Featured Speakers

Andrew C. Johnson, DDS, MDS, CDT, FACP

Dr. Andrew C. Johnson completed his general dental (2010) and prosthodontic training (2013) at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis and now operates a multi-specialty private practice in Rogers, AR. Along with his specialist certificate, Dr. Johnson earned a post-doctoral master’s degree in dental science researching CAD/CAM restorative techniques and emerging digital dental materials.

He maintains certifications by both the American Board of Prosthodontics and the National Board for Dental Laboratory Technology, and remains active in dental academics as an adjunct professor with the UTHSC Advanced Prosthodontics Program. Dr. Johnson has been published in multiple scientific dental journals and lectures internationally on a variety of technological developments in dentistry. He consults for a wide range of dental clinicians, suppliers, manufacturers, and developers as a thought leader in surgical & prosthetic technology integrations.

As a board-certified prosthodontist and denture technician, his expertise centers around complex dental implant and prosthetic reconstruction, start to finish—from three-dimensional imaging, virtual treatment planning and computer-guided and robotic surgery, to digital prosthesis design, production workflow and long-term complication management.  However, his broader professional interests include process scaling, provider calibration, and dental mindset disruption.

Nancy Dewhirst, RDH, BS

Ms. Dewhirst graduated from the University of Southern California, practiced dental hygiene for 20 years, is adjunct dental hygiene faculty at West Coast University and a member of Sigma Phi Alpha. Ms. Dewhirst is consistently listed as one of the nation’s “Leaders in CE”, presents over 80 seminars a year, is featured at major U.S. and Canadian Dental Conferences, and is a member of the California Dental Association Speakers Bureau. She has had many articles published in dental peer-reviewed journals and has contributed to dental textbooks and guidance documents.

Timothy Bizga, DDS, FAGD

Dr. Timothy M. Bizga is a general dentist practicing in Cleveland, Ohio. His background in dentistry is lengthy and diverse. Once a former chairside assistant, he also worked as a dental lab technician, making his perspective unique among others in the field of dentistry. He received his DDS from the University of Michigan School of Dentistry, where he is also an Adjunct Clinical Assistant Professor. He is currently a member of the American Dental Association and a Fellow in the Academy of General Dentistry. Dr. Bizga is a Certified John Maxwell Speaker/Trainer/Coach, a certified DISC profile trainer, clinical consultant for The Dental Advisor, and Director of Education at Smile Source. Dr. Bizga gives back to the community via dental missions around the world.

Waletha Wasson, DDS, MPA, MS, MAGD

Dr. Waletha Wasson is an alumna of Tennessee Technological University (1976) with a B.S. in Biology; University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) College of Dentistry (CoD,1979) with a D.D.S.; University of Memphis (1988) with a M.P.A.; and The University of Michigan, Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studies, School of Dentistry (2001) with a M.S. in Restorative Dentistry./Dr. Wasson earned the requirements for her Fellow in the Academy Dentistry (FAGD). Later, she obtain her Master in the Academy of General Dentistry, MAGD. Dr. Wasson has >41 years of health care experiences with nine years as a staff dentist at Memphis Health Center, Inc. (MHC) and >30 years at UTHSC College of Dentistry (1988). Dr. Wasson’s experiences at MHC were her inspiration to teach students about diversity, disparities, and activism. Dr. Wasson actively continues in the following: course director of several courses, teaching faculty in undergraduate courses; active in scholarly activities, referee for several healthcare journals, and a presenter at conferences. Dr. Wasson’s community activism is demonstrated as the founder and member of Tennessee Smiles: U.T. Grassroot Oral Health Outreach Initiative (2003). Dr. Wasson is tenured and full-rank professor in the Department of General Dentistry and Program Director of the 21st Century Initiative: Oral-Systemic and Population-Based Health for All. Dr. Wasson has received numerous honors in service, education, and scholarly activities.

Richard Schwartz, DDS

Dr. Rick Schwartz was a restorative dentist for 19 years prior to entering post-graduate training in endodontics. He attended a 2-year general dentistry residency, and then did a combination of private practice, teaching and dental materials research before entering endodontic training in 1996. He has authored over 100 articles and abstracts and was a cover author on 3 editions of “Fundamentals of Operative Dentistry” by Quintessence Publishing Co. He is first author of the book “Best Practices in Endodontics”, also from Quintessence., and is a cover author of “Advanced Cone Beam CT for Endodontics.” For the past 24 years he has been in full time private practice limited to endodontics in San Antonio, TX. He has lectured extensively in U.S. and in 18 other countries.

Mark Hyman, DDS, MAGD

Dr. Mark E. Hyman is a renowned dentist in Greensboro, NC, and a public speaker whose work is characterized by his warmth, enthusiasm, sense of humor, and passion for dentistry. As an accomplished seminar speaker, he has lectured throughout North America and Europe at every major dental meeting. He has earned national and international recognition. Since 2001, Dentistry Today magazine has selected Dr. Hyman as one of the top speakers in dentistry.

Lynn Russell, RDH, BSDH, MEd, EdD

Dr. Lynn Russell grew up in Memphis and Graduated in the Dental Hygiene class of 1975 when it was still an A.S. program. She returned to school and completed her BSDH in 1977. After graduation, she worked in private Practice and then returned to UTHSC where she worked in Community and Preventive Dentistry and the Dental Hygiene department. In 1980, she returned to private practice and remained there until 2007, when she returned to Academia to start the Dental Hygiene program for Concorde Career College, a proprietary school with 16 campuses. The program she wrote there is now on eight of their campuses. She has also written the dental hygiene program for another school in East Tennessee. In 2013, she became the Director of Teaching and Professional Development for the Concorde group. She has received her M. Ed. from Christian Brothers University in Memphis and her Ed. D. in Leadership, with a concentration in Adult Education, from the University of Memphis.. Currently she is the Chair of the Department of Dental hygiene at UTHSC and the Interim Program Director for the Master of Dental Hygiene (MDH) program at UTHSC.

She is an editor for Gavin Publishing’s Journal of Dental Sciences.

She is active in the Memphis Dental Hygienists’ Association, the Tennessee Dental Hygienists’ having served as Trustee for District 9 and is currently the President-Elect. She will serve as the President of the TNDHA in 2017-2018.

David R. Sain, DDS, MS

After attaining a Doctor of Dental Surgery degree at the University of Tennessee Dental School, Dr. Sain completed his formal dental education in 1982 with a Master’s Degree in Orthodontics. Over the past 35 years, he has enjoyed a successful practice of orthodontics in Murfreesboro, ennessee. Dr. Sain has taught at Vanderbilt Medical School’s Dental Division as an Assistant Professor of Orthodontics, as well as had articles published in leading orthodontic journals. For the last 14 years, serving as Chairman of the Tennessee Dental Association’s Dental Professionals Wellness Committee, Dr. Sain has studied and gained extensive knowledge concerning substance abuse issues, and has had articles published on subjects such as “Genetics of Chemical Dependency” and "Interoffice Intervention for Chemical Dependency."

Having recently sold his orthodontic practice, his main focus and attention now is serving as the Director of the Wellness Committee Program.

David R. Sain, DDS, MS

After attaining a Doctor of Dental Surgery degree at the University of Tennessee Dental School, Dr. Sain completed his formal dental education in 1982 with a Master’s Degree in Orthodontics. Over the past 35 years, he has enjoyed a successful practice of orthodontics in Murfreesboro, ennessee. Dr. Sain has taught at Vanderbilt Medical School’s Dental Division as an Assistant Professor of Orthodontics, as well as had articles published in leading orthodontic journals. For the last 14 years, serving as Chairman of the Tennessee Dental Association’s Dental Professionals Wellness Committee, Dr. Sain has studied and gained extensive knowledge concerning substance abuse issues, and has had articles published on subjects such as “Genetics of Chemical Dependency” and “Interoffice Intervention for Chemical Dependency.”

Having recently sold his orthodontic practice, his main focus and attention now is serving as the Director of the Wellness Committee Program.

Sarah Aguirre, DDS, MS

• Diplomate, American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology
• Assistant Professor, Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, Department of Diagnostic Sciences

Dr. Aguirre graduated from the University of the Pacific Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry, San Francisco, California in 2016, where she obtained her DDS degree. She completed her residency training and master’s degree in oral and maxillofacial pathology at The Ohio State University in 2019. She then joined the faculty at the University of Tennessee College of Dentistry as an assistant professor in the Department of Diagnostic Sciences and Oral Medicine. She participates in the UT Oral and Maxillofacial Diagnostic Services and the Dental Faculty Practice. Her interests include patient care for acute and chronic oral conditions as well as clinical and didactic instruction.

Beth Mobilian, RDH, BA, MEd

Beth Mobilian received her dental hygiene education at Indiana University School of Dentistry. With 30 years of clinical private practice experience, she began as an adjunct instructor at Concorde Career College. Receiving her M.Ed. degree in Education from Christian Brothers University, she was promoted to Dental Hygiene Program Director at Concorde. Since 2014, she has served as Clinical Coordinator and Assistant Professor in the Department of Dental Hygiene at the University of Tennessee College of Dentistry. Currently, she is an instructor in clinical theory, clinical practice courses and local anesthesia. She holds certifications in Laser Dentistry, CPR instruction, and is an active member of ADHA, serving as delegate for the state of Tennessee. Her interests lie in clinical research, faculty calibration and clinical methodology.

Ryan LaPrad, CBI

Ryan LaPrad is a dental industry leader with more than 2 decades of practice transition, real estate, banking and finance experience. For the last 18 years, he has worked with Healthcare clients throughout the Southeast. Ryan has helped over a thousand doctors with their real estate, transition, and financing needs for all aspects of ownership from starting a first practice, buying a practice to relocating or expanding.

Throughout his career with DDS Match South and Bank of America, he was personally involved in over 640 new dental, medical, and veterinary offices and over $100 million in dental practices acquisitions.

Ryan's extensive knowledge of business financials, practice cash flow, practice valuation, new office budgeting, demographic analysis, lease and purchase negotiation and debt management brings the perfect expertise to dental professionals throughout the Southeast.

William Davis, DDS

Dr. Bill Davis is a fellow Tennessee dentist having practiced in Knoxville for over 40 years. He is a member of the Tennessee Dental Association and a previous president of the Second District Dental Society. He was awarded a Fellowship in the Academy of General Dentistry, the Pierre Fauchard Academy, the International College of Dentistry, as well as the Tennessee Dental Association. He is also a past president of the East Tennessee Academy of Dental Practice Administration, and a previous “Dentist of the Year” of the Second District. For the past several years, Dr. Davis has worked as an analyst with AFTCO, the oldest and largest dental transition company in the country. Dr. Davis will share some real-life experiences to substantiate the position. “You Can’t Plan Too Early, You Can Plan Too Late”. In addition, he will share some basic transition principles that apply to all dental transitions.