CALIFORNIA SOCIETY OF PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY
BULLETIN
Summer 2021 | Volume 49 - Number 2

4
President's Message
12 Graduating Residents







PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

RACE FOR RELEVANCE
Dr. Gila Dorostkar - President
One of the shining beacons of light for me during the challenging time of the COVID-19 shutdown was organized dentistry. I distinctly recall waking up every morning of the shutdown and first checking the CDA and ADA websites for the latest news and guidelines. It gave me a feeling of hope and support that I wasn’t alone in navigating those uncertain times.
Belonging to and actively engaging in my dental organizations has always been an important part of my career and the COVID-19 pandemic and its challenges only reinforced my belief that all dentists need to belong to organized dentistry to keep our profession strong.
I am carrying that message into my year as your CSPD president in the hope that I can reinforce the value of belonging to CSPD and even persuade non-members to join.
"...COVID-19 pandemic and its challenges only reinforced my belief that all dentists need to belong to organized dentistry to keep our profession strong."
My first efforts are focused on making our members all feel connected and part of a community. I am guessing that we are all craving seeing colleagues again and attending in-person meetings. With the creation of Pop Up Events, CSPD has already hosted two PALS courses and a financial awareness webinar for Early Career Pediatric Dentists during these first few months. We also launched our member newsletter, CSPD CONNECT, and updated our online continuing education platform to offer a vast array of online CE opportunities. We have designated post-doctoral resident liaisons with every program in the state to broaden our communication with our educational programs. And that is just the beginning. With the easing of COVID-19 restrictions, look for many more hosted opportunities to connect and learn. CSPD needs to prove member value and I can assure you that your Board is dedicated and actively engaged on many levels in planning programs and opportunities to do so.
The second part of my effort this year in keeping CSPD strong and relevant is increasing our membership numbers and breadth across the state. Sometimes I think people view CSPD as an organization focusing mainly on private practitioners’ needs. I believe we need to intentionally recruit across all the various pediatric dentistry practice models. This includes our colleagues in public health, academics, and also in corporate dental offices. After all, CSPD cares about all children in California regardless of what kind of practice they are in. We want all pediatric dentists to be a part of the CSPD family.
Membership Services Committee Chair, Mitch Poiset, has designed a recruitment campaign inviting non-member pediatric dentists to join CSPD. Stay tuned for the results. Size does matter. If CSPD is to continue to stay relevant in the legislative issues that concern children’s oral health and pediatric dentists in our state, we need to show policymakers that we are an organization that represents a vast percentage of pediatric dentists in California.
The Warren Brandli Leadership Interns’ project this year is themed “Race for Relevance”. I have asked our interns to look at the realities of memberships in professional organizations in today’s world and evaluate what associations need to do to remain relevant in the future. How can CSPD continue to recruit and engage members, especially in our younger demographic? What do professional associations need to do differently to remain relevant in our fast-paced and electronic world?
A third effort within CSPD is to ensure that we are flexible and innovative enough to address these new challenges. CSPD can’t keep doing things the same way. One such challenge is presented by the many bills and proposals presently before the state legislature that will affect our members and the children in California.
I would like to make you aware of one legislative effort in particular that CSPD has been engaged with over the past several months, AB 733. Under our immediate past president Nancy Hsieh’s direction, I formed an AB 733 workgroup which includes Drs. Natalie Mansour, Santos Cortez, Lindsey Robinson, Mitch Poiset, Paul Reggiardo and myself. I have tasked the group to evaluate and make recommendations to the Board of Directors.
AB 733 is jointly sponsored by the California Dental Association and the California Dental Hygienists’ Association. Its intent is to allow Registered Dental Hygienists in Alternative Practice (RDHAPs) to provide services as independent contractors in medical offices to improve access to dental care for Medi-Cal Dental beneficiaries without a dental home and to increase medical-dental integration. This access-to-care effort is anticipated to be widely supported by legislative members who are eagerly looking for ways to provide care for the 52% of California’s children covered by the Medi-Cal Dental Program. Our AB 733 Workgroup had immediate concerns about many aspects of this legislation.
I am pleased to tell you that because of CSPD’s involvement at the ground level, we are optimistic that amendments proposed by CSPD will be incorporated in the legislation that increases the likelihood that children will receive appropriate care. The amendments would include conversion of the legislation into a three-to-five year pilot project requiring an independent outcomes evaluation to assess success in increasing the number of Medi-Cal enrolled children entering the dental delivery system and establishing a true dental home. In 2019, only 51% of children enrolled in the Medi-Cal program visited a dental office while 84% of the same group visited a physician. Program success would be measured by how many more of these children establish a dental home, not how many received preventive care by a RDHAP in a medical setting.
This is currently a two-year bill which will next be heard in the 2022 legislative session, allowing for a more detailed discussion among the stakeholders. CSPD will keep you informed as discussions progress. In the meantime, please contact me directly with your concerns, feedback, and questions.
We will always have as our foundation the dedication to our vision of exemplary oral health for all infants, children and adolescents. CSPD will remain steadfast in everything we do to support our mission to serve our members and the public in advocating for them. We just need to do so more nimbly and strategically in today’s world. CSPD must stay relevant if we are going to have a voice and a continued seat at the table
I am dedicated and determined to keep CSPD meaningful for our members and California’s children. I encourage you to stay engaged with our leadership this year as we strive to win the race for relevance.

Any questions in the meantime? Contact Nominations Chair, DrGila@DrDorostkar.com

EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR’S REPORT

MEETING OF THE DENTAL BOARD OF CALIFORNIA
Dr. Paul Reggiardo - Executive Director
The Dental Board of California met virtually by livestream broadcast May 13-14, 2021. The following report summarizes actions and issues coming before the Board pertinent to pediatric oral health.
CALIFORNIA NORTHSTATE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF DENTAL MEDICINE
The Board received a status report on the development and accreditation process of the California Northstate University College of Dental Medicine in Elk Grove, California, outside of Sacramento. When approved and operational, the college will become the state’s seventh dental school. California Northstate University is a private enterprise university providing education and degrees in the health sciences, including medicine, pharmacy, and health care administration.
The College of Dental Medicine expects to receive conditional CODA-accreditation in August and to admit its first class in 2022. The class size for the first two years of operation will be 40 students. When the school is fully operational, class size will increase to 80 students/year.
Comment: The school’s long-range plan is to establish a postdoctoral residency program in pediatric dentistry.
ANESTHESIA AND SEDATION PERMITS
Legislation (SB 501 Glazer) signed by the Governor in 2018 and scheduled to become effective January 1, 2022, requires significant change to permitting of General Anesthesia, Conscious Sedation, and Oral Conscious Sedation for Minors in the dental setting. These changes include the introduction of a pediatric endorsement, additional patient monitoring requirements when administering general anesthesia or sedation to a minor dental patient, and the creation a new Pediatric Minimal Sedation (PMS) permit (which replaces the current pediatric Oral Conscious Sedation (OCS) permit). The PMS permit will be required to administer or order the administration of minimal sedation to a patient under 13 years of age. The Dental Board now needs to adopt regulation to implement these changes into law.

1. The current General Anesthesia Permit will be replaced by a Deep Sedation/General Anesthesia Permit with changes in initial application and renewal requirements, development of standards for PALS equivalency training in pediatric dental anesthesia related emergencies, and new monitoring standards for patients under the age of seven years.
2. The current Conscious Sedation Permit will be replaced by a Moderate Sedation Permit with similar changes to application, renewal, PALS equivalency training courses, and monitoring of patients below seven years of age.
3. The current Oral Conscious Sedation Permit for Minors will no longer be issued. It will be replaced by a Pediatric Minimal Sedation Permit with specific monitoring requirements for patients under 13 years of age.
4. The current Oral Conscious Sedation Permit for Adults will remain unchanged and there will be revision to the Medical General Anesthesia Permit required of the physician providing deep sedation or general anesthesia in the dental office.
Comment: The Dental Board at this meeting received draft regulatory language developed by Board staff and legal counsel to implement the legislation and directed initiation of the regulatory approval process. It is still unlikely the Dental Board will be able to complete the rule-making process in time to meet the January 1, 2022, enactment deadline. In that case, legislation will be necessary to extend the deadline.
HOW DID PUBLIC POLICY BECOME PART OF OUR DNA?
Dr. Paul Reggiardo - Executive Director
Sometime in 1974 a letter of inquiry was sent to those dentists in California identified as limiting their practice to children (I believe they were known then as Pedodontists) soliciting interest in forming a state specialty organization. About 25 responded (only one, Dr. Eva Sulon, was a female practitioner) and thus was subsequently born the California Academy of Pedodontics, a statewide professional society dedicated to developing continuing dental education programs, resolving issues with third party insurance carriers, creating a peer review body, and organizing internal quality controls and business practices benefiting membership.
A lot has happened to our little society of brothers and a few sisters since 1974, most of it good and some of it great. We now count close to 1,000 members and can be proud of professional gender equality. We have developed through our national organization recognized standards, protocols, oral health policies, clinical guidelines, and best practices that help us deliver the highest quality, safest, and most dependable care on the planet. We create and deliver to pediatric dentists in California the largest and --- hands-down --- best state pediatric dental meeting in the country. We have gone from exclusively membership services to become the most prominent voice, recognized authority, and leading state advocate for the oral health of infants, children, and adolescents, including those with special health care and developmental needs.
How we got to where we are today in public perception and in professional reality is not so much the result of brilliant planning as it is fortuitous circumstance. In the very early 1970’s, when statute and regulation were adopted for the first time to govern the administration of general anesthesia and “deep sleep” by dentists, oral administration of sedative agents was exempted. This was about to change in 1998 when, after several highly publicized and tragic office events, the confluence of public awareness, legislative concern, and professional responsibility dictated that training and procedural standards for “oral conscious sedation” be established in law and regulation. At that point, then CSPD President Dr. Ray Stewart, and his successor, Dr. Don Duperon, seized the moment, recognizing that our members in clinical practice and academia had the knowledge, expertise and experience to best forge the appropriate effective legislation. Working closely with (and relying heavily upon) the California Dental Association, CSPD, for the first time ever, crafted statutory language, strategized with lawmakers, provided letters of support to Senate and Assembly committees, walked the halls of the state capital in Sacramento, and provided oral testimony at hearings or in chambers. The bill we wanted was passed and the next year we appeared before multiple meetings of the Board of Dental Examiners to participate in the drafting of regulations that would implement the new law.
"You don’t show up just when you have a problem --- you show up all the time so they know who you are and that you’re a serious player."
It was shortly thereafter that CSPD conducted a long-range strategic planning session to assess membership needs and establish tactical priorities. I remember we were feeling pretty good about our recent successful efforts in Sacramento and telling meeting facilitator and former AAPD and CDA President Dr. David Gaynor that we were glad it was over. “OVER!?” he declared, “Only fools would think it’s over. You should just be getting STARTED!” He told us in no uncertain terms (David Gaynor didn’t use uncertain terms), “You need to be at every meeting of the State Board. You should be involved in every session of the legislature. You have to be meeting regularly with the Department of Health Services,” which at the time ran the Denti-Cal program. “You don’t show up just when you have a problem --- you show up all the time so they know who you are and that you’re a serious player. You can either be the setter of public policy or the consumer of public policy --- your choice!”
And that’s how it all started. To effect change and not just react when change occurs, CSPD created the first state level Public Policy Advocate position in the country (there are now 50) to coordinate pediatric oral health activism across elected officials, state agencies, licensing bureaus, professional societies, child welfare organizations, oral health coalitions, foundations, institutions of dental education, and public and private dental delivery systems. CSPD’s current Public Policy Advocate, Dr. Natalie Mansour, serves tirelessly as our ambassador to the larger world to bring our message of optimal oral health to policy makers and rule setters across the state. What started as a one-and-done is now a continuous and highly effective ongoing program.

TREASURER’S REPORT
CSPD IS ON SOUND FINANCIAL FOOTING
Dr. Gary Sabbadini - Treasurer

As I take over as Treasurer from Dr. Don Schmitt who successfully managed the financial health of CSPD for the past 7 years, I am happy to report that CSPD is in good shape financially. Total current assets ($912,339) for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021 are up $147,746 over last year. Through careful planning and budgeting, CSPD managed to increase its assets during the pandemic which is a testament to the hard work of everyone on the CSPD Board (Please see the table at the end of the article).
This is my tenth year serving on the CSPD Board and I’ve previously chaired the following committees: Professional Activities, Constitution & Bylaws, Curriculum Review, Continuing Education, Online Continuing Education, and Communications where I was the CSPD Bulletin Editor for 4 years. In the 3 ½ months that I’ve been the Treasurer, I will say that this is one of the most challenging (and rewarding) positions that I have held thus far. What makes this position different from the other committees on which I have served is that I work with everyone in the entire organization: the Executive Committee, all of the standing and ad hoc committees, the Executive Director (ED), and Smith Moore & Associates (our association management company) in developing a budget and managing the income and expenses of the society.
The Finance Committee and the ED spent the first quarter of the year working with Smith Moore & Associates to streamline CSPD’s purchasing and payment methods. When possible, we are utilizing the CSPD credit card to pay our expenses in order to generate cash back income and bills are now being paid via online bill payment to save the time and expense of printing checks and mailing them. We are also researching other investment options for the money held in reserve to seek a higher rate of return. (Please see CSPD’s Reserve Policy)
Membership is our primary source of income and CSPD is constantly seeking ways to maintain and grow our membership numbers. The Editor of the CSPD Bulletin, Dr. MyLinh Ngo, is sending the Bulletin to all of the pediatric dental residency program directors to disseminate to their residents in the hope of enticing out of state pediatric dental residents who move to California after their residency to become members of CSPD. The Membership Services Committee, chaired by Dr. Mitch Poisett, has identified 99 pediatric dentists in California who are members of AAPD but not members of CSPD. This amounts to $39,105 in lost dues revenue. A campaign has begun to reach out to these individuals to try to get them to become members. If you know any of them, please encourage them to join!
Non-Dues Revenue is the other avenue by which CSPD generates income and a special Ad Hoc Non-Dues Revenue Committee (of which I am the Chair) has been established to try to develop ways to increase income. The committee is working with the chairs of Annual Meeting, Communications (Bulletin), Website, Online Continuing Education, and Social Media to fulfil the charge set forth by CSPD President Dr. Gila Dorostkar: It shall be the duty of the Committee to develop, propose to the Board, and implement as directed a comprehensive, coordinated non-dues revenue policy across all income and potential income platforms from the sales of products, services and programs. Our goal is to create a media kit to promote all the ways in which companies can advertise with or sponsor CSPD.
While the CSPD Annual Meeting is meant to be a revenue neutral membership benefit, through the incredible efforts of the Annual Meeting Committee, chaired by Dr. Oariona Lowe, and our Sponsor Liaison, Dr. Leslie Butler, the Annual Meeting has historically made a profit which has helped to increase the amount held in CSPD’s reserves. We anticipate a tremendous meeting in Scottsdale, AZ, chaired by Dr. Don Schmitt, and believe that it will also be profitable. If you are planning on attending, please register early to guarantee a spot!
After a year where free online continuing education (OCE) was provided to CSPD members as a benefit during the pandemic, the newly redesigned CSPD OCE platform is seeing increased sales both nationally and worldwide. Individuals can now buy an entire Annual Meeting bundle, a sedation bundle that satisfies the CE requirements to
recertify for an oral conscious sedation license, or single lectures. Please visit www.cspd.org/oce if you haven’t already seen the incredible new site built and maintained by Drs. Steve Niethamer and Helen Mo.
Through the dedicated effort of the Social Media Committee, chaired by Dr. Chanel McCreedy, CSPD is steadily building an online presence through its Facebook and Instagram page. They do a wonderful job promoting all the events, continuing education, and advertising opportunities of our organization which in turn can drive more non-dues revenue. Please visit both pages and like them!
CSPD’s Policy and Procedures Manual calls for a Reserve Fund equal to an average of the last two
years operating expenses. The current mandate amount is $408,565 and CSPD is more than meeting that requirement. The Reserve Fund requirement has increased over the past 5 years due to the increased operating expenses incurred with the incorporation of an association management company and both the increasing size of the Society and our Annual Meeting.
If you have any questions about CSPD finances or have any suggestions on ways to increase non-dues revenue, please feel free to contact me.
Investment Policy: Following the Financial Policy outlined in the Policy and Procedure Manual, all CSPD’s assets are in fixed return products. These include both savings and money market accounts. The Finance Committee regularly discusses the status of CSPD investments. Though the committee is disappointed in the paltry investment returns, it was determined that the safety and capital preservation of CSPD’s assets is paramount.




READY FOR ADVENTURE & EXCITEMENT?
Dr. Oariona Lowe - Annual Meeting Chair & Dr. Don Schmitt - Annual Meeting Co-Chair


The CSPD Annual Meeting Committee invites you to join us for some “adventure and excitement”. It’s time to mingle and network, meet up with old friends and colleagues. Bask under the gorgeous Arizona sun and hike Camelback Mountain. Come to Paradise valley to “get away” and fulfill your CE requirements.
The CSPD and WSPD are planning an on-site venue loaded with 18+ CE units. We are excited to share with you our 2022 academic program which commences on Friday morning with a lecture by Dr. Donald Chi on Parental refusal of fluoride, followed by a presentation on the Medical management of caries; a minimally invasive approach to treating dental decay given by Dr. Joel Berg. Dr. Eyal Simchi will speak on Behavior management of the Child on Friday afternoon. Following his lecture is a presentation on Wellness and Health which will WOW you. Michael Swetye, MD, a
Join us in Paradise Valley at the luxurious Omni Resort and Spa, Scottsdale, Arizona - March 31- April 3, 2022.
Child Psychiatrist will speak Saturday morning on “Child and Adolescent Mental Health. His lecture will be followed by a presentation on Interceptive Orthodontics: Phase I treatment by Dr. Wanda Claro. After lunch, a special Words of Wisdom session is planned on Practice Success and other topics unique to Pediatric dentistry. Dr. Juan Yepes will join us Sunday morning to enlighten us with a special lecture on Safety and Best Practices in Pediatric Dental Radiography – Image Gently.
Poster presentations will be on-site in the Exhibit Hall alongside our many and wonderful Sponsors. This year, posters will also be pre-recorded and available for viewing before and after the meeting. The exhibit hall will be filled with many of our longtime sponsors and vendors who will be offering special-order pricing for their products.
Social events featuring a themed Welcome Reception and a Saturday night cocktail party filled with entertainment and a tasteful selection of tapas await you!
Scottsdale is a vibrant city featuring world class golfing, shopping, and first class restaurants. Spend a day at the Kasbah pool, rest in a cabana, relax and get pampered at the Joya Spa and Salon. Experience Joya’s award winning Spa with Hammam room.
Enjoy the beauty and ambiance of Southern Spain and Northern Morocco as you will be delightfully entertained at the Omni!
Be a tourist and enjoy the Arizona sun! … And just Relax!


GRADUATING RESIDENTS
University of California, Los Angeles

Dr. Taylor Addison is originally from New Orleans, Louisiana. She attended Louisiana State University, majoring in Biological Sciences. After college, she obtained her Doctorate of Dental Surgery at Meharry Medical College School of Dentistry. Dr. Addison has a passion for community outreach and serving the underserved. After multiple international medical mission trips, she discovered her passion in pediatric dentistry. Following her passion, Dr. Addison completed an Advanced Pediatric Dental Residency at UCLA. With one parent from the small island of Trinidad and the other from New Orleans, Dr. Addison truly enjoys cooking all types of cuisines especially West Indian and Cajun dishes. During her spare time, you can find Dr. Taylor Addison traveling, spending quality time with family and friends or in a fitness class. Dr. Addison is elated to be moving back to her home state to provide beautiful smiles to the children of Louisiana.

Dr. Imran Ahmed is forever a Southern California boy who was born and raised in Riverside, CA. He graduated from UC Irvine with a Bachelor of Science in Neurobiology and continued to UCLA School of Dentistry where he received his D.D.S. degree. Most recently, he received his M.P.H. degree from the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health while in residency. Currently, Imran serves as one of the CSPD Warren Brandli Leadership Interns for the 2021-2022 year. After completing residency, Imran will begin work at a federally qualified health center in Los Angeles. When he’s not in clinic treating patients, Imran enjoys reading new books, hiking scenic trails, escaping from escape rooms, and trying new ice cream spots. He has a
huge sweet tooth and knows the ins and outs of dessert places. Rain or shine, he’s always prepared for an ice cream run so if you need a sweet treat, you know who to call.

Dr. Lizeth Yamileth Correa is a native Californian, born and raised in the San Fernando Valley. Growing up in a Colombian household, she loves to salsa (dance), hike, cook, and enjoy life. Dr. Correa is a proud first-generation college student, she obtained her bachelor’s in science in Biopsychology at the gorgeous University of California, Santa Barbara in 2013. She stayed in the UC system to attend University of California, Los Angeles to receive her Doctor of Dental Surgery in 2019. Lizeth is thrilled to become a double Bruin by being a part of UCLA’s Pediatric Dentistry family. She is dedicated to caring for underserved communities and providing culturally competent care. She also looks forward to her role teaching pre-doctoral students since mentorship is an important aspect of her life.

Dr. Lucas J. Nicholaou, aka Luke, was born in Detroit and spent most of his childhood and upbringing enjoying the natural splendors of the beautiful state of Michigan, especially amongst the “Yoopers” of the Upper Peninsula. Luke went down south to Vanderbilt University and received his B.A. in Neuroscience and Spanish Language & Literature. From Nashville, Luke moved to the Big Apple and received his D.D.S from Columbia University, where he realized his passion for pediatric dentistry. Aside from baby teeth, Luke enjoys nature (from the beach to the mountains), rock climbing, concerts (from country to EDM), and spending time with his friends, his black cat named Sheba,
and his three baby nieces. Luke feels extremely blessed to have been able to live in Los Angeles for the past two years, and has decided to stay in the area to continue providing happy and healthy smiles to the young ones of this incredible city!

Dr. Shanelle Shahery was born and raised in Los Angeles, California… and didn’t venture far after that. She obtained her B.A. in Economics for the University of California, Los Angeles in 2015. After graduating she decided she could not part with UCLA and received her Doctor of Dental Surgery from UCLA School of Dentistry in 2019. She is very excited to now be a Pediatric Resident at UCLA. Yay triple Bruin! Shanelle is the eldest of three, and her sister is unfortunately a Trojan. Growing up, Shanelle danced competitively and performed in various ballet companies. Her love for dance lives on, and is often expressed as study break dance parties. In her free time Shanelle enjoys traveling, working out, and spending time with friends and family. Shanelle is excited to be pursuing her dream job as a Pediatric Dentist and looks forward to meeting the challenges of this wonderful profession!

Dr. Sean McGivern hails from the state of Iowa where he worked as an associate dentist at the Iowa Pediatric Dental Center from 2017-2019. Sean received both his undergraduate degree in Biology and his Doctorate of Dental Surgery from the University of Iowa. Sean is a pianist, a drummer, and a calligrapher. In his free time, Sean enjoys exploring Los Angeles, drinking coffee, and trying not to get a sunburn. Sean moved from Iowa City with his fiancée (an MFA student in studio arts at UCLA) and their dog Blarney. Sean completed his MPH at the Fielding School of Public Health in June 2021 and following the completion of residency will be serving as the Clinical Dental Director for AltaMed's Westlake clinic in downtown Los Angeles.

Dr. Stephanie Trahan is from Highgate Springs, VT and graduated from Boston University’s Goldman School of Dental Medicine in 2011. She served in the United States Air Force for 5 years and then practiced in Austin, Texas.
Dr. Trahan recently obtained her Masters in Public Health at UCLA while concurrently completing her pediatric dentistry residency. She will be practicing with Ruby and Rochon Pediatric Dentistry in Santa Barbara, CA.
University of California San Francisco

Dr. Joanna Meekay is a Northern California native and grew up in a large Armenian household in Sacramento, California. She received her B.S. in Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior from UC Davis in 2013. After college, she attended dental school at University of the Pacific, where she was social chair for her class and dental fraternity, Delta Sigma Delta, attended dental mission trips, was a founding member of an advanced treatment planning study club, and a recipient of the Henry Sutro Clinical Excellence Award. After earning her DDS in 2017, she completed a General Practice Residency at NYU Langone - Brooklyn. After spending one cold winter in New York City, she came running back to the Bay Area to complete her pediatric dental residency and obtain her MS in Craniofacial Sciences at UCSF.
Joanna is excited to be working in the Bay Area at offices in South San Francisco, Millbrae and Pleasant Hill. In her free time, she loves to take her mini poodle on walks in her neighborhood in San Francisco, catch up on podcasts, and play tennis. When she isn't trying new restaurants with friends in the city, you can find her playing hide-and-go seek with her 5 nieces and nephews!

Dr. Ida Gorshteyn, originally from the Bay Area, is a recently graduated resident of UCSF's pediatric dentistry program. She graduated from UC Berkeley (Go Bears!) in 2013 with a degree in Integrative Biology and a minor in Music. She then moved to Los Angeles, where she pursued her dental degree at UCLA. There, she was able to combine her love of teaching, working with children, and public health with dentistry to find her passion for pediatric dentistry. Upon graduating from UCLA, she was thrilled to move back home to attend UCSF’s combined Pediatrics and Master of Science program. Her research regarding the genetics involved in Amelogenesis imperfecta received first place in CSPD’s statewide research competition and made the finals of AAPD’s national research competition.
She speaks Russian and English fluently, as well as conversational Spanish. She is an active member of the American Association of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) and California Society of Pediatric Dentistry (CSPD), where she is currently an intern board member. In her free time she likes to travel, bake, play board games, watch movies, and spend quality time with her family.

Dr. Carolynn Vuong was born and raised in Redondo Beach, CA. She graduated from Stanford University with a degree in Human Biology and a concentration in Health Policy & Child Development. After college, Carolynn took a gap year and worked in the dental clinic at Ravenswood Family Health Center in East Palo Alto, CA, where her interest in pediatric dentistry and working with underserved communities was piqued. She then gave up California sunshine for New England snow while getting her dental degree at Harvard School of Dental Medicine. In Boston, she served as Vice President of her class and organized the annual GKAS day. She also spent her time in dental school focusing on research in pediatric and preventive dentistry and graduated with honors in research.
During residency at UCSF, Carolynn worked on research pertaining to bond strength to SDF-treated dentin. In her free time, you can find her gallivanting in Golden Gate Park or trying to taste all the ice cream flavors in SF.

Dr. Hellene (Eleni) Ellenikiotis was born and raised in Los Gatos/Saratoga. She graduated summa cum laude from Santa Clara University with a bachelor of science in Sociology. Dr. Ellenikiotis earned her DDS and completed her Hospital Dentistry and General Practice Residency at the University of California, San Francisco. She has performed extensive work at UCSF on silver diamine fluoride (SDF) and its role in caries arrest and prevention, including publishing articles, training faculty, and coordinating continuing education. Dr. Ellenikiotis worked as a general dentist in private practice for two years. During this time, she continued her work on SDF and joined the Healthier Kids Foundation, all of which provided inspiration for her to move into pediatric dentistry with the aim of improving both access to and quality of care. Dr. Ellenikiotis is committed to her patients, and her relationship with them is at the heart of her work. She has been grateful for the opportunity to further her education with the UCSF Pediatric Dental Residency Program whose commitment she shares in providing exceptional interpersonal and clinical care, as well as aiding in the discovery of new technologies and therapies.
Dr. Ellenikiotis currently resides in San Francisco with her husband. She enjoys spending time with her loved ones, whatever they may be doing.

Dr. David Lee was born and raised in Los Angeles, CA. He received his B.S in Health Sciences from University of Miami in 2011, where he found his love for dentistry after a mission trip to Panama and Costa Rica. Outside of dedicating his life to becoming
a dentist, he enjoyed playing club sports (lacrosse and golf), embracing the “U” swagger, and volunteering for the underprivileged community. Since undergrad, he has received his MS in Biomedical Sciences from Tufts University, worked for Americorps, and received his DMD from the University of Pennsylvania. At UPenn, he served as Class President for all 4 years of dental school, devoted time to clinical research with the pediatric department, was a brother of his dental fraternity, Delta Sigma Delta, and continued to devote time to those in need in the Philadelphia community. Upon graduation of dental school, he completed his General Practice Residency with UCSF where he continued his development as a dental/health provider and where his passion for pediatric dentistry was cemented.
Throughout residency, David enjoyed learning as much as he could from all of his wonderful mentors that have devoted their time to teach. David also completed his research related to laser use in dentistry. He could not be more grateful to be associated with one of the most respected programs in the nation and will strive to represent his program/mentors to the best of his abilities. When he is not in patient care, you can find David playing sports, trying out all the amazing food in SF, going on outdoor adventures, and hanging out with family and friends.

Dr. John (Jack) Bayless was born and raised on the Monterey Peninsula. Dr. Bayless graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, with a bachelor's degree in Biology. He earned his Master’s degree in Oral Health Sciences from Boston University and DDS from UCLA. While at UCLA, Dr. Bayless was part of the pediatric dentistry club leadership and volunteered to treat underserved populations throughout the greater Los Angeles area through the Infant Oral Care Program. Dr. Bayless first found his passion for pediatric dentistry while volunteering to treat patients on
the Rio Dulce in Guatemala through the non-profit International Health Emissaries.
During the program he worked at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland and La Clinica. He plans to practice in Monterey, CA with his father, Mark Bayless. When he is away from the office, Dr. Bayless loves to fly fish, golf, and take his Miata out to Laguna Seca Raceway!

Dr. Heidi Kim was born and raised in China before moving to the U.S. for high school. She received her Bachelor's degree in Statistics with a minor in Biology from George Washington University. The following year, Dr. Kim worked as a research assistant for Nobel laureate Dr. Ferid Murad in Washington, D.C. She subsequently earned her Master's degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from The Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health. She then went on to pursue her DDS at the University of California, San Francisco, where she organized numerous community outreach events to help underprivileged children to maintain their oral health and hygiene.
After dental school, Dr. Kim completed a General Practice Residency at UCLA for advanced training in Hospital Dentistry to serve patients with medically complex conditions and special needs. Dr. Kim is very grateful to have been a part of the UCSF Pediatric Dentistry family. Her research project studied the efficacy and safety of morphine, hydroxyzine, and ibuprofen regimens in pediatric oral conscious sedation. In her free time, Dr. Kim loves traveling and trying out new foods.
Loma Linda University

Dr. Mariam Alkheder graduated from Kuwait University (KU) in 2016. After graduation, she worked as a general dentist in the Ministry of Health in Kuwait. Later, she joined the Faculty of
Dentistry in KU as a Pediatric Dentistry scholarship holder. During this time, she worked on providing preventative and restorative oral care for pediatric patients, as well as being involved in different research projects. Her training at Loma Linda University’s Pediatric Dentistry Program was completed in 2021, and her research project compared oral sedation related events of three multiagent oral sedation regimens in pediatric dental patients. During her free time, Dr. Alkheder enjoys solving jigsaw puzzles while watching her favorite shows, exploring new places and restaurants with friends, and cooking. She intends to obtain full American board certification in Pediatric Dentistry and then return to Kuwait, where she will be teaching at the Faculty of Dentistry in Kuwait University.

Dr. Nadia Barakat graduated from Loma Linda University School of Dentistry in May 2019. Throughout dental school, she developed a passion working with children, and decided to continue her training in pediatric dentistry at Loma Linda. Her research project was a retrospective review of pulpotomies and indirect pulp capping in primary posterior teeth, a continuation from her predoctoral research project. In her free time, Dr. Barakat enjoys exploring new coffee shops and restaurants with friends and family. She hopes to work in private practice in Northern California, and continue working with families to optimize oral health for the children in her community.

Dr. Sara El-Sherbini completed her doctoral studies in Dental Medicine at the University of Florida College of Dentistry in 2013. Following graduation, she moved to New York City and completed a two year general practice residency at the BronxCare Hospital focusing on Special Needs Dentistry and serving as a Chief Resident during her second year. She decided to further her education in advanced training at Loma Linda
School of Dentistry’s Pediatric Dentistry Residency Program, graduating in 2021. She is planning on completing her MSD research project on using multimedia intervention to reduce the psychosocial impact of bullying among patients with cleft lip and palate. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her husband, their two dogs Iris and Ivy, traveling and eating exotic foods, and serving as a Clinical Director for Special Smiles, Special Olympics of Southern California. After completing her research project, Dr. ElSherbini plans on pursuing a career in teaching and working in underserved communities locally in the Inland Empire. Dr. Sara El-Sherbrini has a Certificate in Dental Education through the Academy of Academic Leadership (AAL) and University of the Pacific.

Dr. Luana J. Lim graduated from Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health in May 2019. In dental school, she found her calling and passion for the pediatric community, encompassing the medically complex and special needs, and finished the pediatric dentistry program at Loma Linda University in 2021. Her MSD research project involved comparing the masking ability and translucency of different tooth colored restorative materials. In her spare time, Dr. Lim loves to travel and eat with her husband, and is planning on working in private practice in the Inland Empire and Orange County.
University of Southern California

Dr. Sinead
Wohlgemuth was born and raised in Los Angeles, CA. She decided to travel out east for her undergraduate education at the University of Pennsylvania. She then returned home to earn her DDS degree from the Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry of the University of Southern California. She completed her residency in Pediatric Dentistry at Children's Hospital Los Angeles and USC. She is passionate about community outreach and providing dental care to
children in underserved communities, both locally in Southern California and internationally. Sinead and her husband Josh, who is an oral surgeon practicing in Manhattan Beach and Redondo Beach, have been happily married since 2019. Together they love to travel and spend quality time with family and friends. Sinead also loves to bake and stays active with yoga and tennis.

Dr. Shivani Keshav was born and raised in Southern California. She attended UOP where she received her Bachelors of Science in Dental Hygiene. She then earned her dental degree at USC School of Dentistry. She found her passion for pediatric dentistry while providing dental care to children in underserved communities both locally and internationally. She went on to complete her Pediatric Dental Residency at USC and Long Beach Memorial/Miller Children’s Hospital. During residency she was actively involved in organized dentistry as a liaison and intern where she advocated for the wellbeing of pediatric dentists and their patients. In her free time, Dr. Shivani enjoys spending time with her family and friends, traveling, and painting.

Dr. Jesica Gonzalez completed her dental school education at the University of California San Francisco and her bachelor's degree at the California State University of Bakersfield, where she is originally from. She has a passion for community health and plans to return to Bakersfield to serve her community.

Dr. Philip Yoong was born in Southern Orange County and grew up across multiple cities including Houston, Las Vegas, Dallas, and even in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He completed his undergraduate studies from the University of California San Diego, receiving his B.S. degree in General Biology. He went on to earn
his DDS degree from the University of Michigan School of Dentistry. After dental school, Dr. Yoong completed his advanced pediatric dental training at USC and the Children’s Hospital of Orange County. Dr. Yoong has received certificates of completion with both the Michigan and California Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental & Related Disabilities programs. He has also been involved with the Special Olympics programs in both Michigan and Southern California since 2015. In his free time, Dr. Yoong finds solace in playing tennis, exploring new cities, and enjoying the Southern California sunshine.

Dr. Ella Saeed, a Marin County native, received her DDS from UCSF School of Dentistry and completed her pediatric specialty training at USC and Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. Dr. Saeed has an interest in treating medically complex and special needs patients while staying involved with organized dentistry, academia, and global health efforts. She plans to continue serving the dental profession at the local and international level through practicing in community, private, and academic institutions after her residency. Dr. Saeed loves being outdoors and is an avid runner and hiker.
NYU Langone - San Diego

Dr. Morgan Barron was born and raised in a small town in north Georgia. After high school, she moved to Orlando, FL to obtain her undergraduate degree in Biology at the University of Central Florida. While in school, Dr. Morgan worked at Walt Disney World as a character performer for nearly six years. The job afforded her the opportunity to meet hundreds of children and families everyday and to be part of many “Make-a-Wish” trips for children with special needs. This is where she found her passion for working with this population and
decided on a career in pediatric dentistry. She graduated from the University of Florida with her dental degree in 2019. She is joining private practice in Plant City, Florida.

Dr. Veronica Brandley was born in South Korea, adopted at 5 months, and spent the rest of her life in and around Philly. She went to Saint Joseph's University for undergraduate studies and Temple University for dental school. She is a kid at heart so it was no surprise that she was interested in pedo. Her only jobs growing up were working at summer camps and babysitting. She feels excited knowing every day she is helping to make that future better. Dr. Brandley was chief resident at NYU-San Diego and will be treating the kiddos of Harrisburg, PA.

Dr. Kyim Mung was born in Myanmar and moved to Southern California when she was about 7 years old. She went to Loma Linda University for dental school and graduated in 2017 with her DDS degree and a MA in Bioethics. After graduation, she moved to the little island of Saipan and worked as a missionary dentist for 2 years. It was during her time in Saipan that she realized pediatric dentistry was her calling. Throughout her two years of residency at NYU San Diego, she focused her research on airway management/pediatric sleep apnea. She looks forward to implementing all that she learned in private practice in San Antonio, Texas.

Dr. Marc Soelberg grew up in a small farming town in Idaho. He went to dental school at Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska (interesting fact – he didn’t have a bachelor’s degree when he started dental school). When he started dental school, he told his wife that he would never do pedo. During his D3 year, he realized that pediatric dentistry is what started
it all. He was the ninth of 10 kids and has a ton of nieces and nephews. His whole life has been spent around kids. He wanted to be the first encounter that a child would have with a dentist. Dr. Soelberg served as chief resident at NYU- San Diego where he learned about all aspects of pediatric dentistry. He will be joining a private private practice in Spokane, Washington.

Dr. Blake McDonald completed his undergrad at Brigham Young University in Utah (Go Cougs!) and got his DDS at The University of Washington (Go Dawgs!). He chose to do pediatric dentistry because he realized during dental school that his personality and talents fit perfectly. As the youngest of 6 in his family, he is the favorite uncle to about 30 nieces and nephews (this number changes often). He loves hanging out and playing with them. In addition, he has a natural ability to communicate and connect with children and youth, so pediatrics became his #1 choice during dental school. After NYU-San Diego, he will be joining private practice in Utah!

ADAPTATION AND PERSEVERANCE
Dr. Cherice Lim - LLU Representative
This past year has been full of challenges, adaptation, and perseverance as Pediatric Dentistry Residents and Faculty adapt to all the changes that have come forth with the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the statewide orders to shut down in March 2020, we were still able to provide teledentistry care for our patients and treat emergencies in the clinic. We thank the CSPD Foundation for providing our program a grant to sustain our education with funds towards additional PPE, air purifiers and a guest speaker to help us alleviate stress and anxiety within our program and with the challenges facing us and our families during this pandemic.
During the 2020-2021 residency year, the Pediatric Dentistry Department at the Loma Linda University School of Dentistry invited the predoctoral students to join us for Journal Club every week. At each meeting, various scientific articles are discussed amongst faculty, residents, and dental students. Not only do we discuss new developments in clinical dentistry, but we also strengthen our ability to score articles using evidence-based dentistry and determine how scientifically reliable they are. Each quarter, four of the journal club sessions are devoted to case presentations by the residents. The residents present a complicated case that they treated in LLU Pediatric Dental Clinic and discuss how they managed the case and what are the alternative options.
In addition to these weekly meetings, at the end of August, we will host our annual Pediatric Dentistry Mixer. Dental students interested in pediatric dentistry will be invited to come and meet the residents and our program director, Dr. JungWei Chen. At this mixer, we discuss the application process to our unique residency program and the specialty of pediatric dentistry in general.
In the 2021 CSPD/WSPD conference that we attended and at which we presented cases and posters in March, Dr. Luana Lim won the 1st place for her case presentation, “Cleft Lip and Palate and Digital Impressions for Pre-Surgical Nasoalveolar Molding Appliance.” Dr. Sara El-Sherbini and Dr. Luana Lim attended the AAPD virtual annual conference and presented posters.
Our department has worked very hard to provide community outreach. In February, we organized our annual Give Kids a Smile Day with Tri-County Dental Society to provide free dental care to children in the Loma Linda University Pediatric Dentistry Clinic. Our department along with the dental students volunteered to help make this event a huge success.



"SI SE PUEDE" - DR. SANTOS CORTEZ
Interviewed by Dr. MyLinh Ngo

1. You’ve been a part of several important legislative bills for CA as well as the nation. What sparked your interest in advocacy; were you always intrigued by the political process/laws/legislation as a young adult?
I recall that in high school I joined a club and became president of that club which helped needy families, namely by providing food during the holidays. As I recall, that would be one of my first experiences in leadership and advocacy. During those years there were many pressing political issues in this country but to me, food insecurity for many families in the community was a pressing issue. Food drives and such were successful. My interest in advocating for others was peaked, and the rest is history...still in the making.
2. The GSLA is named after you! It’s mission is to expand pediatric residents’ effectiveness as policy experts and advisors to local, state and federal government legislators and legislative bodies. Do you have any up and coming prospects you’ve groomed to take the reigns and continue your legacy?
I believe that we are all leaders and mentors. Whether in our families, our practices or community, we are all capable of providing mentorship and leadership for others. It does take time and effort but it has to be a sincere feeling of giving to others. It is also a way of feeling grateful for all the blessings we have in our country and our profession. There is no better gift but to share our knowledge and our time with others, especially in the call to action for children's well-being. Our specialty is renowned for advocating, not for ourselves but for others (children)!
3. Are there any legislative issues you were intimately involved in that stand out to you as THE most rewarding one for which your group was able to change and amend due to your advocacy efforts on behalf of CSPD and/or CDA?
I have been fortunate to have been a part of advocacy as a representative of CSPD, AAPD, CDA and other organizations. I would have to say that pursuing the passing of the bill (AB-1433) in September 2006, that requires public school children entering kindergarten or first grade to have an oral health assessment is most memorable. Not because I may have been instrumental in having it pass but appreciating the process of what it took to have it become a reality and be signed by the Governor to become a law.. I first brought the idea to the CSPD board of directors, Dave Perry was president and asked me to bring back a proposal to the CSPD board for consideration. Thereafter, I brought the proposal to the then, newly-formed, Community Health Council at the California Dental Association. The concept was accepted and CDA, through its effective advocacy efforts and authorship of Assemblymember Emmerson (an orthodontist from Redlands), the bill was passed and signed by the Governor. It took approximately four years for the entire process with support of so many leaders and staff in multiple like-minded healthcare organizations.
4. What are the daily news feeds you subscribe to for the latest information?
I do admit that I try to keep up with local and national political issues, candidates for leadership positions at the local, state and national level. Because I am still involved in my dental society board of directors (Legislative chair), I do receive and am privy to many of the pertinent bills and issues important to our specialty and to our profession. Much of the information that I may receive is through the public policy and advocacy department at CDA. Our staff at CDA is such a great resource for this.
5. Why do you think it’s important to support advocacy efforts? Does it make a difference?
It is SO important for each and every one of us to be informed and involved in advocacy efforts. Nothing meaningful gets done if we don't have a group of individuals that are going to be passionate about an issue and to try to bring solutions to a problem. These efforts may take tons of work and much time...but it has to be done by people that really care. It does make a difference, though one has to be patient to see the fruits of our labor. I've seen this time and time again. We need to stay involved. We make a difference! And if my Spanish, serves me right, "Si se puede"..."yes we can"
6. There are so many PACs and organizations that need financial support. Any tips on how a new doctor can navigate how and where to start donating with the limited funds? What can they do to make the greatest impact?
I have seen first hand, both at CDA and AAPD how beneficial and effective a PAC can be. In California, we need to donate to our state dental organization (CDA), for sure, as well as AAPD-PAC.But at the very least, as we are called to action, a letter or a phone call to our elected officials is very effective. I have also been able to help with the CSPD-CDA Advocacy Day in Sacramento with our SC-GSLA and Warren Branli Interns. I cannot not tell you how impressed and delighted our representatives are to see young residents speak about their experiences with patients at their hospitals and clinics. The advocacy programs at the AAPD have been modeled after what has been done in
California. What a great experience for residents as they develop their interest in helping shape our organization's legislative agenda. CSPD's advocacy programs are jewels in the crown of our organization.
7. What is the best way to get involved and learn about current issues that affect the practice of pediatric dentistry? What channels can members access to understand more about the legislative process?
Many years ago, we placed prominently as one of CSPD's strategic goals to involve residents and young practitioners at their earliest point of their careers in pediatric dentistry. I cannot think of any other initiative that has helped our organization "grow" our young leaders into full-fledged advocates for organized dentistry and very specifically, for pediatric dentistry. As such, CSPD is now the go-to organization in California that addresses issues relating to children's oral health. This was in our plan twenty some years ago. I am so proud to have seen it develop into such a respected group. Therefore, if you've graduated from one of the California residency programs, you already know how advocacy works in this state and specifically in CSPD. But
finding a mentor who has interest in advocacy is a bestpractice. We have many members who are at-the-ready to share their experience and their recommendations as to how best to learn and develop the advocate role we should all play in our field. CSPD's Bulletin is a great resource to learn about pertinent bills and issues as well as CDA's publications. Specific bills or other resources may be researched and reviewed through the website at the California State Legislature at www.leginfo.legislature. ca.gov
8. What book/s are you currently reading? How about your top netflix shows?
Books: Barack Obama “A Promised Land” and way into "Beekeeping for Dummies" as a newbee beekeeper! Shows: I did get into "Narcos", "Longmire",and "Yellowstone" on Netflix.
9. What is your favorite appetizer? And beverage to wash it down :)
Nachos with chicken and extra cheddar cheese and Victoria (Mexican) beer is just fine with me! Ha.
NEW COMMITTEE
NEW DENTISTS
Dr. Stephanie J. Vargas - Early Career Pediatric Dentist Committee

Spring 2021 welcomed an exciting new CSPD committee, the Early Career Pediatric Dentist Committee, consisting of pediatric dentists in various stages of their early careers (in practice for 10 years or less). This committee will plan educational learning experiences and social events specifically geared towards fellow pediatric dentists in their early stages. As restrictions continue to lift, the committee plans to host events in both Northern and Southern California to connect and support all CSPD members.
The introductory event, “A Small Bite of Financial Awareness,” (https://oce.cspd.org/courses/pop-up-eventa-small-bite-of-financial-awareness/) covered topics such as “Educational Loan Management and Planning” and how to “Minimize Taxes and Realize Wealth”. Just as we expect parents to entrust us with their children’s oral health, Pediatric dentists should seek advice from professionals regarding our financial health and goals. The recording is FREE to CSPD members online!
Below are key points of interest:
• Take advantage of 0% interest/repayment freeze through the CARES act.
• Find out what associates can do to save on taxes.
• When considering how to treat your (Federal) student loans, take one of two directions:
• Loan Balance < annual income = treat loans like a DEBT → be AGGRESSIVE.
• Loan Balance > annual income = treat loans like a TAX → be PASSIVE
Just because we made the decision to cut teeth and negotiate with children for a living doesn’t mean we should helplessly grin and bear the weight of insurmountable student debt and (relative) financial illiteracy. On behalf of the Early Career Pediatric Dentist Committee, my hope is that the information provided can boost your confidence in making crucial money moves for your future!
WORTH THE WAIT
Your convention, your way.
CDA Presents The Art and Science of Dentistry is back. Your profession’s favorite convention is coming to San Francisco this fall — and right to you as a live, virtual event. Get ready to reconnect with your dental community and rediscover hands-on learning. Sharpen skills at new workshops, earn C.E. while being inspired by leading speakers and check out a full hall of innovative exhibitors. Plus, plan time for all the after-hours fun.
Choose the in-person or virtual experience that works for you. Or both!
Discover practice-changing education to fuel your entire dental team at cda.org/cdapresents


San Francisco, California
September 9–11, 2021
#cdaPresents

Anaheim, California
May 12–14, 2022
#cdaPresents

AAPD 2021 PEDIATRIC ORAL HEALTH VIRTUAL ADVOCACY WEEK
Dr. Danielle Goodman - Leadership Development Committee Chair

Every year our Warren Brandli Leadership Interns and Santos Cortez Graduate Student Leadership Advocacy (GSLA) Interns participate in AAPD’s Pediatric Oral Health Advocacy Conference. Typically, that means that they fly out to Washington, DC to meet with California’s representatives and senators to discuss issues related to pediatric dentistry and advocate for children’s oral health. This year’s conference looked a little different, but AAPD did a great job with its first ever virtual advocacy week. Our interns, along with residents and pediatric dentists from all over California, met with representatives and their staff members virtually.
This year, we had three major asks:
1. Fund Title VII Pediatric Dentistry at $14 million and make dental faculty loan repayments non-taxable to the recipient
• Title VII has greatly contributed to the expansion and improvement in pediatric dentistry residency programs across the country over the past 20 years. AAPD commissioned a pediatric dentistry workforce report in 2019 which showed Title VII’s success in addressing the national shortage of pediatric dentists; however, there is still not an even distribution geographically. New grants are aimed at outreach within existing programs to rural and under-served communities rather than program expansion.
• The Dental Faculty Repayment Program (DFLRP) helps recruit and retain talented new pediatric dentistry faculty to train the next generation of pediatric dentists.
2. Co-sponsor the Ensuring Lasting Smiles Act
• The Ensuring Lasting Smiles Act would require all health plans to cover medically necessary services for those with craniofacial anomalies.
• This legislation has strong, bipartisan support.
3. Urge CMS to adopt a dental rehabilitation code to address the OR access issue for pediatric dentistry
• AAPD along with ADA and AAOMS have been actively discussing the establishment of a new dental rehabilitation code that would aid dentists in providing services for children and frail elderly in hospitals and outpatient ambulatory surgical centers
• Representatives were asked to contact CMS and encourage them to set up a new billing code for use by hospitals AND propose that the code also be covered for use in ambulatory surgery centers
Thanks to our strong CSPD membership, our interns are able to advocate on behalf of our profession and patient population. Despite being virtual, this year’s advocacy week made a huge impact on our interns; and they, in turn, made an impact on national policy affecting children’s oral health.
“AAPD’s Pediatric Oral Health Advocacy Conference was a rewarding and unique experience, especially during a pandemic year. Pediatric dentists around the state and country virtually collaborated and rallied to advocate for our patients, colleagues, and practice of pediatric dentistry. I had the honor and privilege to discuss several policies with members and representatives of Congress. I am proud and humbled to have been a part of promoting our profession and work with organizations such as AAPD and CSPD that prioritize the best interest of our patients, colleagues, and communities at the national level. My experience as a GSLA intern was truly one of the most enriching parts of my training as a pediatric dentist as it trained me to be a healthcare provider beyond the clinic and an integral member of our local and national community.” - Ella Saeed (2020-2021 GSLA Intern)
WSPD & AAPD NEWS
Dr. Jonathon Lee - 11th AAPD Western District Trustee

It is a privilege to serve as your Western District Trustee for the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry which began Sunday, May 30, 2021.
On Saturday, June 26, CSPD held its first in-person Board of Directors Meeting with Dr. Gila Dorostkar presiding.
It was great to see everyone. What a wonderful experience the Board meeting was.
As a CSPD Past President, it was beautiful to see a Board that reflects the membership it represents. It goes with the overriding social theme set forth by Arizona WSPD District member Dr. Laila Hinshaw and celebrates our broad experiences, viewpoints, inclusiveness, and respectful collaboration.
As such, the CSPD Board discussions were balanced and provided good perspectives from multiple points of view.

Gila with CSPD Leadership Development Committee member, Dr. Michael Suh, invited Past CDA Speaker of the House of Delegates, Dr. Craig Yarborough, to speak to the CSPD Board on Leadership. To paraphrase Dr. Craig Yarborough, Good Leaders are Honest and Do the Right Thing. Your leadership is doing just that.
It is excellent and healthful that CSPD is examining current issues and associated Legislation. For example, CSPD is examining Sugar-Sweetened Beverages and evaluating the current data. CSPD has been at the forefront of this, which aligns with our Mission and Vision of exemplary oral health for all infants, children and adolescents. For example, at the 2018 CSPD Annual Meeting in San Diego, our Keynote Speaker, Dr. Lustig, spoke of the health effects of sugar.
In three short years, it is apparent and undeniable that Sugar-Sweetened taxes have an impact. As such, the guarded unintended consequences need examination, such as the "nanny state" that requires negotiation, equity and ensuring revenue from those taxes goes to programs that will impact and encourage optimal health. As we know, caries and cardiovascular problems in society have many facets, so a well-rounded collaborative discussion and solutions beyond a simple taxation policy will help encourage optimal and exemplary health for children.
What Happens Out West Spreads to The Rest. Gila’s efforts at getting more collaboration amongst stakeholders to participate in discussion at the table are showing and very important. California and the District have a remarkable history of setting precedent and being early adopters. As a State and District, we initiated the discussion at the AAPD BOT on things such as The AAPD Policy on School Absences. CSPD and the WSPD continue the excellent work, and I am proud to represent CSPD and the District at the National Level.
As an AAPD Trustee, I am also the AAPD Board Liaison to:
1. The AAPD Council of Continuing Education
2. The AAPD Council of Continuing Education, Speakers Bureau Committee
3. The AAPD Council on Membership and Membership Services, Communications Committee
4. AAPD BOT Awards Committee
What is Happening at WSPD and AAPD?
Both Our Districts - The Western Society of Pediatric Dentistry and Our National Parent Organization, The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry - have been busy serving the membership and the public by advocating optimal oral health for infants, children and adolescents.
There is exciting news about Sedation Safety in the Pediatric Dental Office. The AAPD Board of Trustees and the Council of Continuing Education have endorsed the American Heart Association's (PEARS®) course as appropriate for Dental Auxiliaries.
The Current AAPD Sedation Best Practices for Monitoring and Management of Pediatric Patients Before, During, and After Sedation for Diagnostic and Therapeutic Procedures state that for support personnel during Minimal to Moderate Sedation that “[t]his individual should be trained in and capable of providing advanced airway skills” of which PEARS® fulfills. More details on this exciting news are below.
On Saturday May 29, 2021, The WSPD Board of Trustees virtually held both its Board of Trustees Meeting as well as the WSPD General Membership Meeting and District Caucus.
The WSPD Updated the Bylaws:
1. Added a New Officer Position: President Elect.
2. Vacancies Language was updated for clarification.
3. Treasurers and Secretary Term of office extended.
The New AAPD Board of Trustees has planned its orientation meeting and Media Spokespersons Training in Chicago on July 15-17, 2021.

AAPD held its Spring Board of Trustees Meeting on May 15, 2021 and held its General Assembly of the Membership Meeting on Sunday May 30, 2021.
On June 22, 2021, the AAPD Board of Trustees voted unanimously to approve the following motions:
Motion 1
To approve the minutes of the May 15, 2021, meetings of the Board of Trustees.
Of Significance, the AAPD Board of Trustees moved to approve the transfer of the PEARS® program From the Council of Continuing Education to the Scientific Program Committee so that it aligns with the Annual Session. The Council on Continuing Education reviewed the course and reported that it is an appropriate course offering for dental auxiliaries. The course could also be offered by state and district chapters. As such, both CSPD and WSPD could offer this course.
The AHA pediatric training program, Pediatric Emergency Assessment Resuscitation and Stabilization (PEARS®) teaches healthcare providers how to recognize respiratory distress, shock and cardiac arrest, and provide appropriate lifesaving interventions within the initial minutes of care for seriously ill or injured infants and children.
The AHA’s PEARS® Course is a classroom-based, Instructor-led course, where participants learn how to use a systematic approach to quickly assess, recognize the cause, and stabilize a pediatric patient in an emergency situation.
It is designed for healthcare providers and others who might encounter pediatric emergency situations during their work, including: Dentists, Physicians, Nurses, Nurse practitioners, Physician assistant, Emergency medical technicians, Respiratory therapists, Prehospital and in-hospital healthcare providers (outside of criticalcare areas), Outpatient clinic staff and School-based providers.
The goal of the PEARS® Provider Course is to improve outcomes for pediatric patients by preparing healthcare providers in assessment, early recognition, prompt communication, and initial intervention in patients with respiratory emergencies, shock, and cardiopulmonary arrest by using high-performance team dynamics.
The board minutes are now public, and have been posted in the Governance section of the Member
Resources page of the AAPD website (https://www.aapd. org/resources/member/governance/).
https://www.aapd.org/globalassets/2021-05-152020-21board-minutes.pdf and https://www.aapd.org/ globalassets/2021-05-15-2021-22board-minutes.pdf
Motion 2
To approve the minutes of the May 30, 2021, meeting of the General Assembly of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry.
The General Assembly minutes are now public, and have been in the Governance section of the Member Resources page of the AAPD website (https://www.aapd.org/resources/ member/governance/).
https://www.aapd.org/globalassets/2021-general-assemblyminutes.pdf
Motion 3
To approve the appointments of Dr. Homa Amini as a consultant to the Council on Scientific Affairs and Dr. Catherine Flaitz as expert consultant to the Council on Clinical Affairs.
These members will receive letters of appointment and the appropriate forms.
Next Year the AAPD will be celebrating its Diamond Jubilee 75th Anniversary and the Annual meeting will be held in our State and District in San Diego. At the CSPD Board meeting it was announced that AAPD President Dr. Jeannie Beauchamp has appointed CSPD Past President and District TrusteeDr. Jacob Lee and his son- Dr. Aaron Lee to serve as the AAPD Local Arrangements Co-Chairs for San Diego. I look forward to seeing everyone there. It is a pleasure serving as your AAPD Western District Trustee and Thank You for the opportunity.


BILLS OF INTEREST

AB 454 (Rodriguez) Health Care Provider Emergency Payments
Summary: Would require a health care service plan or health insurer to provide specified payments and support to a health care provider in a Federally-designated Health Professional Shortage Area or California Department of Public Health-designated medical or dental underserved area during a declared state of emergency exceeding three-months of impact.
CSPD POSITION: SUPPORT STATUS: STALLED IN LEGISLATIVE PROCESS
Comment: This a companion to SB 242 (Newman) in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It is based on the premise that such policy is necessary during a public health crisis or other declared state of emergency to keep intact provider networks and ensure uninterrupted access to care.
AB 526 (Wood) COVID-19 Testing and Vaccine Administration
Summary: Would amend the Dental Practice Act to permit dentists to prescribe and administer COVID-19 and annual influenza vaccines to patients three years of age and older and allow dentists to conduct COVID-19 rapid testing for the screening of patients and staff when such tests become available and appropriate for in-office use.
CSPD POSITION: SUPPORT STATUS: ACTIVE BILL
Comment: Under the Governor’s public health emergency declaration, a Department of Consumer Affairs waiver currently allows dentists with specified training to administer COVID-19 vaccines. The bill would count vaccine training provided through the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention toward fulfillment of the dentist’s continuing education licensure renewal requirement.
AB 733 (Chiu) Registered Dental Hygienists in Alternative Practice: Settings
Summary: The bill is intended to increase access to dental care for children and pregnant women enrolled in California Medicaid (Medi-Cal) by allowing medical practices to engage Registered Dental Hygienists in Alternative Practice (RDHAPs) onsite to provide oral health education, preventive services, and care coordination through referral to a dental home as entry to the dental delivery system.
CSPD POSITION: SUPPORT IF AMENDED
STATUS: INACTIVE UNTIL 2022 LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Comment: Support is dependent upon amending the bill by the addition of a sunset provision taking effect after no more
than five years. An independent outcomes assessment would also have to be added, measuring, among other benchmarks, program effectiveness in determining conversion rates (i.e. percentage of patients seen by the RDHAP in the medical setting that subsequently establish a dental home) compared to the general pediatric Medi-Cal population.
AB 1163 (Nazarian) Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Local Tax Preemption
Summary: Would repeal current law successfully brought by the beverage industry in 2018 that preempts local governments from imposing taxes on sugary drinks until 2030. This bill returns power to local governments to impose sugary drink excise taxes.
CSPD POSITION: SUPPORT STATUS: STALLED IN LEGISLATIVE PROCESS
Comment: This bill follows failed legislative efforts in 2014, 2015, 2018 and 2020 to impose safety warnings on sugar-sweetened sealed beverage containers and dispensing machines.
SB 242 (Newman) Public Health Emergency Provider Cost Reimbursement
Summary: Would require a health plan or a health insurer to reimburse its contracting health care providers for business expenses (such as for PPE and related costs) necessary to render treatment to patients, to protect health care workers, and to prevent the spread of diseases causing public health emergencies.
CSPD POSITION: SUPPORT STATUS: ACTIVE BILL
Comment: Included under the bill as introduced was the Department of Health Care Services to provide such payment to Med-Cal providers. This a companion to AB 454 (Rodriguez) in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Amended 4/13/21 to remove Medi-Cal from the bill’s provisions. A proposed amendment would limit provisions to PPE only.
SB 652 (Bates) Sedation Permitting and Regulation
Summary: Extends to all patients regardless of age the current requirements effective January 1, 2022, under SB 501 (2018) for dental patients under 13 years of age. These are, specifically, that an operating dentist and at least two additional personnel be present throughout a procedure involving deep sedation/general anesthesia and that the dentist and one additional personnel maintain current certification in Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) (instead of PALS) for adolescent and adult patients.
CSPD POSITION: OPPOSE UNLESS AMENDED STATUS: INACTIVE UNTIL THE 2022 LEGISLATIVE SESSION
Comment: The bill effectively creates one standard for the delivery of deep sedation/general anesthesia in the dental office regardless of the age of the patient. CSPD would oppose the bill unless amended to specify that for patients 13 – 18 years of age, one person in the room must be ACLS trained and certified while one other person in the room must hold certification in ACLS or PALS, rather than requiring that two persons present must both be ACLS certified.
CSPD follows a number of bills under consideration by the state legislature which potentially impact pediatric oral health. Members having questions or wishing to comment on these or any other legislative matters are invited to contact CSPD’s Public Policy Advocate, Dr. Natalie Mansour, at natalie.usc.trojan@gmail.com
“CHANCE FAVORS THE PREPARED MIND.”
Dr. Dennis Nutter - WSPD President

Each year, the leadership of state pediatric dental associations like CSPD have to confront problems that have regulatory sources, legislative sources and origins in clinical practice. For local and state issues, often their best partner in finding a solution is their state dental association. CSPD is fortunate to be able to collaborate with CDA. It is a behemoth organization with an annual budget of over 40 million dollars and has important organizational structure and relationships that can be invaluable in finding the appropriate way forward.
“Chance favors the prepared mind.”
- Louis Pasteur
When the threat develops nationally, CSPD leadership leans on AAPD for guidance. I just got off a zoom meeting with AAPD officers and district leaders. The subject was access to Ambulatory Surgical Centers (ASC). COVID magnified to crisis levels access problems that had already existed. AAPD leadership commissioned an outside agency to create a white paper (five pages and an easy read: https:// www.aapd.org/globalassets/media/advocacy/asc-white-paper-final.pdf ) on the three ways to access an ASC. The zoom meeting was a way to educate district leaders on the scope of these problems so that we will all be working with the same baseline information when we look for solutions. Not a bad idea. District leaders are generally presidents, officers and board members of their respective state organizations. That is who makes up the board of the Western Society of Pediatric Dentistry (WSPD). WSPD is that other organization showing up on your dues statement. State organizations are the fingers which act together as the hand, in mutual support, at the district level.
One of the primary missions of the Western Society of Pediatric Dentistry (WSPD) is to develop relationships among its 10 US western states and 2 Canadian provinces to act as an early warning system to alert leaders of problems that are percolating outside their “state focused” field of vision. For instance, the representatives of the two Canadian provinces, British Columbia and Alberta, regularly give us disturbing reports on the challenges of practicing in the context of socialized medicine. However you look at socialized medicine, as a threat or opportunity, it is sobering to hear the Canadian perspective. WSPD does not try to duplicate services that CSPD or AAPD already provide. Our job is to “communicate, collaborate and enhance“ the functions of CSPD, AAPD and other state organizations. That small dues payment on your invoice helps CSPD leadership understand what problems are confronting the region. In doing so, they can think with greater insight and sophistication about emerging threats and opportunities.
On behalf of the WSPD officers and Board of Trustees, which includes your eloquent, organized and energetic president, Dr. Gila Dorostkar, I thank you for your continuing support.

IT'S NEVER TOO LATE TO PURSUE A DREAM - CATCHING UP WITH DR. HELEN MO
Interviewed by Dr. MyLinh Ngo

1. Why did you get involved with CSPD?
I still remember my first CSPD Annual Meeting as a new resident. I signed up for the Las Vegas experience, but left the meeting feeling energized by the power of organized dentistry. The next year, I attended AAPD Lobby Day, where I saw how unique our California cohort is. We are strong not only in number, but also in our passion for supporting our peers, our patients, and the future of dentistry. It is a community like no other, and I knew I wanted to be a part of it.
This past year, I was appointed to the Board as Director-North and have been fortunate to continue working with so many inspiring individuals.
2. Congratulations on being a first-time mom. How are you balancing work, volunteering and family-life?
Navigating motherhood as a working mom has been the most chaotic, yet most rewarding experience. Every week brings a new challenge, and every day the balance shifts. There’s many color-coded Google calendars, late nights, Zoom meetings with my toddler Olivia in my lap… and a lot of coffee involved. I’m constantly learning and always adapting. Despite having my hands full, I absolutely love that being a parent has made me more empathetic as a provider. Overall, I’m grateful to have the opportunity to spend time doing a bit of everything I enjoy.
3. How has being involved shaped your professional life and career?
Being a part of CSPD has allowed me to connect with a group of like minded individuals; to learn by staying up-to-date with the current new techniques, materials, and technology; and to find mentorship from some of the world’s best pediatric dentists. Dentists are one of the few that have the ability to change the path of the disease they treat. Our profession has so much impact and potential. Through organized dentistry, I feel I can make a greater difference for all the children who do not have the ability to advocate for themselves.
4. Who has been the greatest positive influence in your life? In what ways?
When my mom came to America, she barely knew English. So when she was offered a job as a babysitter for a few dollars an hour, she took it. But she quickly learned not to settle. She learned English. Went back to school. Earned her nursing degree. She worked night shifts every weekend, picked up all the holidays to make extra money, and would still remember to come home with a happy meal toy to surprise us — all while being a full time mom during the week. Past age 40, she started all over. She went to dental school, opened her own practice, and continues to excel as a general dentist.
My mom has shown me that I can be whoever I want to be. That it is never too late to pursue a dream. Her strength motivates me both professionally as a dentist and personally as a mother. I hope that I can pass along the same positive influence to my own daughter.
5. What do you do to keep a pulse on the membership and stay connected to the professional community at large?
Besides my role in CSPD, one of my favorite ways to stay connected is by teaching as volunteer faculty at UCSF. At UCSF, I work with residents in a behavior desensitization clinic I created, where we provide care for children with autism spectrum disorder and other neurodevelopmental disorders. The UCSF pediatric dental residents are a special group of people. They are eager to learn, and they support these families with such pure intention and compassion. I value their energy; they teach me just as much as I teach them.
6. Any tips about how practices can make baby steps toward learning about / starting a social media presence? Why does it matter? Is it a must do?
The biggest tip I can give is - it’s never too late to start! It can be as simple as creating an Instagram or Facebook page that is linked on your website.
Although it’s not a must, social media can have many benefits. Not only can it be a great advertising/marketing tool to seek out new patients, it can also be an opportunity for current patients to engage with your office throughout the year. I started my own Instagram page (@the.dentistmom) so my patients could get to know me outside of being a dentist — which has strengthened our relationship and trust. I also use my platform to provide resources for any parent seeking to learn about pediatric oral health.
There are many other creative ways to interact on social media through raffles/ contests, pictures of staff or patients, and other announcements. The beautiful thing about social media is that it can be whatever you want it to be.
7. Can you share with us an absolute must-have indulgence that you could not live without?
My Netflix subscription. It’s my favorite way to wind down after a long day, with a big bowl of ice cream!

CE IS CRUCIAL FOR OUR PROFESSION
CSPD’s Online Continuing Education (OCE) platform is a resource available for both members and non-members. CE is required for renewal of dental licenses and permits. And more importantly, CE is crucial for our profession: to be up-to-date with the latest evidence-based techniques, to continue learning, and to better serve our patients to uphold the vision of CSPD — “exemplary oral health for all infants, children, and adolescents.”
Our web-based courses include a wide range of topics essential to pediatric dentistry such as zirconia crowns, silver diamine fluoride, pulp therapy, dental trauma, caries prevention, behavior management, and dental materials. All lectures are approved for ADA CERP CE credits and California Dental Licensure. To access CSPD’s OCE platform visit oce.cspd.org.
2021 CSPD/WSPD Annual Meeting courses will continue to be available on CSPD’S OCE platform for meeting registrants until late September. Those who missed attending a program or want to review a program more carefully can have access to the lecture again. CEU’s are available after successful completion of a short quiz.
If you missed the meeting, all lectures are currently available on OCE platform at a reduced cost! The annual bundle of all 8 programs can be purchased for $400 (11.5 CEUs, including 7 CEUs of sedation courses). The sedation programs (7 CEUs) can be purchased for $250. Individual programs can be purchased as needed.

Oral Conscious Sedation courses are available to satisfy Oral Conscious Sedation re-certification requirements (https://oce.cspd. org/product-category/sedation-package/). Multiple free lectures are available for viewing without CE credit, including our recent POP UP EVENT: A Small Bite of Financial Awareness (https://oce.cspd.org/ courses/pop-up-event-a-small-bite-of-financial-awareness/).


WEBSITE NOTES
ONLINE CONTINUING EDUCATION UPDATE
Dr. Steven Niethamer - Website Editor

Annual Meeting Courses added to OCE
Much of this quarter was spent adding and maintaining the new CE events from CSPD’s virtual annual meeting on the new OCE platform. This year’s virtual platform meant that the lecture programs were recorded automatically and removed one of the more time-consuming jobs in this OCE process. Adding to the complexity, however, was the need to make the programs available to meeting attendees within a week and in bundles for purchase by non-attendees. These tasks were completed within two weeks and the programs seem to be popular.
Complications from Bad Internet Elements added to the Challenges
During this time, we also dealt with a crash that caused the display of the program grid to break after what should have been a simple update to the plugins. The updates apparently overwrote some of the custom code. Luckily only the display of programs was affected and not any of the actual processing parts. Going forward, we now have contracted with a company whose core interests are in managing WordPress websites. The plan is for them to finish off the site so that all programs can be kept up-to-date, secure, and stable.
And to our horror and disgust, during the transfer of our OCE platform to a more WordPress friendly server, our new management company identified a great number of files likely added by a bad internet player that could have caused a variety of future problems. Those files were identified and removed. As an extra caution, the platform was built again with a new WordPress core and fresh plugins in a way that allows all to be updated and backed up as it should. We now ought to be safe.
" OCE committee challenges our members to send us your videos!"
All these problems along with reports of international hacking and ransomware makes me recall the Hill Street Blues Sargent Michael Conrad’s sincere warning to his friend and colleagues during morning roll call, “Hey, let’s be careful out there.” All of our members need to take good care of their data during these interesting times.
OCE wants our Members’ CE Programs
Most CSPD members have presented programs to their staff or professional groups which have made them proud – maybe about a method for restoring, producing the perfect sealant or making some great appliance. And all of us have special techniques which need to be shared before we retire, or else they are lost forever.
These days, we all see how videos that are uploaded to social media have changed the world. With the convenience of having our own recording studios located in our cell phones and on our PC/Macs, we can record and edit these programs to produce something we can share with our colleagues.
The OCE committee challenges our members to send us your videos! We can add these programs to our OCE site and allow them to be viewed by a world of pediatric dentists. The OCE committee is willing to help our members put together short CE programs and add them to our library. If you are interested, send your ideas to OCE Chair Helen Mo or to your website editor, Steven Niethamer.
And…Let's be careful out there!

NEWS!! CALL FOR APPLICATIONS!!
Residents apply now!
Applications for the Warren Brandli Internship and Santos Cortez Graduate Student Legislative Advocacy Internship are already available on the website and due November 30, 2021.
2020-2021 ANNUAL GIVING CAMPAIGN DONORS
PRESIDENTS’ CIRCLE DONORS
DIAMOND LIFE LIFE - $25,000 Life Pledge
Ann Azama & Randy Lee
Lisa Brennan & Albert Cosand
Scott & Grace Fishman
Steve & Ellen Gross
Leslie Aspis
Mark & Tina Bayless
Thomas K. Barber
Stephanie Brandli
Madeleine Brandli
L. Jeffrey Brown
Santos Cortez
Donald & Shirley Dal Porto
Mark Dal Porto
Larry & Janet Darrow
J. Patrick & Julie Davis
John & Erica DeLorme
Howard Dixon
Gila Dorostkar
John & Kathy Fowle
Vernon Adams
Stephen Blain
Matthew Hamilton**
Ngo
Gila Dorostkar
Steve Gross
Rebecca Lee
Tiffany Ham
Nancy Hsieh
Wayne** & Zoe Grossman
Roland & Lorraine Hansen
Scott** & Marsha Jacks
Mark & Terri Lisagor
Oariona Lowe
Mike & Clarene McCartney
Bob & Judy Oliver
Mel & Linda Rowan
CORPORATE LIFE - $10,000 Life Pledge
Space Maintainers Laboratory
PLATINUM LIFE - $10,000 Life Pledge
David Good
Bernard Gross
LaJuan Hall
Robert Harmon
Jeff & Janet Huston
Alison & Jim Jackson
Bergen James
Neil Katsura
Martin & Shiela Lasky
Daniel Launspach
Jacob & Sophie Lee
Rebecca Lee
Lonnie & Jan Lovingier
Larry & Barbara Luke
Lynne & Tom Marian
Edward & Beverly Matsuishi
Ned Momary
Richard P. Mungo
Rick J. Nichols
Steven & Bounthom Niethamer
Gary Okamoto
David Okawachi
David & Judy Perry
Greg & Mary Rabitz
Paul & Cindy Reggiardo
David Rothman & Peggy Barbieri
Keith & Lucia Ryan
Estella Sanchez
Brian J. Saunders
Don & Paula Schmitt
GOLD LIFE - $5,000 LIFE PLEDGE
Alan Hoffman
Jonathon Lee
Dennis Paul Nutter
PATRON - $1,000
Sabbadini
Art & Gladie Rabitz
Salma Salimi
Jeffrey Sue
EMERITUS - Gifted $1,000 per Year After Compleation of Life Pledge
Richard Mungo
Steven and Bounthom Niethamer
Paul & Cindy Reggiardo
CIRCLE OF FRIENDS DONORS
SUSTAINING - $500
Dora Lee
Sharine Thenard
CONTRIBUTING - $300
Natalie Mansour
Alexander Alcaraz
Emily Altieri
Aldolfo Barrera
Nicholas Bronzini
Joshua Cononlly
Neek LaMantia
Jordan Buzzell
Lynn Fujimoto
Mary Claire Garcia
John Guijon
Danielle Goodman
Janelle Holden
Ameneh Khosrovani
Chanel McCreedy
MEMBER - $200
Laurence Darrow
SUPPORT - $100
Gary Okamoto
Daniela Silva
Karen Sue
Lynn Wan
STUDENT - $25
Jose Polido
OTHER - All Donations Much Appreciated
Alison Jackson
Tra Le
Aaron Lee
Oariona Lowe
Giancarlo Lauriente
Irma Perez-Martinez
Dennis Nutter
Todd Pacofsky
Richard Sobel & Leticia MendozaSobel
Ken & Patty Szymanski
David Seman
Eddie So
Andrew Soderstrom
Martin & Dea Steigner
Ray Stewart
Karen Sue & Curtis Hoy
Karen Teeters
Scott Thompson
Lynn Wan
Wesley & Jan Wieman
Randall Wiley
Phil & Donna Wolkstein
Cynthia Weideman
Soderstrom**
Brian J. Saunders
Richard Sobel & Leticia Mendoza-Sobel
Scott Thompson
Kanoknuch Shiflett
Steve Yun
Vivian Lopez
Wilson
Ella Saeed
Gregory Rabitz
Susan Ann Sergie
Reza Tavana
Richard Udin
PLEASE HELP SUPPORT THE FOUNDATION www.cspd.org/?page=Donate
A HEARTFELT THANK YOU
Dr. Don Schmitt - CSPDF President & Annual Meeting Co-Chair
We wish a heartfelt THANK YOU to the LONG time heart of the Foundation, Dr. Mark Lisagor, who is stepping down from the Board of Directors after many dedicated years of service. He will continue to lend his advice and support as he focuses more on his dental missions and work with the school system. Mark will be dearly missed by the Foundation. Thank you, Mark!
WELCOME new Board member Brenda Hansen (Sprig USA). Brenda brings extensive fundraising experience to the Board and will assist in reinvigorating the Foundation's corporate giving program.
The Foundation is happy to sponsor the upcoming CSPD Pop-Up Event focused on medical emergencies in the dental office. More details to follow!
The Foundation Cocktail Party is making its grand return in March at the Annual Meeting in Scottsdale. We are looking forward to seeing you there!
Last year, the Foundation awarded over $165k in grants to the post grad programs and CSPD to help with clinic renovations, COVID reopening, and the new OCE platform. The Foundation needs your continued help in supporting these vital endeavors. Please visit the Foundation page at CSPD.org and give today!

BOARD OF DIRECTOR'S MEETING - JUNE 26, 2021
BOARD MOTIONS
MOTION: 2021.06.26.07 (MCCREEDY): Move that CSPD confirms as policy that the Bulletin be distributed digitally to all Pediatric Dentistry Program Directors in the United States. MOTION CARRIED
MOTION 2021.06.26.08 (MO): Move that CSPD confirm approval of the Ecropolis agreement to host and maintain the OCE [Online Continuing Education] LMS [Learning Management System] platform and to confirm the action of the Executive Director to enter into contract with the company under the proposed terms and conditions. MOTION CARRIED
MOTION 2021.06.26.09 (MO): Move we use paid advertisement on social media to promote CSPD’s online CE [Continuing Education] courses, with a budget of $40 a month for one year. MOTION WITHDRAWN
MOTION 2021.06.26.10 (MCCREEDY): Move to approve the social media posting policy and procedures as recommended by the [Social Media] Subcommittee in the June 2021 Report to the Board. MOTION CARRIED
MOTION 2021.06.26.11 (PHAM): Move to approve the plans as proposed in the Patient Services Committee report for a “Pop-Up Event” dental team emergency and sedation preparedness continuing education course. MOTION CARRIED
MOTION 2021.06.26.12 (SCHMITT): Move to [maintain] a position of support for AB 454 and [take a support position on] SB 242. MOTION CARRIED
MOTION 2021.06.26.13 (POISET): Move to maintain a position of support for AB 526. MOTION CARRIED (9-1-1)
MOTION 2021.06.26.14 (GUIJON): Move to maintain a position of support for AB 1163. MOTION CARRIED (5-2-4)
MOTION 2021.06.26.15 (POISET): Move to have a position of support if amended for AB 733. MOTION CARRIED
MOTION 2021.06.26.16 (POISET): Move to position of oppose unless amended for SB 652. MOTION CARRIED
CALIFORNIA SOCIETY OF PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY
CSPD LEADERSHIP
Full list of committee members is located at www.cspd.org.
OFFICERS
President: Dr. Gila Dorostkar
President-Elect: Dr. Thomas Tanbonliong
Vice President: Dr. Donald Schmitt
Secretary: Dr. Mitch Poiset
Treasurer: Dr. Gary Sabbadini
Immed. Past President: Dr. Nancy Hsieh
DIRECTORS
North (22): Dr. Natalie Vander Kam
North (22): Dr. Chanel McCreedy
North (23): Dr. Amber Nierode
North (23): Dr. Helen Mo
South (22): Dr. John Guijon
South (22): Dr. Dora Lee
South (23): Dr. Leslie Butler
South (23): Dr. Catherine Pham
APPOINTED OFFICERS
Managing Editor: Dr. MyLinh Ngo
Associate Editor: Dr. Angela Lee
Associate Editor: Dr. Chanel McCreedy
Website Editor: Dr. Steve Niethamer
Public Policy Advocate:
Dr. Natalie Mansour
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Dr. Paul Reggiardo
WARREN BRANDLI LEADERSHIP INTERNS
Dr. Letitia Edwards (USC)
Dr. Imran Ahmed (UCLA)
Dr. Ida Gorshteyn (UCSF)
SANTOS CORTEZ GRADUATE STUDENT LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY INTERNS
Dr. JoyAh Brooks (NYU Langone San Diego)
Dr. JungSoo Kim (UCSF)
CONTACTS & LIAISONS
AAPD District V (WSPD) Trustee:
Dr. Jonathon Lee
AAPD Liaison: Catherine Pham
WSPD Liaison: Catherine Pham
AAP California Chapters Coordinator:
Dr. Kim Nichelini
AAP CA Chapter 1 Liaison:
Dr. Kim Nichelini
AAP CA Chapter 2 Liaison:
Dr. Catherine Pham
AAP CA Chapter 3 Liaison:
Dr. Nicole LaMantia
AAP CA Chapter 4 Liaison:
Dr. John Guijon
Annual Meeting Sponsor Relations Liaison: Dr. Leslie Butler
California Dental Society of Anesthesiology Liaison:
Dr. Dave Rothman
CSPD Foundation Liaison:
Dr. Nancy Hsieh
Consultant – Legislative Affairs:
Dr. Santos Cortez
Consultant – Dental Board California:
Dr. Paul Reggiardo
CSPD VOTING MEMBERS TO THE WSPD BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Dr. Gila Dorostkar
Dr. Thomas Tanbonliong
Dr. Donald Schmitt
Dr. Catherine Pham
STAFF
Association Management Services: Smith Moore & Associates
CSPD Account Manager: Yelena Martynovskaya
CSPD Account Coordinator: Abi Hague




CSPD’s newly launched Online Continuing Education (OCE) platform makes it easier to view our comprehensive library of pediatric dentistry lectures and webinars. Programs can be purchased and viewed at any time from the comfort of your home or office without all of the extra travel costs and time away from family!
• CSPD’s OCE can satisfy up to 50% of the total CE required for license renewal in CA
• All available sedation courses qualify for the renewal of California’s Oral Conscious Sedation for Minor Patients Permit
• Programs can be purchased in bundled packages or by themselves … all at affordable prices
