Meet Our Board of Advisors

An emeritus member of the Board, Stanley M. Bergman is the CEO of Henry Schein Inc., the largest global supplier of dental products. Stanley credits Wharton Graduate, Edward Shils (W36, G37, GR40, L86, GL90, GRL97), with being his mentor in business. Henry Schein has been a longtime partner, advocate, and friend to Penn Dental Medicine. Key initiatives supported by Henry Schein have included the Shils Atrium in the Schattner Center, the Shils Boardroom, Henry Schein Cares Clinic, Diversity Scholarship funding, and the Care Center for Persons with Disabilities.

Melville, NY

Dirk Brunner, currently a medical device consultant. Former President of Zeiss Microsurgery providing visualization and treatment solutions that enable minimally invasive surgery, primarily for Neuro, Spine, ENT, Dental, and Radiation Oncology applications. Prior to beginning his current role in 2019, he was the Senior VP for the microsurgery Division and prior the Co-Head of Carl Zeiss Meditec’s U.S. Sales & Service Organization.

Aalen, Germany

Julie Charlestein is the fourth generation leader at Premier Dental Products Company, which was started in 1913 by her great-grandfather, Julius Charlestein. Julie currently serves as President. A native of Philadelphia, Julie graduated from Emory University with undergraduate degrees in Political Science and Judaic Language and Literature, and attended Temple University for her graduate degree in Business. In her role as President of Premier, Julie was voted one of the Top 25 Most Influential Women in Dentistry by Dental Products Report.

Plymouth Meeting, PA

Dr. William Cheung, a 1981 DMD and 1982 Certificate of General Practice Residency graduate of Penn Dental Medicine, is our Emeritus Board Chair and an Emeritus Trustee of the University. Living and practicing in his native Hong Kong where he heads a multi-specialty dental practice, Dr. Cheung is a leader in continuing education program development throughout Hong Kong and beyond. He serves as a member of the Hong Kong Dental Association Professional Education Committee and is the Chairman of the Education Committee of the FDI World Dental Federation. The Geneva-based FDI is a conglomeration of nearly 200 dental associations worldwide with the mission to improve the oral health of people worldwide. In addition, Dr. Cheung is a Fellow of the Academy of General Dentistry, Academy of Dentistry International, International College of Dentists, American College of Dentists, International Academy for Dental Facial Esthetics, and Pierre Fauchard Academy. He was the recipient of Alumni Award of Merits of both the School of Dental Medicine in 2011 and the University in 2019.

Hong Kong SAR, China

Dr. Joanne Chouinard-Luth, 1979 graduate of Penn Dental Medicine, is a former practicing dentist and nutritional consultant. She is currently writing a book on nutrition. Dr. Chouinard-Luth completed two master’s degrees (one in health, one in nutrition) following her time at Penn Dental Medicine. She is interested in supporting expansion of nutrition education/outreach in the dental school curriculum.

Chatham, NJ

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 the 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 president of the Santa Fe Group, vice president of the American College of Dentists, and serves on the board of directors of the American Dental Association Science and Research Institute.

Egidio A. Farone has maintained a private practice on Manhattan’s Upper East Side for more than 30 years. Dr. Farone graduated from Binghamton University in 1980, he then attended the University of Pennsylvania, receiving his doctorate in dental medicine in 1984. Dr. Farone continued his education with a two-year GPR program at the Brookdale Hospital Medical Center. Since 2003, he has been a clinical assistant professor and an attending dentist at New York Presbyterian Hospital Weill-Cornell Medical Center. Dr. Farone has a long history of service to the New York County Dental Society, where he served on the Peer Review and Quality Assurance Committee in various roles from 1997 – 2014 He went on to serve as Chair of the New York State Dental Association’s Council on Peer Review and Quality Assurance from 2014 – 2016. He has served on various other committees for the society and is presently Secretary.

In addition, Dr. Farone is a Fellow of the New York Academy of Dentistry and served as its President from 2014 – 2015. He is on the Board of Trustees of the New York Dental Foundation, a Fellow of the American College of Dentists, this year serves he as the Chair of the New York section, and he is a Fellow of the International College of Dentists. Since 2018, he has served on the Dean’s Council of the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine and as of 2024 is serving on the Board of Advisors.

Dr. Farone has a passion for all things Italian. He has taken courses and is fluent in the language. A few years back, he obtained his Italian citizenship and has traveled to Italy once a year, every year, since 1991. He also enjoys exercise and values his friendships and family.

Dr. Allen Finkelstein is CEO of Bedford HealthCare Solutions and the former Chief Dental Officer of AmeriChoice/United Health Group, which insures over 3.5 million individuals in dental coverage through CHIP/Medicaid. Dr. Finkelstein is active on a diversity of boards, serving on the New Jersey Dental Medicaid Advisory Committee; New York, New Jersey and Rhode Island Coalitions of Oral Health; the American Friends of the Hebrew University New York Advisory Board; the Children’s Health Project Board; and the Shils Entrepreneurial Education Fund of the American Dental Association (Vice Chairman), among others. A member of the New York Academy of Sciences, he is also a member of advisory board for Healthy Smiles-Healthy Families Oral Health for Children in California’s Healthy Families Program and a member of the Board of Advisors for the Children’s Dental Health Project, Washington, DC.

Dr. Finkelstein is a former Post Preventive Dental Officer at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, receiving the Army Commendation Medal for the Preventive Dental Program developed to reduce caries and emergencies for the U.S. Army Dental Corp during the Vietnam War. He also served on the forensic staff at the New York City Medical Examiner’s Office after September 11th and currently is an advisor to the New York City Department of Health for the New York Cares Health Improvement Program.

A longtime proponent of integrated dental and medical care, Dr. Finkelstein has lectured widely on the subject of early childhood caries and the need for medical/dental integration to achieve the establishment of a quality outcome-based health home.

Dr. Finkelstein earned his DDS with honors from Temple University School of Dentistry in 1969 and was awarded a Doctor of Humane Letters degree from the A.T. Still University (Hon) in 2009.

New York, NY

Ruchi Goel serves as a Board member of Labo America, where she led business development for their Labomed product line, a leading global brand of operating microscopes for Medical and Dental offices and Life Sciences. Her experience spans real estate, investment banking, and finance. She is currently a licensed real estate agent with Compass, where her work includes residential real estate development and client advisory. She has previously worked in investment banking and finance roles for Hewlett Packard and Goldman Sachs. Ms. Goel holds an MBA from the Wharton School.

Menlo Park, CA

Steven W. Kess serves as Vice President of Global Professional Relations of Henry Schein, Inc. He is also co-founder of Henry Schein Cares, the company’s global corporate social responsibility program and serves as the Founding President of the Henry Schein Cares Foundation. Mr. Kess is presently President of the Santa Fe Group (SFG), a nonprofit think tank dedicated to improving oral health for the public and has served on the boards of the American Dental Association Foundation, Oral Health America, the U.S. National Oral Health Alliance, Friends of the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, and the Alpha Omega International Dental Fraternity.

New York, NY

Dr. Anne Koch began her dental career in the military, serving in the Far East and U.S. as a prosthodontist. She then returned to Penn Dental Medicine to pursue her Endodontic career. She was the founding director of the post graduate endodontics program at Harvard Dental School. Dr. Koch is President and CEO of Koch Consulting and presents at conferences globally.

West Palm Beach, FL

Catherine “Kate” O’Hern Lyons is a 1986 graduate of the University of Pennsylvania’s College of Arts & Sciences.  As an undergraduate at Penn, Kate fondly recalls attending several Penn Orthodontic graduations with her late father, Dr. J.Henry O’Hern (D’53, GD ’55), who was a clinical professor of orthodontics at the School of Dental Medicine.  Dr. O’Hern received the Penn Dental Alumni Award of Merit in 2003.

Kate spent her professional career in the financial services industry and is now retired from Merrill Lynch, where she was a Managing Director in the Fixed Income Trading division.

While at Penn, Kate was a member of the Women’s Cross Country and Track & Field teams and was inducted into Penn’s Athletic Hall of Fame, in 2008.  In addition to being a member of the Penn Dental Medicine Board, Kate is currently on Penn’s Board of Trustees and a member of the Penn Athletics Board of Advisors.

Ms. Lyons received an MBA from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business in 1992 and currently serves on the school’s Board of Visitors.

Dr. Myechia Minter-Jordan, MD, MBA, serves as the president and CEO of the CareQuest Institute for Oral Health. A physician and business executive, Dr. Minter-Jordan leads a dynamic team of professional and clinical experts committed to building a future where every person can reach their full potential through excellent health. Through Dr. Minter-Jordan’s leadership, CareQuest Institute operates as a catalyst for systems change, bringing forth ideas and solutions to create a more equitable, accessible, and integrated health system for everyone. Before joining CareQuest Institute, Dr. Minter-Jordan served as chief medical officer and CEO of the Dimock Center, one of the largest community health centers in Massachusetts Dr. Minter-Jordan has served as an attending physician and instructor of medicine at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. She also invests personal time in her community, serving on several boards and committees, including BlueShield of California, The Boston Foundation, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Point 32 Health, and the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum.

Vincent Mosimann is the Chairman of the Board of Bien-Air Holding SA, a privately held medical instrument manufacturer based in Bienne, Switzerland. His company has grown to be a worldwide leader in the design and development of specialized dental and microsurgical instruments and is known for the efficiency and quality of its products. He is trained as a mechanical engineer with specialization in biomedical and micro mechanics and has attended several engineering schools in the Jura Region of Switzerland.

Bien, Switzerland

Dr. Joan O’Shea is the founder and president of the Spine Institute of Southern New Jersey, the first outpatient ambulatory spine surgical center in the region. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Binghamton University and an M.D. from the Status University of New York. Dr. O’Shea is a board-certified neurosurgeon with fellowship training in orthopedic spine surgery and specializes in treating spinal disorders.

Mt. Laurel, NJ

Daniel Perkins is President & CEO of AEGIS Communications, LLC. AEGIS is one of the largest oral health publishing outlets in the U.S. He has served as a liaison between corporate groups and academic leaders at the nation’s dental schools. Mr. Perkins has served on many dental-related boards, including the Dean’s Advisory Board of Harvard University School of Dental Medicine, Hadassah University School of Dental Medicine (Israel), The Dental Trade Alliance, and the Corporate Councils of the National & Hispanic Dental Association.

Newtown, PA

Dr. Garry Rayant is a dental specialist in periodontics & implant dentistry, entrepreneur and philanthropist. He is the editor-in-chief emeritus and was co-founder and partner in Dear Doctor Magazine, Inc, a print and on-line national consumer healthcare magazine. Dr. Rayant is a graduate of the London Hospital Medical College Dental School (1972) and holds a master’s degree in behavioral science (1975) and is a graduate of Penn Dental Medicine’s postdoctoral periodontal program (1977). He has interest and expertise in oral epidemiology & dental public health.

San Francisco, CA

Dr. Maria Ryan is Vice President and Chief Dental Officer, Colgate-Palmolive Co. She is a 1989 graduate of Stony Brook Dental School, with a PhD from the same institution in Oral Pathology and Pathology. Dr. Ryan is a recognized authority on the connections between oral and systemic health, including the need for early detection of periodontal disease and oral cancer.

Piscataway, NJ

Dr. Tony Saito is a 1995 graduate of Penn Dental Medicine. He owns a private dental practice specializing in pediatric dentistry in West Boylston, MA. He has served as president of the Massachusetts Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. He has been a volunteer for the Penn Alumni Interview program and has served as a career mentor for predental and current Penn Dental Medicine DMD students and residents

West Boylston, MA

Dr.  Schwieterman is Vice President of Clinical Affairs and Chief Medical Officer for Midmark Corporation. Schwieterman, who joined Midmark in 2007, has helped to lead the company’s focus on technology and new approaches to enrich experiences between caregivers and their patients at the point of care. His role includes advising on the development of clinical solutions, evaluating market trends, providing insight on government regulations, and identifying new innovations in the medical, dental, and animal health markets. He also targets ways health information technology can improve caregiver efficiency and patient outcomes.

Alfred L. Spencer Jr. is a manufacturing consultant specializing in continuous improvement and production optimization.  He is currently the SVP Continuous Improvement with P&THE Manufacturing. He is the former Master Facilitator of Production Systems for the DuPont Company, working on efforts to implement world-class productivity and continuous improvement processes across the North American Manufacturing and the Global Safety, Health and Environmental Organizations. He received a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1981 and an Executive MBA from the University of Delaware.

Bear, DE

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 in operations and marketing, she is a valuable asset both for later stage start-ups looking to scale and large companies looking to grow their businesses globally, drive channel distribution, and innovate.  Her broad areas of expertise include continuous improvement, profitability, productivity, commercial strategies, distribution, growth, and mergers and acquisitions.

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 comprised of 5 domestic operations.  She 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.  Over her tenure, she has achieved double the market growth rates and increased operating income in mature areas of the dental market known for low single-digit growth.  As a bold decision maker, she is transforming the company culture and completely turned around the commercial organization. Previously as the Vice-President of Marketing, Orthopedics, she spearheaded development of a new corporate/clinical marketing strategy and launched 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 a board member of DentalEZ, Inc., and was recently appointed Vice Chairman of Kids Smiles, Philadelphia, PA.

Jöerg Vogel has served as Vice President of International Sales at Dentsply Sirona for nearly two decades – starting at Sirona Dental Systems in 2004 and moving to Dentsply Sirona in 2016. Since 2015, he has led the International Special Clinic Solutions division worldwide, helping to provide universities and large clinics with digital dental equipment and education systems. Dentsply Sirona was an early and important partner in designing and equipping Penn Dental Medicine’s Center for Persons with Disabilities, and the company has helped amplify the work of the Center in Europe and elsewhere around the world. They have also been closely involved with the expansion of digital dentistry at Penn Dental Medicine.

Robert Zou lives in Beijing. He is the Founder and President of Arrail Group, consisting of 110 dental offices throughout China. Robert is a Wharton Grad and as such is also the Chair for the Beijing-based Penn Wharton China Center.

Beijing, China