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. Nader A. Nadershahi serves 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.

Dr. Nadershahi has led milestone projects such as strategic planning and implementation, the design and implementation of the school’s integrated curriculum and competencies, raising $69.3M in the comprehensive fundraising campaign, development of the university’s San Francisco campus facilities and online masters programs, accreditation oversight, and launch of new health science programs such as the MPAS and eventual creation of the School of Health Sciences. He also serves as a Board member for the Bay Area Council and San Francisco Chamber of Commerce, and was appointed by the Governor to serve on the California Health Workforce Education and Training Council.  He has more than 140 presentations, 30 publications, five book chapters, and numerous abstracts and other publications. In addition to his teaching and administrative responsibilities, Dr. Nadershahi owned and operated a private general dental practice in San Rafael and San Anselmo, California.

Dr. Nadershahi has been actively involved in organized dentistry and dental education through leadership roles at the California Dental Association, American Dental Association, American Dental Education Association, and other groups. He served as Chair of the Board of Directors for the American Dental Education Association and serves as delegate to the ADEA and ADA houses.  Dr. Nadershahi is a member of the Santa Fe Group, a national organization focused on catalyzing the improvement of oral health and health care in the United States and beyond.  He has been actively involved in leadership development, accreditation, national licensure, and the evolution of oral health education and collaborative care.  He is a fellow of the American College of Dentists, Academy of Dentistry International, International College of Dentists, and Pierre Fauchard Academy.

Dr. Nadershahi earned his DDS degree in 1994 from University of the Pacific, Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry, and completed GPR training at the Palo Alto VA Hospital. He also earned an MBA from Pacific’s Eberhardt School of Business, as well as an EdD from the Benerd School of Education. He has completed Fellowship and served as advisor for the ADEA Leadership Institute.  He works closely with the Dugoni School Alumni and Foundation boards.  In 2013, the Dugoni School’s Alumni Association awarded him a Medallion of Distinction in recognition of his many years of service.

Dr. Nicholas Mosca is an Associate Professor at the LSU School of Dentistry. His wide-ranging work includes experience as the director of the hospital dental clinic at an academic health center, public service as the state dental director and as director of the STD/HIV programs for the Mississippi Department of Health, and director of Quality Programs and Data Analytics at CrescentCare, a community health center that serves the LGBTQ community in Louisiana. He obtained his Doctor of Public Health degree at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Dr. Mosca is a past president of the American Association of Public Health Dentistry and a member of the Santa Fe Group.