The ACFF Expert Panel

Board certified in dental public health, Dr. Myron Allukian served as the Dental Director for the City of Boston for 34 years and is a Past President of the American Public Health Association (APHA), the first Vietnam veteran and second dentist in 118 years. He is a Past President of the American Association of Public Health Dentistry, American Association for Community Dental Programs, American Board of Dental Public Health, Harvard School of Public Health Alumni Association, and a Vice-Chair of the Oral Health Work Group, World Federation of Public Health. He has authored over 150 publications/abstracts with 22 book chapters on policy, prevention, access and the underserved.

Dr. Allukian served as Chairman of the U.S. Surgeon General’s Work Group on Fluoridation and Dental Health for the 1990 Prevention Objectives for the Nation, and the Dental Advisory Committees for Healthy People 2000, 2010, and 2020, the National Health Objectives. He was the Dental Clinical Director of the New England AIDS Education and Training. In 1991 he was elected to the Institute of Medicine, National Academy of Sciences, and is an Honorary Fellow in the Royal Society of Health of Great Britain.
He has a BS from Tufts University, DDS from the University of Pennsylvania, and MPH from the Harvard School of Public Health. He is on the dental faculties of Harvard, Tufts and Boston Universities. Dr. Allukian has been called “The Social Conscience of Dentistry.”

Caswell A. Evans, Jr., D.D.S., M.P.H., is currently the Associate Dean for Prevention and Public Health Sciences at the University of Illinois, Chicago College of Dentistry and a faculty member in the UIC School of Public Health. Previously, he has served as the Executive Editor and Project Director for Oral Health in America: A Report of the U.S. Surgeon General. For twelve years, Dr. Evans was Director of Public Health Programs and Services for the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services. He is a member of the Institute of Medicine, National Academy of Sciences, and former President of the American Public Health Association, the American Association of Public Health Dentistry, and the American Board of Dental Public Health.

Dr. Evans is presently the Chairman of the DentaQuest Foundation Board and serves on the Chicago Board of Health and the boards of the Institute of Medicine of Chicago and Oral Health America.

Professor Svante Twetman is a specialised paediatric dentist and professor of Cariology at the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark. His research is focused on fluoride and microbial aspects on oral ecology, biofilms and caries risk assessment/caries prevention from infancy to adolescence. Professor Twetman’s research has to a large extent been performed in clinical settings with supplementary studies done in laboratories.

He has authored and co-authored over 200 peer-reviewed papers and serves as a consultant to the Swedish Council on Health Technology Assessment compiling systematic reviews and mapping knowledge gaps in medicine and dentistry. Among several industry accolades, he has received the IADR distinguished scientist award in 2010, IADR Borrow Award in 2011 and Song-Eum Med-Pharm Award in 2012.

Livia Tenuta is Associate Professor at the Department of Cariology, Restorative Sciences and Endodontics, at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry. Dr. Tenuta holds DDS and MS in pediatric dentistry degrees from Bauru Dental School, University of São Paulo, Brazil, and a PhD in Cariology from Piracicaba Dental School, University of Campinas, Brazil. Before joining the University of Michigan, Dr. Tenuta was a faculty member of the Piracicaba Dental School, with research focus on dental caries and fluorides. 

For her achievements as a young investigator in Cariology, Dr. Tenuta received the Basil Bibby Award of the International Association of Dental Research (IADR) Cariology Group in 2014. She was the Scientific Councilor for the Alliance for a Cavity-Free Future (ACFF) Brazilian Chapter, from 2011 to 2017. She has been involved in leadership roles in the IADR (as President of the IADR Cariology Group, 2011-12) and in the European Organization for Caries Research (as ORCA Membership Secretary and Webmaster, 2015-20). Dr. Tenuta has published more than 80 peer-reviewed articles on dental biofilm cariogenicity and the role of fluoride in caries prevention.

Tim is Professor of Psychology as Applied to Dentistry at King’s College London Dental Institute. He also holds Honorary Consultant Health Psychologist positions with Guy’s & St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust and King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.

Tim has worked in the behavioural sciences in relation to dentistry for over 20 years, and his particular interests include the management of dental anxiety, the working life of the dental team and patients’ perceptions of treatment. He has a strong commitment to ensuring that research is of the highest scientific and ethical standards in protection of the rights of research participants and the wider public served by the research community. In pursuance of this he is Chair of the King’s College London Research Ethics Committee.

In 2016 Tim was awarded the Behavioural, Epidemiological and Health Services Research Distinguished Scientist Award by the International Association of Dental Research.

PhD in Dental Medicine.

Professor of higher education in Oral Medicine and Oral Surgery in the Faculty of Dentistry, HASSAN II University of Casablanca.

Head of Oral Surgery Clinical Department.

Head of Consultation Center and Dental Treatment of CHU IBN ROCHD OF CASABLANCA.

Coordinator of National Diploma of Oral Medicine and Oral Surgery.

Pedagogical Coordinator of the University Diploma of Dental Auxiliary.

Coordinator of post graduate university diploma of medical and dental emergency.

Member of the Scientific Commission and of the Council at the Dental University of Casablanca.

FDI President Elect.

Coordinator for NORTH AFRICA COUNTRIES, NORTH AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST CHAPTER – ALLIANCE FOR A CAVITY-FREE FUTURE.

Member of Académie  Française de Chirurgie Dentaire.

Founding member and President of the Moroccan Association of Oral Dental Prevention.

Founder and Former President of the Oral Medicine and Oral Surgery Moroccan Society.

Dr. Mikako Hayashi was the first female professor of Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry in the 65-year history of the faculty. She took up her appointment as professor and head of the Department of Restorative Dentistry and Endodontology in April 2012. Dr. Hayashi graduated from Osaka University in 1987 and was awarded her PhD in 1998. From 2001 to 2002, she spent 18 months at The Dental School, University of Manchester, UK undertaking research on restorative dentistry and dental materials under the direction of Professor Nairn Wilson. During her stay in UK, she joined the Cochrane Collaboration (Oral Health Group) and learned evidence-based medicine. She is currently a vice-director of the University Dental Hospital, an executive member of the Japanese Association of Conservative Dentistry and also a member of IADR/JADR (Fellowship Committee, Dental Materials Group, Cariology Research Group and Evidence-based Dentistry Network). Her research interests are dental materials, clinical cariology and contemporary endodontics. She is also studying the vital relationship between good oral health and general health.

Stefania Martignon is a Professor, Chair of UNICA – Caries Research Unit and Chair of the Master Program in Dental Sciences, Dental Faculty, Universidad El Bosque, Bogotá, Colombia. Professor Martignon obtained her Ph.D from the University of Copenhagen, Denmark (2005), and specializes in Paediatric Dentistry and University Teaching.

She has served as a consultant to the Colombian Ministry of Health and served as member of the IADR Cariology Research Group board. Currently, Professor Martignon is an advisory council to the European Organisation for Caries Research (ORCA) Board, President of IADR Colombia, member of the ICDAS Core Group, and Co-Chair of the Colombian Chapter of the Alliance for a Cavity-Free Future (ACFF) as well as a member of the ACFF Global Expert Panel.

Professor Mahesh Verma, B.D.S., M.D.S., M.B.A., FDSRCS (England), Ph.D. (hc) has served as the Director-Principal of Maulana Azad Institute of Dental Sciences, New Delhi for the last 20 years. He is a Fellow of the American College of Dentists, American Academy of Implant Dentistry, Royal College of Surgeons of England, Edinburgh, Glasgow and the International Medical Sciences Academy. Professor Verma holds extensive professional experience as an Administrator, Teacher, Researcher, Policy Maker and Leader in the fields of dental education and industry in India.

His work over the last three decades, spanning dental education, planning and implementation of patient care services and community outreach, has garnered numerous accolades. He has the distinction of over 150 published and oral communications, research grants and keynote presentations. Presently, Dr. Verma serves as the Immediate Past President of the Indian Dental Association, the largest professional body of dental professionals in Asia and is a Consultant of the Armed Forces Dental Services in India.

2019 – present: President, International Federation of Dental Hygienists (IFDH)

2016 – 2020: Project Manager, European Federation of Dental Hygienists (EDHF) (*)                  

2016 – 2019: President-Elect, International Federation of Dental Hygienist (IFDH)

2014 – 2020: Consultant, Oral Health Strategies (*)

2013 – 2017: Vice-President, International Federation of Dental Hygienists (IFDH)

2008 – 2014: President, Dutch Association of Dental Hygienists (NVM -Mondhygienisten)

1998 – 2008: Director, Dental Hygiene School (Groningen, Nijmegen)

1992 – 1998: Lecturer, Dental Hygiene School (Utrecht)

1992 – 1998: Dental Hygienist, Private Practice (independent)

1988 – 1992: President, Dutch Association of Dental Hygienists (NVM)

1986 – 1988: Board member, Dutch Association of Dental Hygienists (NVM)

1978 – 1988: Dental Hygienist, Private and Public Practice

1978:  Graduated from University of Amsterdam     

(*) Professional Profile for Dental Hygienists in Europe; Common Education Curriculum for Dental Hygienist in Europe

Dr. Roger Ellwood is Director of Clinical Method Development for the Colgate-Palmolive Company, based in Manchester, UK where he is also the Co-Director of the Colgate- Palmolive Dental Health Unit, a unique collaboration between Colgate Palmolive and the University of Manchester. The Unit specializes in the development of clinical trial methods and Dental Public Health Research. Dr. Ellwood has a Bachelor of Dentistry degree from Liverpool University, A Master of Dental Surgery and Doctor of Philosophy degree from University College Cork and a Master of Science Degree from the University of Manchester. He holds an Honorary Chair in Dental Diagnostic Science at the University and is a recognized Specialist in Dental Public Health. His research is focused on diagnostic science, caries and periodontal disease, and he is an expert on fluoride and fluorosis. Dr. Ellwood has authored over 100 peer reviewed scientific articles and book chapters and is regularly invited to speak at international conferences.

Dr. Alice Horowitz. Ph.D currently holds the position of Research Associate Professor at the School of Public Health, University of Maryland.

As a health educator, Dr. Horowitz was formerly a senior scientist at the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) and National Institutes of Health (NIH). She holds extensive professional background in dental caries prevention and early detection. While at the NIDCR Dr. Horowitz organized the Consensus Development Conference on Pit and Fissure Sealants and co-organized another conference on the Dental Caries Diagnosis and Management.

Dr. Horowitz was instrumental in initiating the need to address health literacy in dentistry and was one of the authors of the first NIH Program Announcement addressing health literacy. She is currently the Co-Chair of the Education/health literacy Sub-Committee of the Maryland Dental Action Coalition, a group commissioned by Maryland’s Secretary of Health and Mental Hygiene, following the tragic and untimely death of Deamonte Driver, a 12-year-old boy who died in 2007 because of an untreated dental infection. In addition, she is the Primary Investigator of the Maryland statewide oral health literacy needs assessment study.

Professor Prathip Phantumvanit is the Founder-Dean Emeritus of the Faculty of Dentistry, Thammasat University, Thailand. His research interest areas include fluoride, cariology, minimum intervention in dentistry, preventive restoration in primary teeth, dental education and dental public health.

Professor Phantumvanit holds a wide range of professional positions, including Elected Board member, Thai Dental Council; Chair of Thai Dental Licensure Executive Board; Expert Panel in Oral Health, World Health Organization (WHO), Geneva; Consultant for Aide Odontologie Internationale (AOI) for Laos PDR, Vietnam, Madargascar; Past Vice-Chair of Public Health Committee, World Dental Federation (FDI); Former Dean, Faculty of Dentistry, Khon Kaen University, Thailand; Past-President, Thai Society for Public Health Dentistry; Co-founder and Past President, International Association for Dental Research – Southeast Asia Division (IADR-SEA); Past-President, Southeast Asia Association for Dental Education (SEAADE); Past-President, Asian Academy for Preventive Dentistry (AAPD); Former Short-term Consultant to World Health Organization – Southeast Asia Regional Office (SEARO) for Myanmar, Nepal, Bhutan, India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Western-Pacific Regional Office (WPRO) for Laos PDR, Vietnam, Cambodia.

Dr. Richard Niederman is professor and chair, Department of Epidemiology & Health Promotion at New York University College of Dentistry, and Co-Director of the World Health Organization Collaborating Center for Quality-improvement, Evidence-based Dentistry (QED).He graduated magna cum laude in 1976 from the Harvard School of Dental Medicine where he also received his periodontal specialty training.  He received certificate training in Evidence-Based Medicine at Oxford University in 1996.

He is the founding USA editor of the journal Evidence-Based Dentistry; co-author of the book Evidence-based Dentistry, and author of more than 100 peer reviewed scientific articles.

His current work focuses on improving oral health equity by disseminating and implementing community-based and evidence-based caries prevention programs.  These bring primary and secondary preventive care to people, rather than people to care.  NIH, PCORI, and foundations support his work in urban New York and Boston, as well as rural Colorado, Hawaii, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire.

Data from these programs indicate that effective caries prevention programs

(1) Vary directly with intensity and frequency;

(2) Can be effectively delivered by non-dentists

(3) Can reduce untreated cavities by 80%.

(4) Inadequate preventive intensity or frequency has little to no impact on oral health.

Chester W. Douglass, DMD, PhD, is Professor Emeritus of Oral Health Policy in the Harvard School of Dental Medicine and Professor of Epidemiology in the Harvard School of Public Health where he formerly directed the Harvard University Oral Epidemiology Doctoral Training Program.

Dr. Douglass has served as Immediate Past President for the Denta Quest Foundation and as Chair of the Program Committee for the Massachusetts based Health Resources in Action as well as their Board of Directors, and speaks frequently throughout the United States on issues related to trends in the economic market for dental care, access to dental care, and the effect of demographic trends and new technologies on the need and demand for dental care.