77 Avenue Louis Pasteur, Boston, MA 02115
Learn about innovations at the intersection of dental, oral, craniofacial space and regenerative medicine
Network with others developing technologies and/or investing in this field
Explore strategies for generating clinical evidence that successfully translates into patient benefit
Speakers
Keynote Presentation: Accelerating Technology Innovation and Translation Across the Academic-Industrial Interface
Donald E. Ingber, MD, PhD (Founding Director of the Wyss Institute, Harvard University)
Donald E. Ingber, M.D., Ph.D., is the Founding Director of the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, Judah Folkman Professor of Vascular Biology at Harvard Medical School and the Vascular Biology Program at Boston Children’s Hospital, and Hansjörg Wyss Professor of Biologically Inspired Engineering at the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. He received his B.A., M.A., M.Phil., M.D. and Ph.D. from Yale University.
Ingber is a pioneer in the field of biologically inspired engineering, and at the Wyss Institute, he currently leads scientific and engineering teams that cross a broad range of disciplines to develop breakthrough bioinspired technologies to advance healthcare and to improve sustainability. His work has led to major advances in mechanobiology, cell structure, tumor angiogenesis, tissue engineering, systems biology, nanobiotechnology and translational medicine. Through his work, Ingber also has helped to break down boundaries between science, art and design.
Ingber has authored more than 500 publications and 200 patents, founded 8 companies, and has presented more than 550 plenary presentations and invited lectures world-wide. He is a member of the National Academy of Engineering, National Academy of Medicine, National Academy of Inventors, American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering, and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He was named one of the Top 20 Translational Researchers world-wide in 2012 and 2020 (Nature Biotechnology), a Leading Global Thinker of 2015 (Foreign Policy magazine), and has received numerous other honors in a broad range of disciplines.
Ingber has made great strides in translating his innovations into commercial products and many are now either in clinical trials or currently being sold. Examples of technologies Ingber has developed include therapeutics for cancer and pandemic viruses; micropatterned culture substrate research tools; a dialysis-like sepsis therapeutic device that clears blood of pathogens and inflammatory toxins along with a companion diagnostic; an anticoagulant surface coating for medical devices that replaces the need for dangerous blood-thinning drugs; a shear stress-activated nanotherapeutic that targets clot-busting drugs and vasodilators to sites of vascular occlusion; low cost nasopharyngeal swabs and highly sensitive multiplexed electrochemical sensors for COVID-19 diagnostics; and Human Organ Chips lined by living human cells and tissues that are being used to replace animal testing for drug development and personalized medicine. Ingber’s Organ Chip technology was named one of the Top 10 Emerging Technologies by the World Economic Forum and Design of the Year by the London Design Museum. It was also acquired by the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City for its permanent design collection.
Introduction to the Translational Resource Center
David Kohn, PhD (Translational Resource Center/ University of Michigan)
Dr. Kohn is the Natalie C. Roberts Endowed Professor at the University of Michigan in the Departments of Biologic and Materials Sciences (Dentistry) and Biomedical Engineering (Engineering), and Director of the Translational Resource Center. He received his BS in biomedical engineering from Tulane University and his Ph.D. in bioengineering from the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Kohn’s laboratory focuses on biomineralization, which is investigated by establishing structure-function relations in mineralized tissues and utilizing this information to develop biomimetic strategies to engineer tissue.
Over the past 30 years, Dr. Kohn’s research has spanned numerous areas, including biomineralization, biomimetic materials, discovery of novel dual-function peptides, and functional adaptation of tissues in response to exercise, diet, and genetic influences. Dr. Kohn is also the PI and Director of Michigan’s NIH-supported Training Program in Tissue Engineering and Regeneration and Director of a university-wide regenerative medicine program funded by the President’s Biosciences Initiative.
Dr. Kohn is past President of the Society for Biomaterials and serves on the advisory boards of several universities and has consulted for many medical device companies. Dr. Kohn is a Fellow of Biomaterials Science and Engineering of the International Union of Societies for Biomaterials Science, and a Fellow of the American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE), American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), and Biomedical Engineering Society. He is also a recipient of a Distinguished Scientist award from the International Association for Dental Research (IADR), and Clemson Award from the Society for Biomaterials.
Clinical Evidence as Critical Next Step in Advancing Innovations to Clinical Adoption
William Giannobile DDS, DMSc (Translational Resource Center/ Harvard University)
William Giannobile is the Dean of the Harvard School of Dental Medicine and A. Lee Loomis Jr. Professor of Oral Medicine, Infection and Immunity at Harvard University. He received his DDS and MS in Oral Biology from the University of Missouri. He later received his Certificate in Periodontology and Doctor of Medical Sciences in Oral Biology from Harvard University. He completed postdoctoral training in Molecular Biology at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School. He has served as a Visiting Professor at the University of Genova Medical School Biotechnology Institute, Sapienza University of Rome, and the Eastman Dental Institute, University College London.
Dr. Giannobile’s continuously NIH-funded research program over the past 30 years has focused on Oral and Periodontal Regenerative Medicine, Tissue Engineering and Precision Medicine. He currently serves as Co-Principal Investigator to the NIH/NIDCR-supported Michigan-Pittsburgh-Wyss Regenerative Medicine Resource Center. The goal of the center is to translate early-stage dental, oral and craniofacial reconstructive technologies into clinical practice. He has produced over 300 manuscripts and patents focused on periodontology, regenerative medicine, and oral health research. He is the editor or co-editor of over 10 books focused on clinical, translational research, periodontology, and regenerative medicine. Dr. Giannobile served as the Editor-in-Chief for the Journal of Dental Research, the official journal of the International Association for Dental Research, from 2010-2020. Dr. Giannobile has served as a consultant to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for Dental Devices since 2006.
Dr. Giannobile received the Galileo Galilei Award in 2022 from the SIdP and the International Eminence in Periodontology Award, European Federation of Periodontology in 2023. Recently, he received the American Dental Association’s Gold Medal for Excellence in Dental Research in 2024. He is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Association for Dental Research, and the International and American Colleges of Dentists. He is a past president of the American Academy of Periodontology Foundation and the Osteology Foundation. In addition to his administrative and teaching responsibilities, he practices periodontics and implant dentistry at the Harvard Dental Center in Cambridge, MA.
Panel 1: Best Practices for Generating Clinical Evidence that Drives Adoption
Moderator
Jeanne Ambruster, BS (Translational Resource Center/ CEO, The Avenues Company)
Jeanne Ambruster is a scientist by training who has spent most of her career developing oral health and dental regenerative businesses. She founded The Avenues Company almost 25 years ago, where she works directly with clients to drive clinical adoption of innovative products. Avenues is a product, market, and business development company with expertise in translating devices, biologics, pharmaceuticals, and diagnostics from benchtop to clinic.
After attending UCSF in Neurosciences, Jeanne began her career at W.L. Gore's Medical Division in 1981. She joined with the aim of using biomaterials to regenerate peripheral nerves. Through serendipity, she pivoted early on to partner with researchers developing Guided Tissue Regeneration (around teeth) and later Guided Bone Regeneration (around implants), which led to a global dental regenerative technologies business. After almost 20 years at Gore, she joined Drs. Kornman and Newman to launch Interleukin Genetics (ILG), focusing on the role of cytokines in chronic inflammatory diseases, such as periodontitis. When ILG moved to Boston, she remained in Flagstaff, Arizona, where she founded The Avenues Company and became CEO in 2001.
Jeanne is a founding board member of The McGuire Institute (iMc), which is advancing high-level practice-based research in dentistry, and on the board of the American Academy of Periodontology Foundation (AAPF).
Jeanne also serves on the Operating Committee for the Michigan-Pittsburgh-Wyss Regenerative Medicine “Translational Resource Center” (MPWRM TRC), focusing on advancing innovations at the intersection of dental, oral, and craniofacial (DOC) and regenerative medicine. She has recently been invited to serve on the NIDCR Advisory Council through 2028.
Jeanne is a member of the Dean’s Advisory Group at Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM). She is also on the HSDM leadership team for the NIDCR-funded H-CREDENT grant. She served as an “Expert in Residence” from 2020-2023 at the Harvard Innovation Lab.
Panelists
Michael Newman, DDS (Industry Consultant, Senior Associate Editor, J American Dental Association)
Dr. Michael G. Newman is an alum and periodontist who has been in clinical practice for more than 30 years. He is a Professor Emeritus at the UCLA School of Dentistry, and a founding board member emeritus and current advisor of the McGuire Institute for practice-based research in Houston. Dr. Newman is the Senior Associate Editor of the Journal of the American Dental Association. Dr. Newman has consulted for professional organizations and private industry for over 35 years. Dr. Newman co-founded the former Interleukin Genetics, a publicly traded company. He is a diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology and a past president of the American Academy of Periodontology. Dr. Newman was instrumental in advocating for evidence-based dentistry to be an integral principle of the American Dental Association and was co-chairman of the multiyear ADA Evidence-Based Champions conferences. After graduating from the UCLA School of Dentistry, Dr. Newman completed periodontal and microbiology training at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine and the Forsyth Dental Institute. Dr. Newman is the senior author of "Newman and Carranza's Clinical Periodontology and Implantology," 14th edition (Elsevier, 2023), the most widely used periodontal textbook in the world, and senior author of "Newman and Carranza's Clinical Periodontology for the Dental Hygienist" (Elsevier) and "Essentials of Clinical Periodontology" (Elsevier). He is the founding editor of the Journal of Evidence-Based Dental Practice (Elsevier) and has published more than 200 abstracts and articles in peer-reviewed journals.
Irina Dragan, DDS, DMD, MS, eMBA (Periodontist, Educator, Researcher, The Perio Studio)
Dr. Irina Dragan is board certified and an examiner for the American Board of Periodontology and Implant Dentistry. She is part-time faculty in postgraduate periodontics at Harvard School of Dental Medicine and an adjunct associate professor of periodontology at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine (TUSDM).
Dr. Dragan has received comprehensive training and experience in minimally invasive periodontal surgery, including the utilization of a novel soft tissue substitute for gingival grafting. She is fully trained and experienced in all phases of periodontal and implant treatment and continues to explore innovations to advance periodontal treatment options. Her clinical practice is limited to periodontology and implant dentistry at The Perio Studio, in downtown Boston, MA.
Dr. Dragan received her first Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) degree from Carol Davila University (Romania) and the second one from Tufts University School of Dental Medicine (TUSDM). She completed her advanced training in Periodontology and Implant Dentistry at TUSDM and earned a Master of Science in Dental Medicine at the same institution. She also received post-doctoral training in comprehensive and esthetic dentistry at New York University College of Dentistry and an Executive MBA from Quantic University.
She has published more than 45 research papers, written five chapters in dental textbooks, and is the Co-editor of “Newman and Carranza’s Essentials of Clinical Periodontology: An Integrated Study Companion.” This textbook aims to provide periodontology and implant dentistry concepts in a format that assures successful preparation for the U.S. National Dental Board Examinations. In addition, she was invited to contribute as a subject matter expert for the 2021 Surgeon General’s Report on Oral Health for the section on Oral Health Integration, Workforce and Practice. She currently serves as Editor of the Periodontology Section of Compendium Continuing Education in Dentistry.
Dr. Dragan is the recipient of the American Academy of Periodontology Foundation Tarrson Fellowship award, given to an outstanding periodontist for research. She has also received the Presidential Citation from the American Dental Education Association and was honored with the Tufts University Provost’s Award for Outstanding Teaching Service. The interdisciplinary team she led at TUSDM was honored by the Academy of Osseointegration with the Applied Clinical Science Research. Most recently, she received the Massachusetts Dental Society “10 Under 10” award for her contributions to the field of periodontology.
In her free time, Dr. Dragan enjoys reading, working out, and spending time with her family and friends. Dr. Dragan is also fluent in Romanian and Spanish.
Peggy Hansen (GM Contract Development & Manufacturing, SVP Quality, Regulatory & Clinical Affairs, Regenity Biosciences)
Peggy Hansen joined Regenity in October 2001. Peggy has about 30 years of experience in regulatory affairs, clinical research, and quality assurance of implantable medical devices and was promoted to the role of General Manager of Regenity’s contract development and manufacturing business in 2020. Before joining Regenity, Peggy was the Manager of Regulatory Affairs at SurModics, Inc., a company specializing in surface modification of medical devices, where she was responsible for the company’s regulatory affairs and quality compliance. Prior to working at SurModics, Peggy was at 3M Health Care, Medical Products Division and Cardiovascular Systems Division, where she was responsible for U.S. and global regulatory filings concerning the company’s class I, II, and III medical devices and combination products. Peggy was also employed by ReGen Biologics, Inc., a company involved in the development of collagen orthopedic products. She is a certified Regulatory Affairs Professional. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from Cornell University.
Carrie Hartill, MBBS (Principal, Regulatory Strategies LLC)
Carrie Hartill, trained in Medicine in the UK, was given the opportunity to participate in research projects in medical school. She quickly saw the potential for research and development to meet clinical and patient needs, turning her attention to translational science in the development of medical devices. With patient benefit always in the forefront, Carrie is passionate about designing strategies to navigate the challenges of bringing basic research through the development, regulatory, and clinical phases, ultimately to provide enhanced options for clinicians.
Over time, Carrie has worked independently to guide and assist start-ups and larger companies, now returning to this independent mode of supporting selected projects.
Also experienced directly in industry, she has served as Chief Scientific Officer for RTI Surgical, and most recently as Executive Director, Regenerative Technologies for Geistlich.
Panel 2: Entrepreneurs on Challenges & Pathways to Getting Clinical Studies Funded
Moderator
Paul Kostenuik, PhD (Translational Resource Center/ Founder & Owner, Phylon Pharma Services)
Paul Kostenuik currently serves as Chief Science Officer at Mesentech Inc, a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company focused on bone and skeletal muscle regeneration. Paul is also the founder and owner of Phylon Pharma Services, a consulting company that also does contract medical writing for the biotechnology, pharmaceutical, and device industries. Dr. Kostenuik’s prior roles include Scientific Director at Amgen, where he supported the development of denosumab and romosozumab; Global Medical Director for Amgen Medical Affairs; Vice President of Capital, Strategy, and Transactions at Radius Health; and Vice President of Translational Medicine at Angitia Biopharmaceuticals. Paul is also a cofounder and CEO of Ortheus Inc, an orthobiologics start-up. Paul earned his PhD in Medical Sciences at McMaster University, followed by post-doctoral fellowships at the La Jolla Institute for Experimental Medicine and the University of California San Francisco. Paul then joined the faculty at Boston University’s Department of Orthopedic Surgery, where he studied fracture healing under Dr. Thomas Einhorn. Dr. Kostenuik is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry, and he also lectures at the UCLA School of Dentistry. Paul has published over 120 peer-reviewed articles and several book chapters and is a co-inventor on several patents.
Panelists
Dominik Lysek, PhD (CSO, Revere Partners/ CEO, PharmaTrail)
Dominik obtained a PhD in the nobel prize winning lab of Kurt Wüthrich. After his PhD he has acquired extensive experience in clinical research since 2004. First within Geistlich running the clinical research on Bio-Oss and Bio-Gide and then conducting Phase IIb clinical trials for Auris Medical a pharma start-up. In 2010 he founded credentis, a Swiss company developing a self-assembling peptide based product for the regeneration of enamel. As its CEO, he designed and oversaw credentis' clinical program as well ran the company in general. In 2020, credentis was successfully acquired by vVardis. Since then, Dominik’s operative position is to run PharmaTrail, a clinical trial software provider, where the valuable clinical data and its audit trail is secured on a blockchain. In addition, he serves on the board of several healthcare related companies – mostly start-ups – and non-profits.
Bill Leimkuehler, MBA (Co-Founder & COO, Biolectrics)
Bill Leimkuehler is the co-founder and COO of Biolectrics, a dental startup commercializing a first-in-class device to treat periodontitis. A third-generation medical device entrepreneur, Bill brings a unique perspective as an engineer-turned-MBA from outside the dental industry. Under his leadership, Biolectrics has conducted multiple clinical studies validating the efficacy of OraFlow, a groundbreaking, painless, at-home treatment for periodontitis.
At Biolectrics, Bill has successfully raised funds from a diverse set of investors to fund product development, clinical studies, and regulatory clearances. Bill enjoys connecting with his fellow entrepreneurs and those in the industry who seek to drive transformational change to patient care through innovation.
Iris Wedeking (CEO & Founder, iDentical Inc)
Iris Wedeking, MBA, is the CEO and Founder of iDentical, a clinical stage dental technology company that is disrupting the dental market with the world’s first drill-free, personalized, 3D-printed dental implants. Mrs. Wedeking has been a visionary leader in the dental industry for 10 years. As CEO of iDentical, she has raised $9M in capital and built a team of industry experts that has developed the iDentical implant technology with a fully digital workflow, obtained two issued patents, completed a first-in-human clinical study with 100% success, and received a staged IDE approval from the FDA. Prior to founding iDentical, Mrs. Wedeking managed the operations for three dental implant centers in the San Francisco Bay Area, where she saw firsthand the challenges of the current paradigm of implant dentistry for both patients and dentists. This experience inspired her to found iDentical, Inc. to develop and commercialize a drill-free dental implant solution that addresses the drawbacks of traditional dental implants. Mrs. Wedeking is a two-time founder and CEO. Previously, she founded and scaled a national organization in the oncology sector, Kesem, which is now in its 25th year of operation with 115 chapters across 41 states. She also served as a senior marketing research leader at The Clorox Company. Iris holds an MBA from UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business and a BA, summa cum laude, from Tufts University.
Alfred Griffin, III, DMD, PhD, MMSc (CEO & Co-Founder, LightForce Orthodontics)
Dr. Alfred C. Griffin III, DMD, PhD, MMSc is the Cofounder and CEO of LightForce. Dr. Griffin received his BS in Biochemistry from the University of Virginia and completed his DMD and PhD in Craniofacial Biology at the Medical University of South Carolina in 2014. He earned his Masters of Medical Research and Certificate in Orthodontics from the Harvard School of Dental Medicine in 2017. In addition to leading LightForce, Dr. Griffin practices in the Boston area and serves on the Board of Visitors at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine, and on faculty as Lecturer in the Department of Developmental Biology.
While an orthodontics resident at Harvard, Dr. Griffin co-founded LightForce in 2015 with the mission to revolutionize the specialty through advanced manufacturing and technology. After four years of extensive research and development, LightForce launched their first product to the Orthodontic market in 2020: the world’s first, and only, fully customized 3D-printed bracket system and digital treatment software with a mission to create a new standard of care. Learn more at www.lf.co.
Samuel Lynch, DMSc, DMD (Founder, CEO, & Chairman, Lynch Regenerative Medicine)
Samuel Lynch, DMSc, DMD, was a pioneer in regenerative medicine before regenerative medicine was a buzzword. He is one of the world’s foremost authorities on growth factors for tissue regeneration. He has over 250 publications and patents and has given hundreds of lectures in over 25 countries.
His patented combinations of highly purified recombinant platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) and tissue-specific biomaterials have been successfully tested in phase I, II, III, and IV FDA clinical trials and received full FDA approvals via PMAs and BLAs four times for the regeneration of skin, bone, and gingival tissue. Collectively, these products have been used in the treatment of over 5 million patients in periodontics, orthopedics, plastic surgery, and dermatology.
He is also a highly successful serial biotech CEO and company founder and has been recognized as one of the individuals with the greatest impact on advancement of biologic medicines in the United States.
Most recently, he is the Founder and CEO of Lynch Regenerative Medicine, which launched sales of Ariessence pure PDGF+ in 2024 for use in medical aesthetics, plastic surgery, and dermatology.
Connie Chang, MBA (Translational Resource Center/ COO, ONL Therapeutics)
Connie Chang brings a 25-year career in life science and business to the Operating Committee, having worked in large and small pharma, early-stage biomedical technology commercialization, and management consulting. She is currently Chief Operating Officer of ONL Therapeutics, a venture-backed clinical stage biopharma company developing a novel peptide technology to address diseases of the retina, where she is responsible for multiple functions including strategic planning, finance, and overall operations. Previously, she was Vice President of Corporate Affairs at Millendo Therapeutics, responsible for building critical infrastructure as the company became publicly traded. She served as the inaugural managing director of Fast Forward Medical Innovation (FFMI), the commercialization and entrepreneurship arm of the University of Michigan Medical School, supporting early-stage technology development. At Sepracor, Ms. Chang was Senior Director and brand team leader for the sedative hypnotic and respiratory franchises, developing integrated marketing and launch plans. Earlier in her career, Connie worked at Pfizer on commercial teams in allergy/respiratory, cardiovascular, and CNS.
Connie received her Bachelor of Arts degree in psychobiology from Harvard University, graduating magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa, and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Panel 3: Investors/ Strategics on Creative Strategies for Funding Clinical Studies to Drive Adoption
Moderator
J. Les Burrows, BBA Marketing (General Manager, Geistlich North America)
J. Les Burrows has been in medical devices for more than 24 years, having started as a sales representative with Stryker Leibinger in 2000. He moved onto Integra LifeSciences, where he worked for 16 years in multiple roles including VP of Sales and Marketing for OrthoBiologics and VP of Latin America for all of Integra’s businesses. Les then spent 3+ years with Abbott and start-up Ceribell. This led to Les joining Geistlich North America as General Manager in November of 2021.
Les started his professional career with Ford Motor Company and later spent time in commercial real estate constructing and leasing office buildings to the Federal Government. Outside of work, Les and his wife of 29 years, Monica, settled in Moorestown, NJ, twenty years ago and they have been blessed with 2 children: Jack, 25, and Sabrina, 22. Jack graduated from Miami University in Ohio in 2022 and now works in Salt Lake City, UT, and Sabrina is a Senior at Miami scheduled to graduate May of 2024.
Les attended the University of New Mexico, where he received his BBA in Marketing and later attended Executive Education Programs at The Wharton School focused on Strategic Thinking and Management and at Columbia Business School focused on Strategic Marketing.
Panelists
Eugene Dorff, BA (CEO & President, Solmetex)
Gene is the Chief Executive Officer of Solmetex and Impladent, two privately held companies that are leaders in the Dental industry. Solmetex is focused on bacterial control and waste management within Dentist office operatories. Impladent provides synthetic bone grafting material and accessories to Dentists and Oral Surgeons. As CEO, Gene is responsible for all aspects of the Solmetex and Impladent businesses.
Gene is a 20+ year veteran of the Dental industry with career experience at Johnson & Johnson, OraPharma and DentsplySirona. His primary responsibilities at OraPharma were the commercial development of Arestin and Ossix biomaterials. Gene started his career at DentsplySirona leading the North America Restorative Products group and was appointed the Group Vice President for Dental Implants with global responsibility.
Product Development and Commercialization are professional passions. Gene tries to match clinical needs to new technologies that result in simplified procedures and better patient care. Throughout his career, Gene has led teams that have designed and developed new Dental Implants, Dental Adhesive and Bonding solutions, pharmaceutical delivery devices, and software to support and track medical device product tracking and purchasing.
Currently, Gene is an operating executive for a private equity firm focused on developing and or acquiring companies and technologies within the Dental industry.
William Weber, BS, PhD, MBA (Director, Business Development, Geistlich Pharma)
William A. Weber is the Director of Business Development at Geistlich Pharma. He leads the company’s efforts to identify strategic acquisitions and partnerships that enable the short and long-term growth across all businesses. Business Development is focused investing in technologies that further Geistlich’s leadership position in the regeneration of bone, cartilage and soft tissues.
William joined Geistlich in April of 2022. Prior to this William spent 18 years at Integra LifeSciences where he held several senior management positions. His last role was the SVP of R&D for the entire company where he had responsibility for managing the company’s R&D portfolio and the company’s strategy for regenerative biomaterials. Prior to this he held general management roles responsible for orthobiologics (bone grafts for spine and trauma) and for tissue technologies (wound reconstruction and care, surgical reconstruction, and plastic reconstructive surgery).
William received his BS in chemical engineering from the Cornell University, a Ph.D. in chemical engineering from University of California, Davis and an MBA from Columbia Business School.
Bart Doedens, MD, MBA (Managing Director, DeltaGVentures)
Mr. Doedens has started his career in the medical device industry after his obtaining his MD degree from the Free University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands and an MBA degree from the University of Rochester, NY.
Initially (from 1987-1992) he was active in the nuclear medicine market in Europe with Mallinckrodt Medical, starting in various marketing and sales roles in the Netherlands and then transitioning to more senior leadership roles in the US, based in St. Louis, MO from 1992-1997.
Subsequent to his time at Mallinckrodt Medical, he joined privately owned Implant Innovations Inc. a dental implant company in Jupiter, FL. in 1997 as Vice President International. Following the acquisition of Implant Innovations Inc. by Biomet and the retirement of the company founders in late 2001, he assumed the position of president and led Biomet3i through 2005, when he was promoted to lead Biomet’s Spine and Trauma business.
In 2007 Sirona Dental recruited Mr. Doedens to lead the rapidly growing global CAD/CAM equipment business during which time he led teams in both the US and Germany and oversaw and led a significant technology acceleration and several high-profile global product launches.
In 2013, Biomet requested Mr. Doedens to return as president of Biomet3i to oversee its spinoff from Biomet Inc. When Zimmer acquired Biomet in 2015, this spinoff was tabled in favor of combining both Zimmer Dental and Biomet3i into the single ZimmerBiomet Dental business.
Subsequent to the merger of Zimmer and Biomet Mr. Doedens joined Collagen Matrix Inc. (a private equity backed biomaterials company in Oakland, NJ) as CEO (from 2015 through 2019). where he led the successful sale to Linden Capital in 2019.
In 2020, Mr. Doedens assumed the CEO role of DDS Lab, one of the nation’s largest dental labs, primarily serving the DSO segment. Subsequent to the successful sale to private equity company Roundtable Partners in 2021, Mr. Doedens retired from day-to-day operational roles and in 2022 joined DeltaGVentures, a boutique strategic advisory group focused on the dental and medtech space.
Mr. Doedens is married and lives in Chestertown, MD with his wife Marjolein; they have three daughters that are pursuing their own careers across the US. In his spare time, Mr. Doedens is an avid sailor.
Jeremy Krell, DMD, MBA (Managing Partner, Revere Partners)
Dr. Jeremy Krell is a general dentist and a business expert. He is the Managing Partner of Revere Partners, the first independent venture capital fund dedicated to oral health, and RISE Health, the only inclusion-driven venture capital fund dedicated to oral health. Previously, he built out the Barchester Bay Group, consisting of over 40 ventures. He has also held senior positions at startups, including Simplifeye and Verena Solutions, contributing to the success of companies like Quip and Oscar Health. Dr. Krell is actively involved in dental policy and serves as the Chairman of the Workman School of Dental Medicine Board of Advisors at High Point University. He is a member of an ADA SCDI Committee and the Chair of the Business Development Committee for the Massachusetts Dental Society.
Bindusaran Apa, BEng (Executive Director, CareCapital Advisors)
Bindusaran APA is a Mechanical Engineer with a specialization in Biomaterials and Mechanics from National University of Singapore. He has over 18 years of experience in the Digital Dentistry and Orthodontics industry with roles spanning Research and Development, Clinical Research, Clinical Operations, Strategy and M&A. He has experience working in start-ups to multinational companies and currently in the Private Equity area. In his current role, he focuses on investments into startups in their growth phase in the areas of Orthodontics and AI and represents CareCapital on the boards of multiple companies in 5 different continents.
Panel 4: Collaborative Mechanisms to Improve Funding of Clinical Studies
Moderator
David Kohn, PhD (Translational Resource Center/ Professor, University of Michigan)
Dr. Kohn is the Natalie C. Roberts Endowed Professor at the University of Michigan in the Departments of Biologic and Materials Sciences (Dentistry) and Biomedical Engineering (Engineering), and Director of the Translational Resource Center. He received his BS in biomedical engineering from Tulane University and his Ph.D. in bioengineering from the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Kohn’s laboratory focuses on biomineralization, which is investigated by establishing structure-function relations in mineralized tissues and utilizing this information to develop biomimetic strategies to engineer tissue.
Over the past 30 years, Dr. Kohn’s research has spanned numerous areas, including biomineralization, biomimetic materials, discovery of novel dual-function peptides, and functional adaptation of tissues in response to exercise, diet, and genetic influences. Dr. Kohn is also the PI and Director of Michigan’s NIH-supported Training Program in Tissue Engineering and Regeneration and Director of a university-wide regenerative medicine program funded by the President’s Biosciences Initiative.
Dr. Kohn is past President of the Society for Biomaterials and serves on the advisory boards of several universities and has consulted for many medical device companies. Dr. Kohn is a Fellow of Biomaterials Science and Engineering of the International Union of Societies for Biomaterials Science, and a Fellow of the American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE), American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), and Biomedical Engineering Society. He is also a recipient of a Distinguished Scientist award from the International Association for Dental Research (IADR), and Clemson Award from the Society for Biomaterials.
Panelists
Maria Ryan, DDS, PhD (EVP & Chief Clinical Officer, Colgate-Palmolive Company)
Maria Emanuel Ryan, DDS, PhD is Executive Vice President and Chief Clinical Officer at the Colgate-Palmolive Company where she provides oversight and leadership to dental and dermal clinical organizations, knowledge management and scientific communications teams. Dr. Ryan previously served as Professor and Chair of the Department of Oral Biology and Pathology at Stony Brook University where she was actively involved in teaching, clinical practice and research. She is the Past President of the American Association for Dental, Oral and Craniofacial Research (AADOCR) and has served on many academic and foundation boards. Dr. Ryan has received numerous awards including NIH National Research Service Awards and a Physician Scientist Award. She received an achievement award from the American Dental Association and was the first recipient of the Victress Health Award to recognize her educational and research efforts in the area of women’s health. Dr. Ryan is a nationally and internationally known speaker and author who has appeared on multiple media outlets to discuss the importance of oral health to overall health and wellbeing as well as the role of the dental professional in the provision of optimal overall health care.
Denise Marks, MBA, CPA (CFO, EVP, CareQuest Institute for Oral Health/ CareQuest Innovation Partners)
Denise W. Marks serves as chief financial officer, executive vice president of CareQuest Institute for Oral Health. As a member of the executive leadership team, Denise plays an integral role ensuring the financial health and operational success of the organization.
Denise has more than 25 years of experience in senior finance and operations roles. Before joining CareQuest Institute, Denise was chief administrative partner and chief compliance officer at SV Health Investors, a global investment firm focused on the health care sector. Prior to that, Denise held finance, operations, and compliance positions at CMGI, @Ventures, and PriceWaterhouseCoopers.
Denise serves on a variety of boards of directors and is active in philanthropy. She earned a bachelor’s degree in finance from The Pennsylvania State University and joint master’s degrees in accounting and business administration from Northeastern University Graduate School of Professional Accounting. She is a licensed Certified Public Accountant in Massachusetts.
James Schulz (SVP, Government and Public Affairs, American Dental Association)
For nearly 30 years, Mr. James Schulz has been involved in state and federal government and politics, having held key staff positions in the U.S. Congress as well as New Jersey’s legislative and executive branches. Having a career that spans both the public and private sectors, he has a deep knowledge of government operations and its impact on business development.
Jim Schulz has been a leading advocate for dentistry and oral health for more than two decades, having successfully managed the New Jersey Dental Association’s advocacy and political operations. In August 2024, Mr. Schulz assumed the helm of the American Dental Association’s Federal and State Advocacy Center of Excellence as Senior Vice President of Government and Public Affairs. In 2019, he was inducted as an Honorary Fellow in the International College of Dentists for his years of service to the dental profession and his efforts to improve oral health. Mr. Schulz is one of the few non-dentists to have been bestowed this honor in the College’s 100-year history.
Mr. Schulz has extensive governmental, non-profit, and corporate board experience, having held key leadership and advisory positions in each segment. In 2022, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy nominated him to serve on the College of New Jersey Board of Trustees, his alma mater. Jim is a native of Mercer County, New Jersey, and has two daughters, Alexis, and Lauren.
Mariya Filipova, MBA (Managing Director, 4100DX)
Mariya is a catalyst for change in healthcare. Mariya’s career spans senior executive roles at Fortune 20 and global industry leaders like Anthem Inc (now Elevance Health), Deloitte and Barclays Capital. Mariya currently serves as the Managing Director of the largest investment fund dedicated to Care Convergence, the 4100DX . She is a published author and a thought leader on medical dental integration. She is the co-host of the Think Oral Health podcast, which highlights leaders bringing medical and dental teams together in service of better patient outcomes at lower cost.
Mariya’s personal journey as a patient fuels her passion for lasting change in healthcare. She has been recognized by Business Insider (BI’s 30 under 40), Forbes, and The Harvard Business School Association of Boston, for her leadership and impact. As a systemic health investor, board member, and a healthcare executive, Mariya is not only envisioning a better future, she is building it.
Mariya holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BA in Economics, summa cum laude, from Mount Holyoke College. She serves on the Board of Governors for the Harvard Business School Association of Boston. Mariya currently resides in Boston, MA.
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TRC would like to thank the following companies for their generous support of the 2025 TRC Networking Exchange
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TRC would like to recognize the following companies for their long-standing guidance and support
which have been instrumental in the growth of the TRC
