DIVERSE DENTAL SOCIETY - Key Persons

Job Titles:

• President of National Dental Association

Dr. Lee is the current President of National Dental Association (NDA) and has a private practice in Washington, D.C. She focuses primarily on patients with severe physical and mental challenges. She received her B.S. degree in biology from Clark College in 1979, her D.D.S. degree and Certificate of Proficiency in Pediatrics from Howard University College of Dentistry (HUCD) in 1983 and 1985, respectively. Within the NDA, Dr. Lee has served as Delegate, Secretary, Chairman of the Board of Trustees and President-Elect. In the Robert T. Freeman Dental Society, (Local NDA Chapter), she served as Secretary, Vice-President, and President. Dr. Lee practiced with her father, Dr. E. Preston Lee until his passing in 1989. She loves volunteering in her communities, teaching and mentoring in the US and abroad. She holds memberships in the AAWD, NAACP, AKA Sorority, Inc., and Life Membership in NCNW. She was a founding member the AAWD student chapter at HUCD, serving as President for 3 years. She is the recipient of numerous awards: Outstanding Clinical Performance Pediatric Resident Award, Distinguished Alumni Award, HUCD; NDA President's Awards and has been named one of and received Washington DC's Top Dentists Award from 2015 thru 2021. Dr. Lee is a Certified Gourmet Raw Foods Chef and Certified Natural Health Professional. In her spare time, she lectures on health, nutrition and presents cooking classes. She is happily married to husband Michael, her best friend and spiritual advisor. She is the mother of two and grandmother of four.

Job Titles:

• Member of the Board of Directors

Dr. Cristin Haase graduated in 2017 with a Doctor of Dental Medicine degree and Masters of Public Health degree from A.T. Still University: Arizona School of Dental & Oral Health (Mesa, AZ). Dr. Haase grew up in the great plains of rural North Dakota and is of Lakota heritage (Cheyenne River Sioux). Dr. Haase currently works in a public health setting, serving the American Indian/Alaska Native population. She is the current President of the Society of American Indian Dentists. Dr. Haase graduated from the ADA - Institute for Diversity in Leadership in 2021. She was recognized as a "Dreamstarter" by the Running Strong for American Indian Youth Organization (founder: Billy Mills) in 2015 as a dental student, and received the additional honor of being named "Dreamstarter GOLD" in 2020 for organing a Pre-dental Workshop (PAW) program at A.T. Still University. The program is now in its 7th year, and has served over 50 AI/AN pre-dental students, aiming to increase the number of AI/AN dentists in order to improve access to dental care for Indiginous communities.

Job Titles:

• Member of the Board of Directors

Dr. del Valle-Sepulveda is a board-certified oral and maxillofacial surgeon with over 30 years of clinical experience. After completing a Bachelor of Science Purdue University in West Lafayette, IN, he entered the University of Puerto Rico School of Dental Medicine earning his DMD in 1986. He completed a Postgraduate Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Certificate in the University of Puerto Rico Hospitals in San Juan, PR. He also has a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Puerto Rico School of Law. For decades, he has been an active member of the medical and dental community by participating in several professional organizations. He has been multi-term president of the Colegio de Cirujanos Dentistas de Puerto Rico and the Puerto Rico Society of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. He has held serval leadership roles in the Hispanic Dental Association, American Dental Association and American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. He serves as Chairperson for the American College of Dentists in Puerto Rico. He has been a scientific editor, author and lecturer. He is a diplomate of the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and the National Dental Board of Anesthesiology. Dr. del Valle-Sepúlveda maintains a part-time private practice in Ponce and Caguas, PR, in partnership with his brother Marcos. He is married and proud father of two.He enjoys cross country running, swimming, triathlons, reading and coin collecting

Job Titles:

• Member of the Board of Directors
• Executive Director for the Society of American Indian Dentists

Janice Morrow is the Executive Director for the Society of American Indian Dentists. She grew up in Albuquerque, NM where she aspired to be a television news reporter. She began her career TV news in 1997 and quickly learned her strength was in storytelling for nonprofit organizations. Moreover, she found a love for American Indian-related causes when she took on the role of community relations manager for Notah Begay, III, the first Native American golfer on the Pro Tour. While working with Begay, she had the opportunity to assist the Albuquerque Area Dental Support Center in promoting the importance of dental care to American Indian patients and parents. Over a 15-year span, she traveled to IHS/Tribal/Urban dental clinics in New Mexico, Southern Colorado and West Texas, as well as the other Dental Support Centers nationwide. Her work garnered several national health awards for dental-related content directed at Native American populations. Her work with the Dental Support Center brought her to SAID. Since 2015, Janice has served four SAID presidents as their Executive Administrator overseeing the administrative functions, programs, membership, fundraising and annual conference responsibilities and continues to do so as the Executive Director. Janice is married to Cody, a 5th generation New Mexico cattle rancher. Together they are raising their teenage daughter who pursues agricultural hobbies through the 4H and FFA programs. Outside of the workday, you will find the family at the barn with their menagerie of horses, hogs, barn cats, bottle calves, and other livestock.

Job Titles:

• Treasurer
• General Dentist in San Diego

Dr. Larin is a general dentist in San Diego, California. She is the current Treasurer for the Diverse Dental Society and a current board member of the San Diego County Dental Society where she was recently elected Secretary. She is a past president of the national Hispanic Dental Association and founder of the San Diego Hispanic Dental Association Chapter. She is a also Past President of the national American Association of Women Dentists and the first Latina. Dr. Larin serves on the Dental Board of California appointed by Governor Gavin Newsom until 2025. Dr. Larin enjoys working to represent her community. Her two sons are also dentists.

Job Titles:

• Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Hispanic Dental Association

Dr. Cordero is the Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Hispanic Dental Association. A graduate of Haverford College pursued dentistry at Temple University School of Dental Medicine graduating in 1983 as the first Hispanic graduate in 30 years. Dr. Cordero is a catalyst for change to improve services and outcomes. The only Spanish-speaking dentist in the South Jersey area at that time, he opened his first practice in Sewell, NJ where he still practices and opened a second practice in Vineland, NJ in 1984 where he serves a large Hispanic migrant population. Dr. Cordero joined AGD and ADA early in his career. He has received Fellowships from American College of Dentists, International College of Dentists, Academy of Dentistry International and the Pierre Fauchard Society. He was awarded Diplomate status at American Board of Forensic Dentistry and honored as one of 29 mentors of the Academy of Richard V. Tucker Study Clubs. In 2020, he was appointed the David Satcher Keynote Lecturer to the USPS Dental Division Annual Session. Public Health and service to others fuels his educational drive and professional activities. After 28 years of serving at all levels with AGD, and receiving the Fellow, Masters, and LLSR awards, he was the first Hispanic elected president of a major dental organization in the USA. One of his proudest moments was when HRSA adopted AGD's Oral Health Literacy campaign. He was integral to the leadership responsible for diversification and integration of all genders and ethnic groups in AGD and other organizations. Having witnessed the social unrest and racial/gender biases in 2020, he was among the leaders who created the Diverse Dental Society.

Job Titles:

• Member of the Board of Directors
• President of the Hispanic Dental Association

Dr. Mota-Martinez is the current President of the Hispanic Dental Association. She completed her undergraduate education and received her dental degree in her native Dominican Republic, at the Universidad Central del Este in San Pedro de Macoris. Upon her arrival in the United States, Dr. Mota-Martinez received her Doctor of Dental Surgery certification from the New York University College of Dentistry. Dr. Mota-Martinez continued her post-graduate training in Periodontics, Orthodontics, and Implant Dentistry and has received post-graduate certification in all of these branches of dentistry.

Job Titles:

• Dentist at the Gallup Indian Medical Center

Dr. Begay is of Navajo, Seneca, Mohawk descent and was raised in Portland, Oregon with summers spent on the Northern Navajo reservation. Dr. Begay began her college career at San Diego Mesa Community College and then transferred to the University of California, San Diego, Revelle College. She graduated in 1999 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and minors in art history and psychology. In 1999, Dr. Begay enrolled in the University of California, San Francisco School of Dentistry's post-baccalaureate program. Following this program, she began her graduate studies at the University of the Pacific, Dugoni School of Dentistry, in San Francisco. After earning her D.D.S in 2003, she began working with the Indian Health Service. Dr. Begay currently works as a supervisory dentist at the Gallup Indian Medical Center in Gallup, NM. She is involved in several local and national organizations promoting American Indian/Alaska Native students into higher education and professional careers.