Meet Your Host
Hey there, I’m Alyssa!
Dental Hygienist & Mama to Two.
I’m also the author of the Tiny Teeth Books series and creator of the Little Wandering Roots blog- both aimed at taking the fear out of dentistry for kids.
The last 13 years of taking care of tiny teeth around the world and within the walls of my own home have taught me a LOT about the impact a positive dental experience has on a child’s oral health trajectory. I created this summit to bring you the best experts to present on the most important topics that will help you give your child a positive relationship with their smile and the dentist.
It’s time to start creating positive dental experiences for your little one so that they can avoid the vicious cycle of dental anxiety and join the cavity-free club for good!
Meet Your Speakers
Staci Whitman DMD, IFMCP, NMD, IBDM, CIHC
Getting to the Root of Tooth Decay: A Functional & Holistic Approach
Doctor Staci Whitman is on a mission to create a cavity-free world. She founded NoPo Kids Dentistry in North Portland, OR, where she takes a whole-body, holistic, and functional approach with her patients. Her dentistry and practice philosophy is grounded in science and powered by love.
Doctor Staci attended Tufts University School of Dental Medicine and initially worked as a general dentist, eventually going back to school, earning her Board-Certification in Pediatric Dentistry from Oregon Health and Sciences University (OHSU). She is an Institute of Functional Medicine Certified Provider (IFMCP), and has her dual Board Certification in Integrative Biological Dental Medicine (IBDM) and as a Naturopathic Physician (NMD). She is a Certified International Health and Wellness Coach (CIHC) from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition (IIN) and is currently enrolled in Functional Diagnostics Certification. She will begin her Masters in Human Nutrition and Functional Medicine next year.
Doctor Staci has always been passionate about children’s nutrition and improving our food system, sleep, and airway health, focusing her research in residency on how to improve airway assessments and diagnostic tools in the pediatric population.
She dreams of a world without cavities and believes in motivating families to join her as a team, keeping their children healthy and thriving with small, manageable daily changes that will impact their oral health and their ability to optimize systemic wellness.
Nora Ghodousi-Zaghi
Beyond Baby Teeth: Tongue & Airway Health
Dr. Nora, a board-certified pediatric dentist, stands at the forefront of functional and biological minimally invasive pediatric dentistry, embracing the intricate dynamics of maxillofacial development, interceptive orthodontic techniques, and nuances of sleep, breathing, and tongue-tie disorders. Serving infants aged 0-2, she expertly diagnoses and addresses tongue and/or lip ties, leveraging the precision of the LightScalpel CO2 laser for a swift and secure procedure, enhancing oral mobility and function.
With a track record of successfully alleviating oral restrictions, Dr. Nora champions a compassionate, tailor-made approach. She deeply values clarity in both assessment and procedures. Passionate about the holistic well-being of her patients, she equips parents with vital insights and tools, ensuring they feel confident and empowered to nurture their child’s oral motor growth and evolution.
Jill Malmgren
Channel Your Inner ToothFairy: Teaching Tiny Teeth
Jill Malmgren is Executive Director of America’s ToothFairy, a national nonprofit resource provider based in Charlotte, which is dedicated to increasing access to dental care, oral health education and resources for underserved children. An author of several articles highlighting the importance of children’s oral health which have appeared in USA Today and major dental publications, Ms. Malmgren has also presented at the Annual Oral Health Alliance Symposium, International HOSA: Future Health Professionals Leadership Conference, Minnesota State University Dental Hygiene Department, and National Oral Health Conference Round tables. In addition to her role as Executive Director, she is also the Treasurer for Project Accessible Oral Health and serves on the President’s Advocacy Workgroup for the American Association of Developmental Medicine and Dentistry.
Milca Mendez-Ceballos DDS
“Paw”sitive Dentisty: Animal Assisted Therapy
Meet the bubbly and dedicated Pediatric Dentist behind Pawsitive Pediatric Dentistry, Dr. Milca! Always nurturing and passionate about fostering healthy habits in young minds, Dr. Milca discovered her true calling in dentistry. She completed her undergraduate studies at Albright College and went on to earn her dental degree with distinction from Virginia Commonwealth University.
With her expertise in pediatric dentistry, Dr. Milca is unwavering in her commitment to the oral health and well-being of every child she treats. Eager to offer a tailored dental experience for children and their families, she’s establishing a new pediatric dental practice in Ephrata, PA. By her side is Belle, her delightful goldendoodle, who offers comfort and joy to young patients. Together, Dr. Milca and Belle make dental appointments a truly unforgettable and pleasant experience for both kids and their families.
Katie Steger RDH
Sensory-Friendly Strategies for Neurodivergent Children
Katie Steger, RDH is passionate educator and advocate who believes dental care should be accessible and welcoming to everyone. With her unique perspective as an autistic hygienist with ADHD, Katie offers insights and strategies that empower dental professionals to provide compassionate care to patients of all minds. She works as a dental hygiene clinical instructor at Hagerstown Community College in Hagerstown, MD and lives in West Virginia with her husband and 2 kids.
Trudy-Ann Frazer DDS
Be Your Child’s Source of Calm at the Dentist
Trudy-Ann Frazer is a board-certified pediatric dentist in Smyrna, Georgia. When not practicing chair side dentistry, she teaches dental professionals how to treat children in the dental setting with ease and she lectures dental students in preparation for the National Dental BoardExamination.
Dr. Frazer is passionate about wellness and assisting others on their journey to a healthier and more fulfilled life. She aims to help healthcare professionals pivot from a life of stress and burnout to a more balanced and satisfied life by encouraging body awareness, promoting self-care, and improving physical, mental, and spiritual health.
Danny Grannick
Bacteria: Friend or Foe?
Danny Grannick is the CEO and co-founder of Bristle Health, a company redefining oral health and care through the oral microbiome. Danny earned his BA in biochemistry at the University of San Diego before moving into a commercial career in genomics. During his time, he worked with companies and researchers leveraging sequencing technologies in areas like oncology, NIPT and the gut microbiome. Danny started Bristle after realizing that the same technology could be applied in the dental space to shift today’s reactive standard of care towards something personalized and preventive.
Bristle is on a mission to help people improve their oral health – a critical but overlooked
component of overall health connected to conditions including diabetes, cardiovascular
disease, and Alzheimer’s. In 2021, they launched The Oral Health Test, the world’s first and only at-home oral microbiome test to provide detailed information about the microbes (fungi and bacteria) in your mouth associated with a variety of oral health conditions. Based on your results, Bristle develops a tailored 3-month treatment program – including personalized diet, oral care product, and hygiene recommendations – to rebalance the oral microbiome.
Dr.Ipshita Suyash BDS, MDS
A Functional Approach to Weaning from Pacifiers & Thumb Sucking
Dr.Ipshita Suyash is a holistic pediatric dentist. She is not the regular drill, fill dentist. She provides an evidence based solution by treating the cause of the issue. Her expertise in Myofunctional therapy and tethered oral tissues make her an expert in enabling children eat, sleep and breathe better.
Dr. Nik Sharma
“Drool” Rules! The Role of Saliva in Preventing Cavities
Dr. Nikhil (Nik) Sharma graduated from McGill Dentistry and then completed a one-year general practice residency at the Montreal Children’s Hospital. Following this year of hospital based pediatric training in Montreal, he pursued a two-year Pediatric Specialty training at the Eastman Institute for Oral Health in Rochester, New York.
Upon returning to Montreal, Dr. Nik assumed the role of Residency Director for the General Practice Residency program at the Montreal Children’s Hospital. In this role, he trained new dental graduates to deliver dental care to pediatric patients. In addition to the hospital dentistry, he also worked in multiple private pediatric clinics.
Dr. Nik currently is one of the Pediatric Dentists and Clinical Director at Apple Tree Dental for Kids & Sunrise Kids Dental in the Greater Toronto Area. In addition to being a clinician, he has conducted numerous webinars and live seminars for oral health professionals in the community, offering them education and knowledge on the most common pediatric dental topics and procedures.
Dr. Amanda Hoffmeister
Beat the Toothbrushing Battles
Dr. Amanda Hoffmeister is a board certified pediatric dentist. She obtained her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of the Pacific. She then graduated from Dugoni School of Dentistry. While in dental school, she went on two dental mission trips. She completed her pediatrics residency at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. After earning her Certificate in Pediatrics, she has been working in private pediatric practices in California. She enjoys volunteering to teach at the Dugoni Dental School Pediatrics Clinic as it is a great joy to mentor students. It is a passion for her to be an advocate for pediatric oral health and sustainable dentistry.
Dr. Mary Wilde
Mind-Body Tools to Help your Child Overcome Dental Anxiety
Dr. Mary Wilde is an integrative pediatrician and owner of Imagine Pediatrics Behavioral Health and Wellness in St. George, Utah. She uses a strength-based, whole-child approach to address emotional and behavioral issues in kids. Her main focus areas are anxiety, ADHD, and parenting. Dr. Wilde has created several online resources, including an online program for kids and teens with anxiety called “Resilience School,” and a parenting membership community called “Compassion Parenting.” She is an author, podcaster, TEDx speaker, and frequent contributor to various online platforms. She and her husband Jason are the parents to 8 sons.
Roger Lucas, DDS
Turning Snack Time into a Cavity Defense
Dr. Roger Lucas is a biochemist, board certified pediatric dentist, and father to three daughters. He is the author of More Chocolate, No Cavities, a practical guide for parents about how to avoid cavities without going crazy. Dr. Lucas has been featured on The Howard Farran Podcast, The Ultimate Health Podcast, Parent Magazine, and dozens of other radio, podcast, and TV interviews. His news clip on King 5 talking about cavity prevention has had over 400,000 views.
His Tooth Snack Guide and free prevention training are currently being used by over 700 dentists across the country, making an improvement in the lives of a million children and growing.