Mommy Dentists in Business

Ann Swanson is the author of the internationally bestselling book SCIENCE OF YOGA and, recently, Meditation for the Real World, which illuminates the fascinating science behind meditation with step-by-step practices to help you find peace in everyday life. However, Ann wasn’t a naturally “chill person,” and meditation didn’t come easy to her. Overcoming chronic pain and anxiety led her to India to study yoga, to China to explore tai chi, into the cadaver lab to teach anatomy, to night school to become a licensed massage therapist, and, ultimately, to earn a Master of Science Graduate Degree in Yoga Therapy. Ann blends cutting-edge research with ancient wisdom, resulting in realistic techniques you won’t just learn – you’ll love to live by! Order her new book at MeditationForTheRealWorld.com for exclusive bonuses available to podcast listeners today.

As a lawyer recognized by US News as one of the Best Lawyers in America (top 1%), and with a career spanning 24 years, Rebecca’s credibility is well-established. Her meteoric rise going from a college dropout and single mother to a one of the nation’s most powerful attorneys representing high-profile clients illustrates her resilience and dedication. Her influence extends beyond the courtroom, Now, with over 50 million views and 400,000 subscribers on YouTube, substantial followings on other social media platforms, and a highly rated podcast which ranks in the top .5% of all podcasts globally with nearly 2 million downloads, all amassed in the just past 4 years, it is overwhelmingly evident that the world is desperately hungry for the solutions Rebecca provides to their issues. Her books, including the recent USA Today and Amazon #1 bestseller "SLAY the Bully: How to Negotiate with a Narcissist and Win," further cement her authority in this field.

Dr. Christina Jade Monford-McNish a native of Jacksonville, Florida where she and her family currently reside. Dr. Monford-McNish has been practicing for eleven years as cosmetic dentist. Her goal is to provide high quality and compassionate care for the broadest imaginable range of dental care while building meaningful relationships over the course of a lifetime. As a cosmetic dentist, what she enjoys most is being able to transform patient's lives by giving them a new healthy smile, helping them regain confidence in themselves and providing a satisfying dental experience. Dr. Monford-McNish is a member of multiple dental organizations and a member of the Jacksonville Alumae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. She is very active in her local community from going to middle and high schools volunteering and speaking to hosting free dental days for those that are in need in the local community to providing $20,000 free smile makeovers. Aside from her day to day drilling and filling, Dr. Monford-McNish loves spending time with her family, engaging in impactful community initiatives and inspiring others to adopt resilience as a principle for massive and lasting success. As an inspirational speaker, resilience enthusiast and philanthropist, Dr. Christina works passionately to spread her message in hopes that it will inspire others to overcome opposition, leverage hardships as lessons to grow and make a positive impact in the world. Through her book, speaking engagements and work through her nonprofit organization, she is shifting perspectives centered around adversity, compelling individuals to engage in purpose driven work while honoring the power of resilience and its ability to build tenacity, character and perseverance.

Dr. Suzanne is the Lead Doctor of a thriving Dental Partnership Organization practice and serves as the CFO of Apex Payment Solutions, one of the fastest-growing merchant services companies in the dental field. She has dedicated her career to serving the dental community, serving as faculty at Indiana University Dental School and as the clinic director of a community outreach facility, further demonstrating her commitment to advancing dental education and care. Dr. Suzanne is particularly passionate about engaging younger dentists, guiding them towards clinical excellence and financial awareness in their practices.

Dr. Miles Cone graduated from Tufts Dental School and completed a 3-year Prosthodontic residency in the U.S. Army. In addition to achieving board certification and diplomate status within his specialty, Dr. Cone has earned his designation as a Certified Dental Technician. Dr. Cone’s career revolves around his role as a is Key Opinion Leader, international speaker, author, and co-owner of Nuance Dental Specialists in Portland, Maine.

Dr. Sarah Khan began her dental career after graduating from the University of Pennsylvania in 2011, and have since bought and grown two practices in Seattle, WA, over a span of 12 years. Her journey reflects a deep commitment to delivering exceptional dental care, coupled with a keen understanding of the intricacies of healthcare business management. Beyond her clinical work, Dr. Khan's involvement as a Commissioner in the Washington State Department of Health Dental Board has allowed her to contribute to dental legislation, rulemaking, and disciplinary actions. Dr. Khan's expertise in reviewing dental malpractice cases and serving as an expert witness has positioned her as a trusted advisor and educator within the dental community. Identifying a recurring challenge in dental practice—breakdowns in patient communication—Dr. Khan founded Dental Consent Cloud. This software enhances the clarity of consent forms and post-operative instructions, addressing a critical gap in patient care and reducing malpractice risks. As Founder and CEO, she is proud to lead a solution that significantly improves patient satisfaction and safety. Dr. Khan's journey reflects a commitment to advancing dental care and communication, embodying the impact of innovation and leadership in the field. She shares her experiences to foster dialogue and collaboration within the dental community, aiming to navigate and improve the complexities of our profession together. https://dentalconsent.cloud/

Dr. Laura Williams did not come from a dental family, but by the age of 12 she knew she wanted to be a dentist. Growing up in rural West Virginia, Laura and her family did not know any female dentists to serve as a role model, but her parents valued higher education and encouraged her on this career path. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from Concord University, the local state college where both her parents worked, and was accepted to the West Virginia University School of Dentistry in 2001. Upon graduation, Dr. Williams returned to her hometown where she spent the next 16 years working as an associate in four different dental offices, having babies and learning as much as she could about how to successfully run her own practice. Finally, in 2021, the opportunity to purchase a thriving dental practice only 5 minutes from her house presented itself and Williams Family Dentistry was born. Even though the path to ownership seemed bumpy and discouraging at times, Dr. Williams is grateful for every hardship, heartbreak and crazy experience because they helped hone her into the dentist and boss she is today. When she’s not fixing teeth, Dr. Williams enjoys quilting, reading and traveling with her husband, Gary, and their 4 children.

Although Jeff comes from a family of 7 dentists, he never received “the calling” and instead became a software engineer. After creating a website for his dad’s clinic, he was approached by other members of his family to create their websites, and eventually founded Great Dental Websites. What started as a family project has evolved into the company it is today, serving over 900 practices worldwide, supported by a team of over 35 employees between our Denver and Sydney offices. https://www.greatdentalwebsites.com/

After years of filling preventable cavities, Dr. Chrystle Cu set out on a mission: Reduce tooth decay and gum disease by creating a floss so effective and delightful that people would actually look forward to using it. In 2015, Cocofloss was born. Since then, her innovative oral-health company has sold over 5 million spools of Cocofloss and gained the devotion of dental professionals and consumers alike — winning the Allure Best of Beauty Award (2022), GQ Grooming Award (2022), and the dental industry’s prestigious Cellerant Award two years in a row (2021 and 2022). Its ever-expanding product line also includes the ultra-fine Cocobrush and the new n-HA–powered Cocoshine Whitening Toothpaste. Dr. Cu continues to lead R&D at Cocofloss and serves as a visiting faculty mentor at Spear Education. A daughter of a mommy dentist, Dr. Cu's also mom to two young children and is also an OMDIB! She received a B.A. in Chemistry at Wellesley College and a D.D.S. at the University of the Pacific Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry. @Cocofloss

Dr. Jeanette MacLean is a Diplomate of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry, Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, owner of Affiliated Children’s Dental Specialists in Glendale, Arizona, and mother of two. She received her dental degree, with honors, from the University of Southern California in 2003 and completed her specialty training in pediatric dentistry in 2005 at Sunrise Children’s Hospital through the University of Nevada School of Medicine. Dr. MacLean has become an internationally recognized advocate and expert on minimally invasive dentistry.

Eva Velasquez is the President and CEO of the Identity Theft Resource Center. Eva previously served at the San Diego District Attorney’s Office for 21 years and as the Vice President of Operations for the San Diego Better Business Bureau. She is a recognized leader in the field of identity compromise and crime, cybercrime, and fraud, who has been featured on CBS Mornings, NBC Nightly News, CNBC’s American Greed, Fortune, The New York Times, NPR, The Associated Press and numerous other media outlets. Eva is a recipient of the National Crime Victim Service Award from the U.S. Department of Justice and the National Consumer League’s Florence Kelley Consumer Leadership Award. She is a published author, actively contributes to various advisory boards and working groups, and is regularly invited to speak at industry and policy events, including the Identity, Authentication, and the Road Ahead Policy Forum, the MRC Authentication Summit, and the IACP Annual Conference and Exposition. Eva has also participated in briefing events for the FTC, CFPB, IRS, DHS, PRAC, DoL and the U.S. House of Representatives. She is committed to driving the ITRC’s mission to assist victims, educate the public and advocate for change for those who do not have a voice.

Dr. Rhinelle Hirose's journey from humble beginnings in Oahu, Hawaii, is nothing short of inspiring. Raised in a single parent household with limited resources, she navigated public schools and community college, earning a scholarship to Hawaii Pacific University where she completed her bachelor's degree. She then graduated from the OHSU School of Dentistry in Portland, Oregon, in 2010. Returning to her roots in Hawaii, Dr. Hirose dedicated four years to pediatric dentistry on the neighbor islands before transitioning back to general dentistry. Dr. Hirose's professional trajectory includes diverse experiences in corporate, group, and private practices. Eventually, she took the bold step of purchasing her own practice, marking a remarkable chapter in her fulfilling career.

Dr. Grace Yum is a lifelong resident of the Chicago area, where she grew up in Glenview. She is a mother and a board certified pediatric dentist, a certification achieved by only 5% of all dentists in the U.S. Dr. Yum is the former founder and practice owner of Yummy Dental & Orthodontics for Kid and is currently the founder and CEO of Mommy Dentists in Business.

Kristine Grazioso is a Board Certified Pediatric Dentist and a Diplomate of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry. She started her practice in 1999 just months after her first son was born, and finished the build out of her new office space just two weeks before son number two was born and has never looked back! She is a partner in a second practice that also opened from scratch in 2015. All these years later, she still enjoys every part of being a pediatric dentist and running small independent businesses. An activist within the dental profession, she is involved in grassroots efforts on the state and national level to promote issues important to dentistry and to the patients we all serve. She is a founding member of the Alliance of Independent Dentists and the current Vice President, and is a Principal at Shero Dental Advisors, a small advisory company that helps dentists find financial freedom and a better quality of practice life. She has spoken at dental meetings in the US and internationally on the topics of practice management, independent dentistry, and stress management. @KristineLovePeace

Dr. Lauren Yasuda Rainey is a graduate of the University of the Pacific, Arthur A Dugoni School of Dentistry and completed a General Practice Residency at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine. Over the last decade, she has worked in clinical practice as both an owner and an associate, and Dr. Rainey has been on the faculty at her alma mater in the Department of Reconstructive Dental Sciences and the Department of Dental Practice at the Dugoni School. She is currently on the education team at Bioclear Matrix Systems teaching injection molded composite techniques to dentists in the US & Canada and is a speakers bureau member of Catapult Education, an innovative continuing education group for dental professionals. In her free time, you can find her outdoors with her family or whipping up a cake. Dr. Rainey is a proud alumna of the Guiding Leaders program at Glidewell Laboratories, sits on the Alumni Association Board at Pacific and has completed her MasterTrack certification with Bioclear Matrix. www.laurenrainey.com @raineydds

Dr. Najia Usman graduated from SUNY Buffalo in 1995 with her DDS. After completing a one-year general practice residency at the Cleveland Clinic she furthered her interest in endodontics by completing a two-year endodontic residency at Oregon Health and Sciences University, Portland, Oregon in 2002. She was awarded her Diplomate Status by the American Board of Endodontics in 2009. Dr. Usman has been in private practice since 2002. Though she practices full-scope endodontics, she has cultivated an interest in the endodontic management in trauma, pediatrics and resorptive lesions. She has organized and lectured in dental trauma symposiums. She has lectured and clinically taught dental students, endodontic and pediatric residents. She has lectured nationally and locally to study clubs on topics such as Endo-Perio, Atypical Facial Pain, Regenerative Endodontics and Pulpal injuries after Oro-Facial Trauma. Her study The Influence of Instrument Size on Debridement was published in the Journal of Endodontics (Feb 2004, vol 30, 110-112) has been cited over 260 times. She is the proud mother of 4 children ages 18 to 28 and has been married to and shares a private multi specialty practice with Dr. Faisal Quereshy OMFS for 29 years. They reside in Cleveland, Ohio.

Dr. Baxter is the founder and owner of the Alabama Tongue-Tie Center. He is an internationally-recognized speaker on tongue-ties, instructor of the acclaimed course Tongue-Tied Academy, and author of the best-selling book Tongue-Tied: How a Tiny String Under the Tongue Impacts Nursing, Speech, Feeding, and More. He is a board-certified pediatric dentist, a Diplomate of the American Board of Laser Surgery, and a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (FAAPD). He attended the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Dentistry, graduating at the top of his class. Dr. Baxter attended the residency program at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, OH to receive a specialty certification in pediatric dentistry. Dr. Baxter enjoys spending time with his wife, Tara, who is a nurse practitioner, and his three girls, Hannah, Noelle, and Molly. And, since he had a tongue-tie himself, and all three of his daughters were treated for tongue- and lip-ties at birth, this field is a personal one.

Dr. Linda J. Edgar, a general dentist, is the 160th American Dental Association President and 5th woman to be elected to this honor. Dr. Edgar has been a member of the ADA since 1992 and was a member of the House of Delegates from 2005 to 2018. She served as the Eleventh District Trustee (2018-2022) of the ADA and is a former member of the ADA Council on Dental Practice. She went to dental school at the age of 37 after teaching junior high school and Honors Chemistry for 15 years. Dr. Edgar has been involved with numerous other dental organizations, including the Washington State Dental Association, the Pierre Fauchard Academy, the American College of Dentists, the International College of Dentists, the Academy of Dentistry International, the Washington Academy of General Dentistry and the Academy of General Dentistry, of which she was president in 2013-2014. She served as president of the Seattle King County Dental Society from 2010 to 2011. Dr. Edgar served in private practice for 30 years with her husband, Dr. Bryan Edgar and was involved with the University of Washington School of Dentistry as chair of their $22 million dental school campaign in support of major fundraising for over 10 years. Dr. Edgar earned her dental degree from the University of Washington. Prior to becoming a dentist, Dr. Edgar was a national class marathon runner completing over 45 marathons setting a record of 2:43 in the Seattle Marathon and participating in the first Woman’s Olympic Marathon Trials. She has also completed two full Ironman races. Now retired from private practice, she is currently involved with volunteer organizations which couple continuing education with increasing access for veterans and the underserved. She has an adopted son David who is a captain for Alaska Airlines and she has two granddaughters.

Marko Vujicic currently serves as Chief Economist and Vice President of the Health Policy Institute at the American Dental Association. In this role he oversees a comprehensive research program focusing on the U.S. dental care system. Previously, he was Senior Economist with The World Bank in Washington D.C. where he focused on health systems reform in developing countries and directed the global health workforce policy program. He was also a Health Economist with the World Health Organization in Geneva, Switzerland. In all of these roles, Dr. Vujicic led large-scale strategic initiatives focused on bringing cutting edge data and research to specific health policy challenges. Dr. Vujicic has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals such as Health Affairs, The New England Journal of Medicine, JAMA, Health Services Research, Health Economics, Social Science and Medicine, and Medical Care. He is also the lead author of the book, Working in Health, which examines health workforce challenges globally and has written several book chapters on health care policy issues. His team’s work has been cited by CNN, The New York Times, NBC News, CNBC, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, Fox News, PBS NOVA, and The Atlantic. He has been invited to provide testimony to federal and state legislative committees. Dr. Vujicic holds several academic appointments. He is adjunct senior fellow at the Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, University of Pennsylvania and affiliate faculty at the Center for Health and the Social Sciences, University of Chicago as well as the Center for Health Services and Policy Research at the University of British Columbia. He is an adjunct professor at the University of Toronto and a visiting assistant professor at Tufts University. Dr. Vujicic obtained his Ph.D. in Economics from the University of British Columbia and a Bachelor’s degree in Business from McGill University in Montreal. Dr. Raymond Cohlmia is currently serving as Executive Director of the American Dental Association. He graduated with a Doctor of Dental Surgery Degree from the University of Oklahoma College of Dentistry in 1988. He was in private practice for 27 years with his father and brother, while also holding a faculty appointment at the College of Dentistry. He served as Assistant Dean for Clinical Operations from 2013 to 2015 and was appointed as Dean of the University of Oklahoma College of Dentistry from 2015 to 2021 and concurrently remained in the practice of dentistry during that time. Dr. Cohlmia has served as a delegate to the American Dental Association and 12th District Trustee from 2015 to 2019. Along with his involvement and leadership in academia, he has served in many capacities, including presidencies at the local and state level, served on many national councils, committees, and task forces for the American Dental Association, as well as many other dental organizations.

Joy Kong, M.D. is a UCLA-trained, triple board-certified physician (by American Board of Psychiatry & Neurology, American Board of Addiction Medicine, American Board of Anti-Aging & Regenerative Medicine). She is the president of Uplyft Longevity Center in Los Angeles, California, where she specializes in Antiaging medicine, esp. stem cell therapy and peptide therapy. Dr. Kong founded American Academy of Integrative Cell Therapy (AAICT) where she provides training to other physicians, and is the founder and CEO of Chara Biologics, a company dedicated to providing cutting-edge regenerative medicine products. She was recognized for her contribution to the field of regenerative medicine and named “Stem Cell Doctor of the Decade” in 2021. Dr. Kong’s memoir Tiger of Beijing was named “2020 Book of the Year” and showcased at Times Square.