Mommy Dentists In Business

Dr. Laurene Duke has been happily practicing dentistry for over 30 years. She was first introduced to dentistry as a 5-year-old patient in Dr. Beckman’s practice, with a full garden in the backyard visible from every operatory. While attending Long Beach State University, Dr. Beckman introduced her to his daughter who was attending UCLA dental school. This was the first time Dr. Duke learned that women can really be doctors! During her dental school interviews Dr. Duke was told by the USC interviewer that she shouldn’t attend dental school, that she would be taking the place of a man and she’d practice for a  couple years before having babies and staying home. This was 1979; USC was the first acceptance letter she received and the first one she, very nervously, declined. After graduating UCLA dental school in 1984 she practiced in different clinics and practices, learning the type o dentistry she didn’t want to perform and honing her skills to practice dentistry how she wanted. All through school and the beg

Amanda has a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management from Liberty University and is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional with a deep understanding of investment strategies and the holistic nature of effective planning. Her financial career began in 2008 and was honed by her experience as an advisor for high net worth clients at Vanguard. At Dentist Advisors, Amanda gives her top-tier institutional experience a personal touch as she helps dentists implement investment plans and overall wealth-building strategies.

Lyndsey Harper, MD is a Board Certified Ob/Gyn, Associate Professor of Ob/Gyn for Texas A&M COM, a Fellow of The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and a Fellow of the International Society for the Study of Women's Sexual Health.  Dr. Harper is the founder and CEO of Rosy, an award-winning women’s health technology company that connects women who have sexual health concerns with hope, community, and research-backed solutions. She has been named Forbes Top 53 Women Disrupting Healthcare, People Newspapers’ 20 Under 40,  a Top Innovator in North Texas for 2020 and a DBJ Top Woman in Tech. 

Dr. Parul Dua Makkar's life took a different trajectory when she lost her only and younger sibling, Dr. Manu Dua, to oral cancer. He was a dentist, as well. Following his death, Parul devotes her time to educating doctors and patients about risk factors, prevention, and early detection and treatment of oral cancer.  Parul is a frequent contributor to publications both in dentistry and beyond. She also co-authors healthcare journal articles. She is regularly requested as an expert for others’ podcasts in addition to facilitating her own. Posthumously, Parul co-authored her brother’s book, Life Interrupted, Dr. Dua’s Survival Guide, which won a CIPA EVVY Award for Motivational / Inspirational books.  Parul practices general dentistry in her Long Island, New York practice. Speaking to audiences across the nation, she shares her experience and knowledge while guiding audiences in developing their understanding, skills, and preventive solutions.

The Yummermann's are back! Dr. Yum and her husband, Kent Zimmermann cover their relationship milestones and how they influenced one another through their joint and personal successes. Kent Zimmermann is one of the leading strategy advisors to law firms in the U.S. A former general counsel and chief executive officer, Kent counsels and provides insights to industry leaders on the challenges and opportunities they face as a result of the globalization, consolidation, specialization, and segmentation. Originally from Connecticut, he graduated with honors from Washington University in St. Louis and earned his J.D. from Illinois Institute of Technology’s Chicago-Kent College of Law.  

Kara McKeage is passionate about helping successful women ease the mental load with skilled household support. She is the founder of Pepper’s Personal Assistants, a sourcing and placement agency for highly vetted personal assistants. Kara McKeage is passionate about helping successful women ease the mental load with skilled household support. She is the founder of Pepper’s Personal Assistants, a sourcing and placement agency for highly vetted personal assistants. She started the business as a side hustle for income and flexibility while raising young children. The company has grown organically to a team of 24 employees. She believes that it’s time for professional women to let go of the shame around outsourcing household tasks so they can find more time, feel organized, and have peace of mind.

Dr. Victoria Peterson combines 30 years of dental entrepreneurial experience with a degree in Spiritual Studies to bring a refreshing approach to business. Victoria is the CEO & co-founder of Productive Dentist Academy, a four-time recipient of Inc 5000 fastest growing privately held companies. She has also been awarded 2013 Silver Stevie Female Entrepreneur of the Year. She is an advisor to Dental Entrepreneur Women (DeW) and on faculty with Dental Speakers Institute and spends time each year in mission work in the Dominican Republic. She is also the host of the podcast Investment Grade PracticesTM.

Dr. Sam Shamardi earned his DMD at Tufts University and his Periodontal certificate at the University of Pennsylvania.  He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology and Implant Surgery and practices full-time while teaching part-time at the Harvard Division of Periodontics.   Dr. Shamardi lectures nationally and internationally on topics within periodontics and hearing loss in dentistry and has published multiple articles.  He is a member of the prestigious Catapult Education Speakers Bureau and is recognized as a dental entrepreneur for his revolutionary EarAid product.  He is also the author of The Financial Survival Guide for Dentists, a book geared towards helping early career dental professionals establish a foundation in the business aspect of their careers.  In his spare time enjoys traveling and spending time with his dog Luna, and is an avid supporter of his favorite team Real Madrid.

Suzanne R. Mericle, DMD, has been practicing for over 30 years on Saint Simons Island, Georgia. She attended the University of Georgia where she received her BS in Microbiology. She then attended dental school at the Medical College of Georgia and graduated in 1991 with honors. Dr. Mericle is a KOL /lecturer for Glidewell Dental, Den Mat, and Dental Excel and Practical Sleep Education. She is also a KOL for Smile Direct Club. She has written several articles on Dental Sleep Medicine, TMD/TMJ, Periodontal Disease, Botox and several others on dental products. She is the Lead Investigator for Abbie- Allergan for the uses of off  label use of Botox. Dr. Mericle is a well-known speaker and is frequently heard on podcasts, webinars and is very knowledgeable on a variety of Dental topics. She is a VIVOS provider and focuses on children and adults in her practice. Dr. Mericle also is a TAO provider TMJ/TMD. Dr. Mericle is a Diplomat with American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine and American Sleep and Breathing Acade

Grace has been with CEDR Solutions for eight years. She is currently CEDR's Solution Center Manager. Prior to managing the Solution Center, she served as both a Solution Center Advisor and as a Compliance Officer with CEDR. Her favorite area of HR is paid leave laws. Grace graduated cum laude from Georgia State University's School of Law. Prior to attending law school, Grace received her paralegal certificate from Emory University and worked as a paralegal for a large law firm in Atlanta, GA. She recently received her Diversity & Inclusion certificate from Stanford Business School. She currently lives in the Philadelphia area with her husband and three children.

Born in Fort Dix, NJ to an Army dentist father & stay at home mother, Dr. LeeAnn McQuade, the eldest of 3 daughters.  Her parents settled in Texas after her father retired from the Army in 1989, and she’s been there ever since. She received her undergraduate BS from Texas A&M and attended dental school at Baylor College of Dentistry, followed by pediatric residency at University of Texas at Houston in 2002. She practiced as an associate near Houston for nearly 7 years before starting her own practice…while pregnant…as the sole income earner for her family. Dr. McQuade has been an owner/private practitioner since 2008 & recently added an associate.  She has a busy FFS practice that’s grown nearly 100% based on general dentist referral & word of mouth. Like all MDIBs, there’s so much more to her story than being a dentist.  The twists & turns of her personal life threaded through her career moves & ultimately resulted in her being a single mother of 2 daughters, 1 adopted & 1 b

With more than 20 years in the dental publishing industry, Kevin Henry is the former group editorial director for Dental Products Report, managing editor for Dental Economics, and editor-in-chief for DrBicuspid.com. He now serves as the co-founder for IgniteDA, a community designed to empower, enlighten, and educate dental assistants. He has spoken to dental assistants throughout the world, in person and through the Dental Assistant Nation podcast series, reminding them of the important role they play every day in their practice. He is also certified as a DiSC trainer, helping dental practices learn how to understand each other better through personality assessments and training.

Dr. Natanya Brown is a board certified endodontist with training from Tufts, Harvard, and the Univ of Illinois at Chicago. And now resides in SF Bay area since 2009. Dr. Natanya is also a certified life and weight loss coach with training from The Life Coach School. Having struggled to lose the weight after her second pregnancy, Dr. Natanya learned how to lose weight without relying on deprivation or willpower, or even intense exercising. Dr. Natanya is now on a mission to help dentists live at their goal weight through Weight Loss for Dentists, a program she created combining mindfulness and coaching with the goal of helping dentists make more mindful choices to end the struggle with weight and have fun in the process.  Having been raised abroad, Dr. Natanya enjoys learning languages and international travel. A fun weekend involves going for hikes with her husband and two boys, watching documentaries, and playing tennis.

Eddie Johnson is the founder of Lancier Legal, PC.  His firm helps professionals protect their families and secure their legacies through estate planning.  Eddie has tailored his practice to focus on providing his clients with peace of mind, rather than just documents and deliverables. When he’s not helping families and business owners, you can find Eddie spending time with his wife, Anna, and his sons, Jake and Luke.

A wife of 20+ years, mother to 3 incredible children, a healthcare professional, small business owner, community volunteer, and lecturer, Dr. Truvella “Trudy” Reese wears many…many hats. She is a general dentist in a Las Vegas-based, private practice.  Opening Generations Dental in 2012, she quickly outgrew her location and purchased Crowne Dental in 2016.  In the decade that she’s been in private practice, she has become one of the highest-rated and most sought general dentists in Las Vegas. Dr. Reese is an Infection Control Officer for the Nevada State Board of Dental Examiners & a peer-review advisor for several insurance companies.  She is a national speaker with Physicians Against Trafficking Humans; a prevention, education, and advocacy organization.  Her passion project is restoring the smiles of human trafficking survivors.  Her most recent accomplishment was being named Nevada Mother of the Year 2021.   All-American bombshell and true Texas girl, R’Bonney Gabriel is proudly born and raised in Hou

Sarah Walton is a business mentor who’s been featured on The Today Show, speaks at women’s conferences all over the world, and has helped hundreds of women start and grow businesses they LOVE. She honed her business-building skills working with startups and large corporations where she managed a P &L worth hundreds of millions of dollars.  She’s the host of the Game On Girlfriend Podcast, and she's known for her weekly "Coffee With Coach"; streaming video conversations on Monday mornings. Sarah speaks across the nation has become the go-to source of inspiration, no-nonsense teaching, and practical integration for women in business, ultimately putting more money in the hands of more women.

After graduating from University of Texas Health Sciences Center San Antonio Dental School in the year 2000, Dr. Scaggs continued her education by completing a 12 month Advanced Education in General Dentistry residency at Texas A&M (Baylor) College of Dentistry. She then entered private dental practice, purchasing her first office in Carrollton, Texas, in 2003. She diligently took many hours of Continuing Education and by 2008, had been awarded the prestigious Master status in the Academy of General Dentistry. Dr. Scaggs began specifically marketing to Senior patients in 2014 and has focused on treating this special population ever since. She has been married for 25 years and has a 10 year old son, named Wilson.

Lea A. Ellermeier is the President of SheepMedical USA, a wholly owned subsidiary of SheepMedical Ltd, the #1 Japanese orthodontic aligner manufacturer. She is a serial entrepreneur who has co-founded and served as CEO of three dental technology companies 2C MedTech, REPLICATE Dental Technologies and Lingualcare, Inc. Lingualcare was purchased by 3M Company in November, 2007.  Post-acquisition, she was president of 3M’s Lingualcare subsidiary and a member of the management operating committee of 3M Unitek. Lea has spent her career building disruptive technologies with executive roles at OraMetrix, acquired by Dentsply (NYSE:XRAY) AutoTester, partially acquired by Compuware, now BMC Compuware and marketing and international sales roles at  XTRA On-Line, Micrografx and GeoWorks.  Lea earned a B.A. in Political Science (Cum Laude) from the University of Texas El Paso and an M.B.A. from Thunderbird, School of Global Management in Glendale, AZ. Lea is a mentor at Tech Wildcatters and Health Wildcatters and has ser

Dr. Lois Duerst, DDS is currently Staff Dentist for 3M Oral Care Solutions Division. She earned her undergraduate degree in nursing from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and her DDS from the University of Minnesota –Minneapolis. She joined 3M after more than 30 years of general dentistry experience. She has been active, both locally andnationally, in the American Dental Association, Minnesota Dental Association and the Academy of General Dentistry and has earned a Fellowship and Mastership Award in the Academy of General Dentistry. She has also earned Fellowship in the American College of Dentists. She remains active in her local Spear Study Club. Jean Madden, Global Scientific Affairs Manager, has earned both Technical and Marketing Excellence awards during her career with 3M. She has also led new product introduction teams, founded and edited a global key opinion leader newsletter, and has lectured extensively in her travels around the world.  She has been the lead Scientific Affairs Manager on a number

Kathy Magee founded Operation Smile in 1982 with her husband, Dr. Bill Magee, and currently serves as its president on a full-time, volunteer basis. Kathy is also a lifetime member of the Board of Directors, overseeing funding and long-held organizational relationships. Kathy shapes future strategy and leads project design within medical mission programming and the education, training and student departments. Kathy travels overseas extensively to expand in-country boards while cultivating key corporate, diplomatic, government and medical partnerships that enable Operation Smile to carry out its mission. She fosters university partnerships and research with academic institutions, such as the University of Southern California through the International Family Study, which contributes to understanding the causes of cleft. Kathy is deeply involved in Operation Smile Student Programs, which provides opportunities for students to volunteer, engage and support Operation Smile’s work by raising funds and awareness. Sh