Speakers
Virginia Lopez, RDH, BS, CDIPC
Virginia has over 26 years of experience in the dental profession as a chair-side dental assistant, registered dental hygienist, adjunct didactic dental assistant instructor, continuing education program developer, and administrator of professional seminars. She has been a speaker of various continuing education courses for over 16 years and a practicing dental hygienist for over 20 years. Her subtle sense of humor and friendly disposition keeps her audiences comfortable and entertained. Virginia is an active member of the OSAP organization; therefore she keeps current on all infection control guidelines and recommendations. She holds a certificate in dental infection prevention and control from OSAP and the Dale Foundation. Virginia also holds the Certified in Dental Infection Prevention and Control (CDIPC) certification from the DANB and the OSAP organization.
Hillel D. Ephros, DMD, MD
Dr. Hillel Ephros is a graduate of both the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine (DMD, 1980) and St. George's University School of Medicine (MD, 1992). He completed a general practice residency at St. Joseph's University Medical Center in 1981 and residency training in oral and maxillofacial surgery at the VA NJ Healthcare System in 1986 achieving certification by the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery in 1988. He is also certified by the National Dental Board of Anesthesiology.
Dr. Ephros currently directs one of New Jersey's two residencies in oral and maxillofacial surgery, is an Adjunct Professor at New York Medical College and also has faculty appointments at Columbia University and Rutgers. He served as an examiner for the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery from 2004-2009, chaired the Oral Cancer Consortium in 2003-4 and again 2013-4 and served as a member of the Oral Cancer workgroup of the New Jersey Task Force on Cancer Prevention and Control.
Dr. Ephros currently chairs the Department of Dentistry and Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at St. Joseph's Health where he is also Medical Director of the Regional Craniofacial Center at St. Joseph's Children's Hospital. He has contributed to the scientific literature and presents locally, nationally and internationally. With a career-long devotion to medical education, Dr. Ephros also takes great pride in the awards he has received for teaching including the Archbishop John J. Meyers Outstanding Educator Award in 2003 from Seton Hall University School of Health and Medical Sciences. He also been recognized for his mission work including the Sergio Award presented to Dr. Ephros by Healing the Children in 2005.
Patrick Quaranta, DMD, MS, FACD, FICD
Dr. Quaranta has been a practicing dentist for over 35 years. His post-doctoral training was in Oral Medicine and in Psychology. He was a full time faculty member in the department of Diagnostic Sciences-Oral Medicine Division at the Rutgers School of Dental Medicine where he taught many and varied dental continuing education courses at Rutgers before retiring and going back to private practice. Dr. Quaranta currently works in private practice doing Oral Medicine, Oro-facial pain/TMD and treatment planning for medically complex patients. He is a national and international presenter of various continuing education courses. Throughout his career Dr. Quaranta has received various teaching awards. In 2001 he was inducted into the Master Educator Guild and designated a Master Educator. In 2002, he was accepted as a Fellow in the American College of Dentists. Dr. Quaranta has been involved in research, community and university service, and he has also authored publications.
Lawrence Dobrin, DMD, DABFO
Dr. Dobrin is the Chief Forensic Dentist for the five boroughs of New York City, Office of Chief Medical Examiner. He is also a forensic dental consultant to the Regional Medical Examiner of the State of New Jersey. He is the forensic dentist for the County of Rockland, NY, Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, and a consultant for the Philadelphia Medical Examiner. Dr. Dobrin is also a member of the Federal Disaster Mortuary Response Team (DMORT), which is part of the U.S. Public Health Service National Disaster Medical System under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. and the Forensic Dental Director of the Regional Mass Fatality Response System. He is the Director of Dental Operations on the Medical Examiner Special Operations Response Team for New York City. Dr. Dobrin has been on the Scientific Area Committee's Odontology Subcommittee, to create standards and guidelines for forensic dentistry where they developed the guidelines for forensic dentists to follow when going to court in terms of what to look for in child abuse cases. He has been involved in the identification of victims in many disasters including both World Trade Center disasters, major hurricanes such as Katrina, Sandy and Maria, commercial aircraft crashes, and other mass casualties and catastrophic events. Dr. Dobrin serves as a visiting associate professor at Rutgers School of Dental Medicine. He provides courtroom testimony as an expert in forensic odontology and child abuse cases. Dr. Dobrin maintains a private dental practice in Roselle Park, NJ.
David B. Clark, Bsc, DDS, Msc (Oral Pathology), FRCDC
Dr. Clark is the retired Clinical Director of dental services at Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences in Whitby, Ontario, Canada. He is also an Instructor in Dentistry for the department of Oral Medicine at the University of Toronto. Dr. Clark obtained his specialty in Oral Pathology from Western University in 1986. His hospital based practice was devoted primarily to the general dental care of individuals undergoing various forms of treatment for psychiatric illness often co-existing with other medically compromising conditions. He also participates in the teaching of the undergraduate dental curriculum relating to topics of Oral Medicine and Oral Diagnosis at the University of Toronto. He was also an adjunct clinical dental hygiene instructor at Durham College in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. Dr. Clark has lectured internationally since 2005 and has authored in many dental journals and publications.
Mahnaz Fatahzadeh, DMD MSD
Dr. Mahnaz Fatahzadeh obtained her BSc and DMD degrees as well as her GPR certificate from the University of British Columbia in Canada. She completed her Oral Medicine fellowship and MSD degree at the Rutgers School of Dental Medicine (RSDM) where she holds a faculty appointment as a professor and as an attending at the University hospital. Dr. Fatahzadeh has a special interest in the evaluation and management of oral mucosal diseases and has been involved with lecturing and publication in this area.
Louise McCarthy RDH, CDA, MSM
Mrs. McCarthy brings over 40 years of experience to the dental profession. She has an undergraduate degree in Public Health and a graduate degree in Science of Management. She is dedicated to improving dental care for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Louise served 20 years as program hygienist for Southern New Jersey with Dental Lifeline Network providing screening, prevention, education, and treatment services for over 600 patients throughout five counties. She has received awards for her work including the Adjunct Faculty Teaching Excellence Award, Education Impact Award, Marjorie F. Hull Outstanding Professional Achievement Award, and is a two time recipient of The Arc Gloucester's Health Professional of the Year Award. She has lectured extensively to dental professionals and caregivers on the importance of proper dental care for individuals with disabilities. She continues to advocate for individuals with IDD in her current capacity as Development Specialist for The Arc Gloucester in New Jersey.