Elisa M. Chávez, DDS is a Professor in the Department of Diagnostic Sciences at the Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry, San Francisco. She graduated from The University of California San Francisco, School of Dentistry and earned her certificate in Geriatric Dentistry from The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Dr. Chávez has practiced in private, community health, long-term care and hospital settings including Centro de Salud Familiar La Fe in her hometown of El Paso Texas, The Veteran’s Administration in Ann Arbor, Michigan, The Jewish Home for the Aged in San Francisco and On Lok PACE in the Bay Area where she currently directs student rotations. She also developed and directed a clinical teaching program for the Dugoni school, in a 780-bed long term care and rehabilitation hospital in San Francisco for which Pacific was recognized with the ADEA/IFDEA Orna Shanley Prize for Enhancing Access to Care. She has been a recipient of the Dr. Arthur A. Dugoni Faculty Award from The California Dental Association Foundation and The American College of Dentists, Outstanding Faculty Member Award at The Dugoni School of Dentistry.

Dr. Chávez has participated in numerous professional development programs and fellowships to enhance her understanding of the needs and barriers to oral health care for those who are vulnerable to poor oral health and limited access to healthcare including: The Geriatric Faculty Scholars Program at UCSF, Health Literacy and Ethnogeriatrics at Stanford University and Addressing the Oral Health Needs of the Underserved at The University of California, San Diego. In addition, she has participated in The California Healthcare Foundation leadership program and The ADEA Leadership Institute. She has served on the California Dental Association Medicare Task Force and as a member of  The Santa Fe Group, she has been an advocate for the oral health needs of older adults nationwide. She is currently the Director of the Pacific Center for Equity in Oral Health Care at The University of the Pacific, Dugoni School of Dentistry.

Dr. Teresa Dolan is the Chief Dental Officer at Overjet (www.overjet.ai), the global leader in dental AI. She previously served as Dentsply Sirona’s Chief Clinical Officer, leading the global Clinical Affairs function, supporting new product development and overseeing the largest global clinical education program sponsored by dental industry.  Dr. Dolan is also professor and dean emeritus of the University of Florida College of Dentistry, where she served as dean and chief academic officer from 2003 until 2013.  She is recognized for her contributions to dental public health, geriatric dentistry and as a champion for diversity and women in dentistry.  Dr. Dolan is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Rutgers University; she earned a DDS degree from the University of Texas and a MPH degree from the University of California, Los Angeles.  She was a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Dental Health Services Research Scholar, completed a Veterans Administration Fellowship in Geriatric Dentistry, and is board certified in Dental Public Health.  As a recognized leader in the dental profession, she currently serves as past-president of the Santa Fe Group, past-president of the American College of Dentists, and served on the board of directors of the ADA Forsyth.

Dr. Linda Niessen serves as Vice Provost for Oral Health Affairs for Kansas City University (KCU) and Founding Dean and Professor for the KCU College of Dental Medicine in Joplin, Missouri.  Dr. Niessen is a diplomate of the American Board of Dental Public Health and the American Board of Special Care Dentistry. Her academic career includes serving as a clinician caring for medically complex and geriatric patients at several VA Medical Centers. Dr. Niessen has served as president of the Santa Fe Group, Dallas County Dental Society, American Association of Women Dentists, American Association of Public Health Dentistry, American Board of Dental Public Health, Friends of the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, and the American Academy of Esthetic Dentistry. She has served as a member of Advisory Councils for the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research and the US Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration. Dr. Niessen received her Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry (Phi Beta Kappa) from the University of New Mexico. She received her dental degree (DMD cum laude), her Masters in Public Health degree (MPH) and her Masters in Public Policy degree (MPP), all from Harvard University. Her passion lies in identifying programs, models and partnerships that improve the oral health of the public, whether through education, research, reimbursement, new technologies and/or community service programs.

Dr. Lisa Simon is a physician, dentist, and health services researcher. She has published more than 70 peer-reviewed articles on the separation of medicine and dentistry. She is a faculty member in the Division of General Internal Medicine and Primary Care at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, and the Harvard School of Dental Medicine.