Meet the IFD Faculty and Featured Speakers

Mary Ellen Chalmers

DMD, MS, IFMCP
Teaching:
  • Introduction to Functional Dentistry
  • The Energetic Terrain: Foundations of Bioenergetics in Functional Dental Care
  • Advanced Immune Triggers, Heavy Metals, and Oral Pathogen Profiles
  • Tracks: 1,2,3,4

Valerie Kanter

DMD, MS
Teaching:
  • Bioenergetic Therapies in Functional Dental Care
  • Functional Endodontics for Whole-Body Health
  • Laser Dentistry: Restorative & Endodontic Care
  • Tracks: 3,4

Staci Whitman

DMD, IFMCP
Teaching:
  • Women’s Hormones, Life Stages, and the Oral Microbiome
  • The First 1,000 Days: Building the Oral Microbiome From Preconception to Toddlerhood
  • Functional Pediatric Dentistry: Root Causes, Protocols, and Biologic Restorative Care
  • Laser Dentistry: Pediatric Care
  • Tracks: 2,3,4

Jeffrey Bland

PhD, CNS, FACN, FACB
Guest Speaker: 
  • The Future is Functional
  • Tracks: 1,2,3,4

Lila Popa

DDS, IFMCP
Teaching:
  • The Therapeutic Encounter in Functional Dentistry
  • Tracks: 1,2,3,4

Kyle Stanley

DDS
Teaching:
  • The Mentally Resilient Dental Professional
  • Tracks: 1,2,3,4

Steven Lin

BDent, BMSci
Teaching:
  • Foundational Nutrition for Oral + Systemic Health
  • Tracks: 1,2,3,4

Robert Lustig

MD, MSL
Teaching:
  • Sugar, Insulin Resistance, and the Oral-Systemic Disease Continuum
  • Nutritional Deficiencies, Inflammation, and Growth Disruption
  • Tracks: 1,2,3,4

Megan Barnett

MS, CNS
Teaching:
  • Nutrient Deficiencies and Their Oral Clues
  • Tracks: 1,2,3,4

Deanna Minich

PhD, MS, CNS, IFMCP
Teaching:
  • Functional Nutrition for Oral Health

  • Tracks: 1,2,3,4

Doug Thompson

DDS, FAAMM, ABAAHP
Teaching:
  • Introduction to Oral-Systemic Health and the Oral Microbiome
  • Tracks: 1,2,3,4

Victoria Sampson

BDS MFDS RCS Ed PgDip
Teaching:
  • Oral Microbiome: Clinical Applications and Protocols
  • Tracks: 1,2,3,4

Anne O. Rice

RDH, BS, FAAOSH, CDP
Teaching:
  • Oral Health on the Roadmap to Prevention: Protecting the Brain
  • Tracks: 1,2,3,4

Lora Hooper

BSDH, RDH, EFDA
Teaching:
  • The Oral-Cardiovascular-Fertility-Cancer Axis
  • Functional Hygiene: In-Office Do’s and Don’ts, At-Home Tools, Biofilm Balance, and Patient Coaching
  • Microbiome-Based Periodontal Protocols – From Test Results to Treatment Plans
  • Tracks: 1,2,3,4

Shervin Molayem

DDS
Teaching:
  • Functional Periodontics in Clinical Practice
  • Technology Transformation in Dentistry – From Digital Workflow to Predictive Intelligence
  • AI-Driven Diagnostics and the Future of Functional Periodontal Care
  • Tracks: 2,3,4

Haroldo Magarinos

Credentials: DDS, ND
Teaching:
  • Functional Lab Testing in Periodontal Diagnosis and Management
  • Tracks: 2,3,4

Susan Maples

DDS, MSBA
Teaching:
  • Diabetes and Acid Reflux Through the Lens of Periodontal Disease
  • Tracks: 2,3,4

Ilon Choai

  • DDS
Teaching:
  • Hormones and the Oral-Sex-Stomach Axis
  • Environmental Toxicants and Oral-Systemic Health
  • Beyond Fluoride: Biologically Intelligent Remineralization
  • Tracks, 2,3,4

David Lin

PhD
Teaching:
  • Oral Microbiome Testing

  • Tracks: 2,3,4

Audrey Boros

MSc., DDS
Teaching:
  • Oral and Oral Pharyngeal Cancer Through the Lens of Functional Dentistry
  • Functional Oral Pathology
  • Tracks, 2,3,4

Phil Mollica

DMD
Teaching:
  • Ozone Therapy in Functional Dentistry
  • Tracks: 2,3,4

Rick Miron

DDS
Teaching:
  • New Trends in PRF Therapy & Exosomes
  • Tracks: 2,3,4

Judson Wall

DDS
Teaching:
  • Practice Implementation – Building the Functional Dental Model
  • Tracks: 3,4

Kelly Bender

NMD
Teaching:
  • IV Therapy for Dental Professionals

  • Tracks: 3,4

Dania Tamimi

  • BDS, DMSc
Teaching:
  • Radiology and Diagnostic Interpretation in Functional Dentistry
  • Diagnostics and Radiology of TMJ
  • Tracks: 3,4

Robert Rountree

MD
Teaching:
  • Addressing the Total Toxic Load in Functional Dentistry: Avoidance, Mitigation and Elimination
  • Tracks: 3,4

Andrea Elenbaas

DMD, MS
Teaching:
  • Interpreting Conventional Labs in Functional Dentistry
  • Functional Management of TMD and Orofacial Pain, Medical Integration and Functional Dental Billing
  • Tracks: 3,4

Dani Lockwood

  • NMD, LAc, RDH
Teaching:
  • Specialty Functional Labs – Organic Acids, Nutrients, and the Gut-Oral Axis
  • Beyond the Airway: Understanding the Complexities of Sleep Dysfunction
  • Tracks: 3,4

Rick Mayfield

DC, CCN, DACBN, IFMCP
Teaching:
  • Balancing Biotransformation and Addressing the Total Toxic Load in Functional Dentistry
  • Tracks: 3,4

James Nestor

Guest Speaker:
  • Introduction: The Why Behind Our Breath
  • Tracks: 3,4

Victor Khatchaturian

DDS
Teaching:
  • Defining Airway Dentistry, Integrative Protocols, Communication, and Team Care in Functional Dentistry
  • Airway Dysfunction and Oral Appliance Therapy
  • Airway Dysfunction and Restorative Rehabilitation
  • Tracks: 3,4

Audrey Yoon

DDS, MS
Teaching:
  • Growth Modification Protocols & Precision Appliance Design for Airway-Centered Orthodontics
  • Tracks: 3,4

Kevin Boyd

MS, DDS
Teaching:
  • Pregnancy, Early Childhood, and Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHAD)
  • Nutritional Deficiencies, Inflammation, and Growth Disruption
  • Tracks: 3,4

Chelsea Pinto

  • BS, DDS, CLC
Teaching:
  • Infant Feeding, Tongue Ties, and Early Intervention
  • Laser Dentistry: Infant Care
  • Tracks: 3,4

Elizabeth Turner

DMD
Teaching:
  • Myofunctional Therapy and Oral Posture Re-Education
  • Tracks: 3,4

Patrick McKeown

  • MA, FRSB
Teaching:
  • Functional Breathing and Rehabilitation Therapy
  • Tracks: 3,4

Mike DeLuke

DDS, MDS
Teaching:
  • The Intersection of Soft and Hard Tissue Dysfunction
  • Tracks: 3,4

Stanley Liu

  • MD, DDS, FACS
Teaching:
  • Functional Oral Surgery and Craniofacial Intervention
  • Tracks: 3,4

Nick Yiannios

DDS, MCNO
Teaching:
  • Diagnostics, Occlusion, and the Autonomic Nervous System
  • Tracks: 3,4

Jay Levy

DDS
Teaching:
  • Functional Prosthodontics and Occlusal Rehabilitation
  • Tracks: 3,4

Justin Ponquinette

DMD
Teaching:
  • Functional Oral Surgery: Principles, Procedures, and Whole-Body Support
  • Tracks: 3,4

Shahram Ghanaati

MD, DDS, PhD
Teaching:
  • Cavitations: Diagnosis, Surgical Protocol, and Post-Op Support
  • Tracks: 3,4

Kelly Blodgett

DMD, NMD
Teaching:
  • Functional Implantology – Biocompatible, Patient-Centered Tooth Replacement
  • Marketing + Social Media for the Functional Dental Movement 
  • Tracks: 3,4

Rashad Riman

DDS
Teaching:
  • Zirconia Implants: Why the Industry Is Slow to Move and How to Restore Them Anyway
  • Tracks: 3,4

Dominik Nischwitz

DDS
Teaching:
  • Surgical Optimization – Pre- and Post-Operative Preparation for Whole-Body Healing
  • Tracks: 3,4

Mark Colonna

DDS, MWCLI, MALD
Teaching:
  • Foundations in Laser Dentistry: Physics, Safety, and Soft-Tissue Applications
  • Tracks: 3,4

Davey Alleman

DMD
Teaching:
  • Functional Restorative Dentistry and Biocompatible Techniques
  • Tracks: 3,4