JCNDE Members and Appointing Organizations

Dr. John D. Da Silva (ADEA), Chair

Dr. John Da Silva, DMD, MPH, ScM, is Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine. He received his BA in 1982 from Williams College in Art History and Chemistry and his DMD from the Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM) in 1987, where he also completed specialty training in implant dentistry, prosthodontics and geriatrics. He received his MPH & ScM from the Harvard School of Public Health in 1987 and 1992 respectively. Dr. Da Silva has been a member of the Departments of Restorative Dentistry and Biomaterials Sciences and Oral Health Policy and Epidemiology at HSDM; served as director of Advanced Graduate Education, Chair of the Department of Restorative Dentistry and Biomaterials Sciences; and was appointed Vice Dean of HSDM in 2014. Dr. Da Silva has been actively involved in the Harvard Dental Center as the medical director and a practicing dentist. He has been involved in the American Dental Education Association since 1992 and more recently as a member of the Council of Faculties, and a fellow in the Leadership Institute of ADEA. Dr. Da Silva is a past president of the American Academy of Implant Dentistry. 

Dr. Anthony E Herro (AADB), Vice-Chair

Dr. Anthony E. Herro graduated dental school from Creighton University in 2005, and has practiced in Phoenix AZ his entire career. Dr. Herro provides care to patients with special needs, whose conditions include mental and physical disabilities, autism and spectrum disorders, behavioral syndromes, high anxiety, and medical complexities. Dr. Herro is currently President of the Arizona State Dental Board, and Chair of the Anesthesia and Sedation Committee. From 2008-2020, Dr Herro was a faculty member at the Arizona School of Dentistry and Oral Health, and Lutheran Medical Center where he supervised dental students and residents performing dental procedures on sedated patients.

Ms. Tami J. Grzesikowski (ADHA)

Ms. Grzesikowski currently serves as an adjunct faculty member in the degree completion programs at University of Michigan’s School of Dentistry and St. Petersburg College. She earned her B.S. from the University of North Carolina and her Master’s degree from the University of South Florida. She worked at St. Petersburg College for over 30 years, beginning as a student intern and retiring as the Dean of the College of Health Sciences. She served as the ADEA Senior Director for Allied Dental Education at ADEA for five years. She currently serves as a Chair for site visit teams for the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) and recently completed her term with the CODA’s Review Committee for Dental Hygiene.

Dr. Rachel Hogan, (ADEA)

Rachel Hogan, DMD, M.Ed. is an assistant professor of restorative dentistry at Oregon Health Sciences University School of Dentistry. She is a general dentist in Portland, Oregon and has been in practice since 1997. Dr. Hogan earned her dental degree from Oregon Health Sciences University and her Master’s in Education in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies in adult education from the University of Texas, Arlington in 2019. She serves on the American Dental Education Association Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Committee, the American Dental Education Association Collaborative on Dental Education Climate Assessment, the American Dental Association National Dental Licensure Test Construction Team and on local allied health advisory committees in the Portland, Oregon area. Dr. Hogan is an active member of the American Dental Association, the American Dental Education Association, the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine, the Academy of General Dentistry and the Oregon Dental Association.

Dr. M. Reza Iranmanesh (ADA)

Dr. Iranmanesh received his DMD at Tehran University, and a Certificate of Advance Graduate Study in Prosthodontics and a Master Degree in Prosthodontics at Boston University. He has been a clinical assistant professor at the University of Florida, and is currently a guest speaker on implantology at the Boston University School of Dental Medicine. He has been a medical record examiner in the insurance and medical record examination industries, as well as a dental board examiner for the Florida Board of Dentistry. After serving as a practitioner in various roles in Iran and Florida, Dr. Iranmanesh now maintains a private practice in Tampa, focusing mainly on implant restorative, prosthodontic and full mouth restoration, advance esthetic rehabilitation and general dental care.

Ms. Han-Na Jang (ADHA)

Han Na Jang, RDH, MSDH is a licensed dental hygienist in Washington D.C. She earned her dental hygiene degree from South Korea in 2008 and Baltimore City Community College, Maryland in 2015, and her Master’s in Dental Hygiene Education and Public Health from the University of Bridgeport, Fones School of Dental Hygiene in 2019. She is a member of the American Dental Hygienists Association (ADHA) and the Virginia Dental Hygienists Association, and is a past president of the District of Columbia Dental Hygienists’ Association (2019-2021).

Tommy Lau (ASDA Student Commissioner)

Tommy Lau is a dental student at University of Michigan School of Dentistry in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He earned his undergraduate degree in Biomolecular Science also from the University of Michigan and was named the commencement speaker for his graduating department. Mr. Lau serves on the Board of Trustees for the American Student Dental Association, Michigan Dental Association New Dentist Committee, and is an active member of the American Dental Association and American Dental Education Association. In school, Mr. Lau holds multiple leadership roles including his class council, and he is an avid research assistant.

Dr. Peter M. Loomer (ADEA)

Dr. Peter M. Loomer is dean and professor at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio School of Dentistry. Dr. Loomer is a graduate of the University of Toronto where he obtained his BSc, DDS, PhD (Oral Biology) and specialty training in Periodontology and Implant Dentistry. He previously served as chair of the Ashman Department of Periodontology & Implant Dentistry, Director of the Center for Global Oral Health Sciences at New York University College of Dentistry and affiliated faculty in the New York University School of Global Public Health. He currently serves as the President of the International Academy of Contemporary Dentistry and the Vice-President of Omicron Kappa Upsilon (OKU) Supreme Chapter.

Dr. Julie W. McKee (AADB)

Julie Watts McKee, DMD, is the chief dental officer for the Kentucky Department for Public Health where she develops programs and strategies for oral health policy in the Commonwealth. She obtained her doctoral degree at the University of Louisville’s School of Dentistry in 1983 and was a general dentist in a rural community at the foothills of Appalachia. She serves on the Kentucky Board of Dentistry, the executive board of the Kentucky Dental Association and the Kentucky Oral Health Coalition. She currently sits on the advisory board for the University of Louisville’s Dental Hygiene Program. She has executive leadership experience in local public health agency administration and has been an examiner for the Southern Regional Testing Agency in the past. She is a past officer of the Association for State and Territorial Dental Directors. She maintains current memberships in the American Dental Association, the Kentucky Dental Association, the Bluegrass Dental Society, the Kentucky Oral Health Association and the Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors.

Dr. Jeetendra Patel (AADB)

Dr. Jeetendra Patel received his BS in 1995 from the Louisiana State University-Shreveport (LSU-S) in Biology and his DDS from the LSU School of Dentistry in 2001. He also completed a one-year hospital based residency (GPR) at the Veterans Affairs Hospital in Biloxi, MS. In 2019, Dr. Patel was appointed by the Governor of Louisiana, John Bel Edwards, to serve on the Louisiana State Board of Dentistry. Besides being on the State Board, Dr. Patel has been in private practice since 2003 and currently owns a dental practice in Monroe, Louisiana. Dr. Patel was born in Birmingham, England and lived there for 10 years before moving to the United States in 1982. He has lived in Louisiana for 39 years.

Open (AADB)

Dr. Frank Schiano (ADA)

Dr. Frank E. Schiano is a five-time graduate of Boston University. He received his DMD in 2006 and completed a one-year AEGD in 2007. Dr. Schiano served as a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Restorative Sciences and Biomaterials at the Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine. He practiced as a general dentist for nearly a decade, founding the largest LGBTQ+ dental health center in the country. Dr. Schiano is a Fellow of the Academy of General Dentistry. Prior to completing his MSD in Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics in 2018, Dr. Schiano earned a Master of Arts in Dental Education from the University of the Pacific. He has held numerous volunteer positions with the Massachusetts Dental Society and the American Dental Association. He also received the 2011 American Dental Association’s Award for International Service for his leadership in Project Stretch, an international pediatric dental service organization, of which he currently serves as Vice-President.

Dr. James R. Sherrard, PhD (Public Member)

Dr. Sherrard is a professor for and the chair of the Nuclear Engineering and Health Physics Technologies Programs at Three Rivers Community College in Norwich, CT. Dr. Sherrard also has taught undergraduate and graduate courses at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, Catholic University of America, and the University of Connecticut, and is a registered professional engineer. He is a retired officer from the U.S. Coast Guard with his background primarily in the higher education, engineering, and the research & development fields. He has authored two college textbooks and more than 190 technical papers, and has been a long-time evaluator for ABET, ACE, COE, DETC, and NECHE accrediting organizations.

Dr. Mary A. Starsiak (AADB)

Dr. Mary A. Starsiak is a 1984 graduate of Loyola University Dental School and has owned her own general dentistry private practice since her graduation. She is a member of the American Association of Dental Boards and the Vice Regent of the International College of Dentistry, as well as the Program Chair for the 2022 Chicago Dental Society Midwinter Meeting. Dr. Starsiak is the immediate Past President of the Central Regional Testing Agency (CRDTS) and has served on the Steering Committee since 2010. She has served as member of the State of Illinois Board of Dentistry from 2009 and served as its chair from 2012-2014 and 2016-2017. She has served on numerous Boards and Committees including the Illinois State Dental Society; Chicago Dental Society; was a Founding member of the Chicago Dental Society Foundation; The American Dental Association Council of Communication; Odontographic Society of Chicago and President of the Dental Arts Club of Chicago. Dr. Starsiak is a fellow of the American College of Dentists, the International College of Dentists, the Academy of Dentistry International, the Pierre Fauchard Academy, the Academy of General Dentistry and the Odontographic Society.

Dr. Patrick J. Tepe (ADA)

Dr. Patrick A. Tepe is a 1994 graduate of the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry; he received his undergraduate degree in Biology at Marquette University. He has worked as a general dentist since his graduation, and is currently an owner/partner of a private group practice in Madison, WI and Verona, WI. Dr. Tepe served in the United States Army Reserve Dental Corps. He serves on the Board of Directors for the American Dental Plan Insurance Corporation and is a past president of the Wisconsin Dental Association. Dr. Tepe is a member of the American Dental Association, the Wisconsin Dental Association, the Dane County Dental Society, the Chicago Dental Society, the Pierre Fauchard Academy, and a fellow in the International College of Dentists. Dr. Tepe will serve as chair of the JCNDE Committee on Administration for the 2020-2021 year.

Dr. Mark Zajkowski (AADB)

Dr. Zajkowski is a board certified oral and maxillofacial surgeon in South Portland, Maine. He serves as the medical director of his Joint Commission accredited office with three partners. He graduated from the University of Florida in 1989 (B.S. Microbiology and Cell Science), the UCLA School of Dentistry in 1993, Harvard Medical School in 1996, and completed his OMS residency at the Massachusetts General Hospital in 1999. He began service on the Maine Board of Dental Practice in 2017 and currently serves as Chair. He also serves as a member of the Board of Directors of OMS National Insurance Company. He is a fellow of the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, the American College of Surgeons, American College of Dentistry and the International Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. He is currently a member of the American Dental Association and American Medical Association. His clinical practice focuses on outpatient anesthesia, patient safety, dentoalveolar and implant surgery, alveolar cleft reconstruction and oral and maxillofacial pathology.

Dr. Karin Irani (ADA Board of Trustees Liaison)

Dr. Karin Irani, a general dentist in Los Angeles, California, is the Thirteenth District Trustee of the American Dental Association. Dr. Irani graduated from University of Southern California, Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry, Dental Hygiene program in 2000 and DDS program in 2003 and went on to complete the ADA/Kellogg Executive management Program and ADA’s Institute for Diversity In Leadership. While continuing to work as a dentist, Dr. Irani went to law school and obtained her Doctorate in Jurisdiction in May 2022. Dr. Irani has previously served as the Chair of ADA Council on Membership, Trustee on the Board of California Dental Association, Chair of California Dental Association’s Leadership Development Committee and President of San Fernando Valley Dental Association. Dr. Irani co-founded “Veterans Smile Day” in 2013 a non-profit organization providing free dental care for veterans nationwide and founded “Serving Our Smiles,” non-profit Dental Assisting School in 2021.