciences in the UCSF School of Dentistry. She serves on the California State Oral Health Plan and the California Perinatal and Infant Oral Health Quality Advisory Board, as well as the Integrated Coordinating Committee and Integration Committee for CavityFreeSF. Dr. Fisher-Owens also serves as the Informatics Director for Pediatrics, Primary Care, and Public Health Integration. 

Dr. Fisher-Owens practices at Zuckerberg San Francisco General, the county public hospital, and created an award-winning and sustainable oral health clinic embedded in their pediatric outpatient clinic. Dr. Fisher-Owens works with physicians on how to prevent oral disease in children or control it in adults (particularly pregnant women), and with dentists on how to work with children and incorporate context of care. Her research on a conceptual model of children's oral health is cited internationally and her current research focuses on oral health disparities.

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In this episode of little teeth, BIG Smiles, host Dr. Joel Berg is joined by Dr. Patty Medland, a pediatric dentist and orthodontist, to discuss the intersection and collaborative opportunities between the two specialties. Dr. Medland delves into the potential positive impacts to growth outcomes of early monitoring or treatment for children by a collaborative care team. 

Guest Bio: 

Dr. Patricia Medland holds a DDS degree from West Virginia University and MS degrees in both pediatric dentistry and orthodontics from the University of North Carolina, where she is currently an adjunct associate professor. She has combined her Surfers Paradise, Australia private practice in orthodontics with teaching. 

Dr. Medland has held teaching positions at West Virginia University, University of Sydney, University of Queensland, Griffith University, and University of North Carolina. Her practice and teaching focus on age-appropriate orthodontic treatment in children with a particular interest in the early diagnosis and treatment of anterior tooth impactions and missing teeth along with the application of new technologies to improve outcomes for these challenging cases. 

Dr. Medland also stepped in to teach growth and development at Medical University of South Carolina for residents after the passing of Dr. Ron Bell, the orthodontic graduate director. She was a lecturer at the Ron Bell Memorial Lecture in New Orleans and still gives growth and development lectures by Zoom to UNC orthodontic and pediatric dentistry residents.

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In this episode of Little Teeth, BIG Smiles, host Dr. Joel Berg is joined by Dr. Brett Kessler, a general dentist and the President-Elect of the American Dental Association (ADA) to discuss his extensive career and leadership roles within organized dentistry. Dr. Kessler reflects on his journey from an engineering student at the University of Iowa to his decision to pursue dentistry. He shares personal challenges, including overcoming substance abuse, and credits organized dentistry with saving his life and shaping his career. Throughout the conversation, Dr. Kessler highlights his commitment to wellness, which he passionately advocates for within the profession. Looking forward to his upcoming presidency, he discusses his priorities, including reforming dental benefit systems and expanding access to care, aiming to integrate oral health more closely with overall health care. 

Guest Bio: 

Dr. Brett Kessler, a general dentist in Denver, Colo., is the American Dental Association (ADA) President-Elect. Dr. Kessler has held several leadership positions within the ADA. He served as a delegate in the ADA’s House of Delegates from 2008 to 2019 and was a consultant to the Council on Dental Wellbeing Advisory Committee from 2007 to 2018. He also served as the vice chair of the Council on Dental Benefit Plans. In 2010, he received the ADA’s Golden Apple Award, the highest award bestowed by the Association, for outstanding leadership in mentoring. 

Dr. Kessler served as president of the Colorado Dental Association from 2014 to 2015 and was instrumental in the formulation and implementation of an adult Medicaid dental benefit in Colorado. 

Dr. Kessler speaks nationally on well-being and leadership topics to help dentists live their best lives. Dr. Kessler has received fellowships from the American College of Dentists, the International College of Dentists and the Pierre Fauchard Academy. He has testified before both the U.S. Congress and Colorado state legislature in an effort to help enact laws that serve the profession and the public. 

Dr. Kessler graduated from the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Dentistry in 1995. He completed his general practice residency at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in 1997. Dr. Kessler is an accomplished endurance athlete and competes in events across the country. Dr. Kessler has been married to his wife, Gina Kessler, D.D.S, M.S., since 1995 and together they have four children.

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Recording live at AAPD 2024, this episode of little teeth, BIG Smiles features Dr. Leon Klempner joining host Dr. Joel Berg to discuss the importance of marketing to grow a practice in this digital environment. In this candid conversation, Dr. Klempner elaborates on his path to choosing to specialize in orthodontics after dental school and how the specialties of pediatrics and orthodontics can come together to maximize business potential. 

Guest Bio: 

Dr. Leon Klempner is the director of orthodontics at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, assistant clinical professor in both the Department of Dentistry and the Department of Global Health as well as part-time faculty at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine. He completed his orthodontic specialty training at Tufts University and received his Doctorate degree from the University of Maryland. After graduation, he became a diplomate of the American Board of Orthodontics and practiced clinical orthodontics in private practice for 38 years. He has published articles in the American Journal of Orthodontics, Journal of Clinical Orthodontics, and numerous trade journals on the topics of early Class lll treatment and orthodontic marketing. In addition to teaching the Harvard orthodontic residents, he serves as the director of orthodontics and the cleft palate/craniofacial orthodontist for the Mount Sinai Hospitals in New York state. Dr. Klempner founded the Smile Rescue Fund for Kids, a nonprofit charity focused on helping children in Africa and is the CEO of People + Practice, a digital marketing agency for pediatric dentists and orthodontists.

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Recorded live at AAPD 2024, little teeth, BIG Smiles host Dr. Joel Berg is joined by Dr. Matt Geneser to discuss the latest in vital pulp therapy for permanent teeth with deep caries lesions. A native Iowan now teaching at both the pre-doctoral and post-doctoral level in the Department of Pediatric Dentistry at the University of Iowa, Dr. Geneser shares his thoughts on how to foster better outcomes for vital pulp therapy, which has been shown to be a more successful option for permanent teeth in recent years. As part of the conversation, he delves into the why pulp therapy can be successful specifically in rural communities. In the conversation, Dr. Geneser also touches on the LSTR (lesions sterilization and tissue repair) procedure, as well as the need for dental educators in academia.

Guest Bio:

Dr. Matt Geneser is a clinical professor of pediatric dentistry and full-time faculty member in the Department of Pediatric Dentistry at the University of Iowa. A native Iowan, he attended the University of Iowa (BS 2002, DDS 2006) before obtaining his certificate in pediatric dentistry from St. Joseph Hospital in Providence, Rhode Island (2008). After a short stint in private practice, Dr. Geneser took on a full-time academic role at the University of Iowa in 2011.

Dr. Geneser served as graduate program director at the University of Iowa Department of Pediatric Dentistry from 2012-2019 and currently directs the undergraduate clerkship experience for dental students. Since 2012 he has also directed a Nasoalveolar Molding (NAM) Clinic for infants with cleft lip and palate. He is heavily involved in teaching at both the pre-doctoral and post-doctoral levels while maintaining a busy faculty practice.

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Host Dr. Joel Berg is joined by Dr. Jayakumar Jayaraman to discuss ongoing research delving into utilizing dental dentition as a tool to assess age and other health factors. Dr. Jayaraman shares details of finding thus far and how the information can be more broadly used to support the one in four children in developing countries who are unsure of their birth date, a major roadblock for refugees and immigration processes. 

Guest Bio: 

Dr. Jayakumar Jayaraman is a board certified Pediatric Dentist with extensive clinical and research training from various prestigious institutions around the world. He holds master’s degrees in Pediatric Dentistry from the University of Hong Kong and the University of Texas Health San Antonio. Additionally, he obtained his Diploma in Pediatric Dentistry and Fellowship at the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, Scotland, where he also serves as an Examiner. Over the past 15 years, Dr. Jayaraman has been actively involved in teaching pediatric dentistry and supervising research projects for students at different academic levels in multiple countries. His research interests encompass a wide range of topics including Evidence-Based Dentistry, Forensic Dentistry, Human Biology, and Anthropology. With over 75 peer-reviewed scientific articles published, he is also actively involved as an editorial board member for leading forensic and pediatric dental journals. Furthermore, Dr. Jayaraman plays a significant role in various dental organizations, serving as a member of the Scientific Committee of the International Association of Paediatric Dentistry and as an expert consultant for the Council of Scientific Affairs of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. He was recently elected as a Fellow of American Academy of Forensic Sciences. Dr. Jayaraman holds the position of Associate Professor & Director of Research in the Department of Pediatric Dentistry at Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, while also practicing at a pediatric dental clinic in Williamsburg, VA. He is the Founder & Director of Date of Birth Foundation (www.dobfoundation.org), the world’s first charity to promote accurate birth records.

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Dr. Reza Ardalan joins host Dr. Joel Berg to chat about his role as Master of Ceremonies for AAPD’s Annual Session and share some behind-the-scenes info about the exciting CE program and social events planned for May 2024 in Toronto. Listen today for a sneak peek at the all-new format for the Opening Ceremony and Keynote. 

Delve into some highlights of the Scientific Program agenda, including the pre-conference course and “Team Talk” for dentists and their teams. This episode is a must-listen for every AAPD member making the trip to Toronto. 

Guest Bio: 

Dr. Reza Ardalan, better known as “Dr. Reza” in the office, earned his BS in Biology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1997. After moving to Florida, Dr. Ardalan received his DMD degree from Nova Southeastern University College of Dental Medicine in 2002. After graduation, he continued to receive his pediatric training at Nova Southeastern University and Miami Children’s Hospital, where he served as Chief Resident. 

Currently, Dr. Ardalan has a successful private practice in Port St. Lucie, Florida, where he prides himself in combining exceptional clinical skills with excellent customer service in a fun, creative atmosphere for children. Since opening his office, Dr. Ardalan has been recognized as the NSU-CDM Distinguished Alumnus of the Year, the Department of Health Champion Dentist of the Year and has received distinguished service awards from the American Dental Association, the Florida Dental Association, and the Pierre Fauchard Academy. Dr Ardalan has also served two terms as president of the Florida Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and is a past president of the Southeastern Society of Pediatric Dentistry. He is also a Fellow of the American College of Dentists, the International College of Dentists, and the Pierre Fauchard Academy. 

In his spare time, you can find him cheering on his beloved Tar Heels, spreading positive messages on social media, hosting a podcast, or attending another continuing education course.

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What’s one topic that routinely comes up between pediatric dentists and their patients? Pacifiers. Dr. Christina Carter chats with host Dr. Joel Berg the physiological impact and pros and cons of utilizing pacifiers as a tool. She walks listeners through her thought process when counseling parents on introducing and weaning a pacifier habit. 

Guest Bio: 

Dr. Christina R. Carter is a graduate of Haverford College in Haverford, Penn. She earned her dental degree at UMDNJ-NJDS, now Rutgers School of Dental Medicine. She earned her Certificate in both Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics at New York University College of Dentistry. She completed a fellowship in Cleft, Craniofacial and Surgical Orthodontics at the Institute of Reconstructive Plastic Surgery- New York University Langone Medical Center. She earned her Certificate as a Holistic Health Coach from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition in New York. She is a Diplomate of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry and American Board of Orthodontics. 

Dr. Carter is in private practice in Madison, NJ. She has been named multiple times as a “Top Doctor” by New Jersey Magazine and “Favorite Kid’s Doc” by New Jersey Family Magazine. She has served on the AAO Council of Orthodontic Health Care and multiple AAO committees and is a past-president of the Northeastern Society of Orthodontists (NESO) and served as their Delegate Chair to the ADA House of Delegates. She often appears on Sirius Radio “Doctor Radio”, AAPD Podcasts, and has been published in Scholastic and Kiwi magazines. In addition, she has appeared on “Inside Edition”, WPIX NYC News, and Today.com. She lectures nationally and internationally on pediatric dentistry, orthodontics, and treating patients with special needs. She is an Assistant Professor at New York University College of Dentistry in the Departments of Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics. Dr. Carter enjoys volunteering with Special Olympics and alongside her certified therapy dog, Callie, through Creature Comfort Pet Therapy in New Jersey.

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The recently “retired” Dr. David Tesini joins little teeth, BIG Smiles host Dr. Joel Berg to chat about the importance of identifying passions beyond your areas of professional expertise to stay engaged and energized in your work. Dr. Tesini shares his own personal path to passion endeavors, specifically a prosecco vineyard in Italy, along with suggested ways to diversify your interests. He also discusses the importance of considering one-, three-, and five-year plans to help combat burnout and determine what it will take for you to feel fulfilled. 

Guest Bio: 

Dr. David Tesini recently retired after 45 years from the private practice of Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontic in Natick and Sudbury, Mass. He received his D.M.D. and MS at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine and completed his Fellowship in Pediatric Dentistry at the Boston Floating Hospital for Children. He holds a Fellowship in Dental Surgery from the prestigious Royal College of Surgeons, Edinburgh, Scotland. He was a member of the Board of Trustees of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and served as its Parliamentarian. Dr. Tesini was the 2016 AAPD recipient of the Merle C Hunter Leadership Award and currently serves on the Lowe Syndrome Association (LSA) Medical Advisory Board. 

His entrepreneurial endeavors extend to developing ergonomically designed baby products in the soothing and feeding categories i.e. such as pacifiers, teethers and baby bottles; he holds over a dozen US patents. His most recent research endeavors involve development of smartphone applications which allow parents to biometrically size pacifiers and for pediatric dentists to non-invasively diagnose non-syndromic mandibular retrusion in infants and toddlers. 

When he is not repairing cuckoo clocks, Dr. Tesini can be found with his wife Bernadette at his Prosecco Vineyard in Northern Italy.

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