Candidates for
AGD Office

“We must increase our presence as the ‘specialty’ organization for general dentists. By uniting dentists, AGD can advocate for the interests of the profession, address challenges, and promote continuing education and professional development.”

For Samantha Shaver, DMD, FAGD, the decision to join AGD was influenced by her father’s membership and accomplishments. Her father was an active AGD member and was the first dentist from the state of Kentucky to achieve FAGD status. His commitment to community service and lifelong learning served as an inspiration for Shaver to become an engaged participant in the field of organized dentistry. She became an AGD member during her time as a student at the University of Louisville School of Dentistry, and she continued her involvement after graduating in 1994.

Starting her dental career as an associate dentist and later purchasing her solo private practice in 1997, Shaver’s commitment to her profession and community was evident from the outset. She became actively involved in the Kentucky AGD. Her first board position was as secretary/treasurer, followed by a long stint as membership chair and local PACE chair. She served two nonconsecutive terms as president.

Shaver’s contributions didn’t go unnoticed, as evidenced by her invitation to serve on AGD’s Legislative & Governmental Affairs (LGA) Council in 2003. Her advocacy efforts led her to participate in multiple Hill Day events and connect with legislators in Washington, D.C. She later joined the Dental Practice Council, where she gained insights into policy development and served as council chair for two terms. In 2010, she helped represent AGD at the National Conference of State Legislatures, discussing policies relevant to the dental profession. From 2021 to 2023, she was a member of the Professional Relations Council.

In 2022, she was part of AGD’s presence at the national American Student Dental Association meeting, working with staff to explain the benefits of AGD membership to future dentists.

Shaver has remained active at both the state and regional levels. She served as regional director for Region 6, showcasing her leadership skills and interactions with dental professionals across multiple states. She participated in two STAR (Strategic and Tactical Assessment and Response) visits and organized and ran the caucus meetings. She has served as an AGD delegate multiple times in the last 25 years. She is in her third year as AGD trustee for Region 6 and currently serves as the Board liaison for the LGA Council.

Shaver’s leadership extended to the American Dental Association (ADA) as well. She was the first female president of the Louisville Dental Society, served as vice president of the Kentucky Dental Association, and served six years on the ADA’s Council on Communication. Her dedication to advocacy was highlighted through her representation of Kentucky as an ADA delegate.

In recognition of her accomplishments, Shaver earned fellow status in the International College of Dentists and the American College of Dentists. Her involvement extends to other dental organizations, such as the Pierre Fauchard Academy and the Kentucky Association of Women Dentists.

Shaver’s journey showcases the impact of dedication, leadership and community involvement within the dental profession. Her continuous commitment to organized dentistry, advocacy and professional growth serves as an inspiring example for aspiring dental professionals.

Personal Statement

“From my days as a teenage dental assistant, through dental school and into private practice, I have seen a significant evolution in the field of dentistry, both in terms of positive advancements and challenges. Advancements in dental technology have undoubtedly transformed the way dental professionals diagnose and treat patients. The development of new dental materials has expanded treatment options and improved the longevity and esthetics of dental restorations.

“Other changes thrust upon us by outside forces have been detrimental to our patients and our livelihoods. Dental education can be costly, leading to substantial student loan debts for many dentists. This financial burden can impact career choices, practice ownership and overall job satisfaction. Navigating the complexities of dental insurance can be challenging for both practitioners and patients. Regulatory changes can influence how dentists practice, impacting treatment protocols, record-keeping and compliance.

“Practice models have changed. Dentist demographics have changed. These changes are occurring quicky, and AGD must adapt to keep up. We must increase our presence as the ‘specialty’ organization for general dentists. We must increase our membership at the local levels and come together as a community, sharing knowledge, experiences and resources. By uniting dentists, AGD can advocate for the interests of the profession, address challenges, and promote continuing education and professional development.

“Success isn’t just based on chance; it’s rooted in tangible outcomes that demonstrate the value an organization brings to its members. AGD’s ability to drive positive outcomes for dentists will contribute to its long-term viability.

“I am running for vice president because I feel my experiences in AGD have prepared me to help move this organization forward. I understand that, in an era of rapid change, staying proactive, responsive and aligned with the evolving needs of dental professionals is vital for organizations like AGD to continue making a meaningful impact on the dental community.”

“AGD can become the North Star for all general dentists by uniting and empowering them through every stage of their careers. Let us embrace a shared vision, drive innovation, and elevate AGD to the next level.”

Marc J. Worob, DDS, FAGD, FACD, FICD, FAAOSH, serves as owner and president of 12 Oaks Dental in Austin, Texas. He started the practice as a solo practitioner and has grown it into a thriving business that currently includes one partner. Worob is unique in his approach, focusing on complete-health dentistry that considers the holistic well-being of his patients. This approach looks at the whole person and includes a deep understanding of the connection between oral health and overall wellness. The practice focuses on relationships with its patients by emphasizing a look at their lifestyles, a thorough medical history, airway assessments, inflammation monitoring, salivary diagnostics, food sensitivity testing and comprehensive oral evaluation.

Worob joined AGD after two years in practice upon learning about it from one of his mentors. He recognized its value in fostering professional growth and knowledge. He is an advocate for continuous education to enhance expertise. His engagement with AGD has been diverse and impactful. He was active with his local AGD component, including serving as president, and helped restructure it when it was struggling. He was on the Texas AGD board from 2010 until 2013 and then came back in 2014 as president-elect. This was during a time of financial instability, and, as president, he and others helped put the constituency on a path to success. He served on the AGD Communications Council until being elected regional director in 2018. Prior to joining the Board in 2022, he was regional director chair. He also helped organize the 2022 AGD Leadership Development Symposium. Worob helped that group expand its programs to assist struggling constituencies and put in place new communication vehicles within the Board. He also created some strategic guidance for its future. No other group in this organization has the same level of connection with as many members as constituency leaders, and a strong regional component will enable AGD to increase its membership and effectiveness.

Beyond dentistry, Worob has been deeply involved in his community, including serving on a number of local boards. His primary work was with the Austin Jewish Community, including being president for three years. He then co-chaired the committee that spearheaded the development of a 40-acre community campus. This showcased his ability to unite diverse groups for a common goal. This led to the construction of a large community center as well as two houses of worship. Worob helped raise millions of dollars to make it a success.

Personal Statement

“Over the course of my lifetime, the influence of others has helped shape the person I have become. My parents instilled honesty, integrity, caring and service to others as core values. My dental peers and mentors helped inspire my thirst for knowledge and enabled me to become a better leader. Authors like Simon Sinek — who wrote one of my favorite books, “Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action” — have guided my understanding of leadership, emphasizing the importance of trust and service to a greater cause. Sinek helped me understand that trust is built by meeting people where they are, and he helped me figure out that my “why” is being of service to something greater than myself. My service in leading other organizations, from large (my Jewish community of over 10,000 members) to medium (Texas AGD, with about 3,000 members) to small (other boards I have led or served on), through difficult times has shown me that leadership is a team sport. No one, not even the highest paid, most well-known CEOs, can do it alone. We all have to cooperate with each other for the greater good of our business, practice or nonprofit. Brené Brown talks about vulnerability being strength. Being vulnerable is the birthplace of trust, innovation and decision-making. A leader must bring out the best in all those around them to help guide the organization on a path to success. If elected your next vice president, I will continue to promote collaborative leadership and strategic growth. AGD can become the North Star for all general dentists by uniting and empowering them through every stage of their careers. Let us embrace a shared vision, drive innovation, and elevate AGD to the next level.”

“I am completely devoted to doing what is best for AGD. I will be transparent, effective and collaborative. I feel that I am capable of fulfilling the role of AGD secretary. I enjoy working with our capable AGD staff. I hope that I will earn your trust and support.”

Eric Wong, DDS, MAGD, has been devoted to AGD and organized dentistry for the past 23 years. His journey began with a call for volunteers to build a new component. Reluctant to sacrifice time away from raising a young family and managing a private practice, but at the persistence of his mentors, he joined the board of the newly established Sacramento-Sierra AGD. A lifelong AGD member since dental school, he became a CE “junkie,” and began integrating new dental skills into his practice. His patients were appreciative, and his practice thrived. Along the way, he earned AGD Fellowship, Mastership, and recently, his Lifelong Learning and Service Recognition.

Wong’s AGD experience helped him develop leadership skills. His peers began to recognize his dedication to the dental profession, and they nominated him for several other prestigious fellowship awards with other dental organizations. This motivated him to volunteer for other dental organizations. Wong is currently the supervising dentist of a dental assisting college, and he has participated as a subject matter expert for workforce studies and examination development for the Dental Assisting National Board. He is also an expert examiner for the Dental Board of California, and he has administered licensure examinations for dentists, the registered dental assistant practical examination, and the registered dental assistant extended functions examination. Wong has also developed questions and prepared ivorine teeth preparations for exams. Wong reviews and writes case reports, as well as testifies in court for the enforcement unit.

Wong’s first AGD council appointment was to the PACE Council in 2011, where he served for six years, three of which as council chair. During that time, he was able to participate in multiple House of Delegates reference committees and to observe how the other councils and committees function. He became the division coordinator over dental education. His other AGD leadership positions include being chosen for the Member Value Prioritization task force in 2006 and the Governance Evaluation Review Committee. Wong also accessed opportunities to work closely with a number of individuals in a focus group. He was honored to serve with them and share their collective wealth of AGD organizational knowledge to make positive recommendations. Wong is currently the trustee for California, Region 13. Wong has been serving on the AGD board for the past two years.

Wong also recently served on a task force to develop a newly accredited dental school in California — the California Northstate University (CNU) School of Dental Medicine. After two years of research involving proforma projections, curriculum development and demographic research, the Commission on Dental Accreditation approved the CNU program. Wong is an independent CE adviser there.

Wong also retains a regular day job. After 20 years in private practice, he sold his practice and made the transition to public health. He is now the dental department supervisor for a California prison; the clinic where he works has 24 employees. Wong has many responsibilities that go above and beyond the delivery of dentistry for patients. Wong attends and contributes to hundreds of meetings throughout the year and collaborates with thousands of other staff to accomplish his job duties. Wong’s work experience has prepared him well for many of the discussions that affect AGD.

Personal Statement

“I am completely devoted to doing what is best for AGD. I will be transparent, effective and collaborative. I feel that I am capable of fulfilling the role of AGD secretary. I enjoy working with our capable AGD staff. I hope that I will earn your trust and support.”

“As a result of my long-standing love of AGD and what it represents, I’ve decided it’s time to step forward and ask for a seat at the board level. As AGD secretary, I’ll ensure that the interests of the AGD constituencies and members are represented.”

Kimberly R. Wright, DMD, MAGD, became involved in organized dentistry during her time as a dental student in the mid-1980s and never looked back. The moment she received her license, she joined her Oregon Dental Association (ODA) component and immediately set about re-energizing and reviving what was, at that time, a declining component. Recognizing her leadership, Oregon quickly elevated her to ODA trustee. Because of her gender and new-dentist status — both a rarity in organized dentistry at the time — Wright’s perspective was different and highly valued.

Actively participating in many Oregon AGD study clubs, Wright became a known entity and was asked to join the Oregon AGD Board. It’s here where her most passionate journey in organized dentistry truly began.

Wright is devoted to continuing education (CE), and there isn’t an Oregon AGD position or committee that she hasn’t occupied or chaired at some point. But her involvement in what has become the Oregon AGD education facility is, hands-down, her most joyful and satisfying accomplishment. Along with a small committed group, Wright helped raise $1 million in donations and another $1 million worth of donated equipment for the 7,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility, which was completed in 2019. Oregon enjoys one of the highest percentages of AGD members in the country. Wright believes this clearly demonstrates that dentists join AGD primarily because of what the local constituency offers its members.

In 2004, after years of serving her local constituency, Wright attended her first AGD House of Delegates annual meeting. This sparked an immediate interest in work being done at the national level, and, in 2006, she was appointed to the Council and Committee Task Force to evaluate AGD’s governance structure. With the help of more senior committee members, Wright quickly came up to speed on the mission of the task force and the AGD structure. But her junior committee-member status didn’t deter her from asking unpopular questions, such as: “Why do we do it that way” and “Is there a better way?” Even at this early stage of her national committee experience, Wright recognized that appointing members with diverse backgrounds and perspectives is the best way to generate fresh and meaningful dialogue and the only opportunity for true change to be implemented.

In the years that followed, Wright served on other AGD national councils, committees and task forces. During her tenure on the Dental Education Council, her experience and expertise in CE development were tapped to simplify the AGD subject codes. Today, this saves time for AGD staff because they previously fielded daily calls from CE organizers asking the same question: “What subject code should I use for this topic?” And, as PACE chair, Wright led a joint-council task force that drafted the MasterTrack Directors Manual, the guide that helps constituencies implement MasterTrack programs and which remains in use today.

Currently, Wright serves on the AGD Budget and Finance Committee. This appointment expands her knowledge of AGD as a whole as well as the financial health of the organization. Organizational fiscal literacy is a key requisite for all members of the board.

Wright is married to Dr. Noel Tenoso, a private practice physical therapist. They have two adult daughters who are successful in their own careers. In her rare free time, Wright loves to travel, cook and garden.

Personal Statement

“As you can see by my brief professional biography, I have the required experience to serve the House of Delegates as a member on the board. My past experience demonstrates the following: 

• I am not afraid to take on challenges.
• I evaluate options carefully. 
• I garner input from stakeholders to improve final output.

“As a result of my long-standing love of AGD and what it represents, I’ve decided it’s time to step forward and ask for a seat at the board level. As AGD secretary, I’ll ensure that the interests of the AGD constituencies and members are represented.”

“In objectively evaluating my skill set, there isn’t an office better suited for me than this. Over the years, I’ve come to realize that, more than politics, my passion is the process.”

Robert M. Peskin, DDS, FAGD, CP, was in the first class to graduate from the Stony Brook University School of Dental Medicine. He subsequently completed general practice and dental anesthesiology residencies at the Long Island Jewish Medical Center. Since 1983, he has maintained a private dental practice devoted primarily to the treatment of anxious, apprehensive and special needs patients on Long Island, New York. Throughout his career, Peskin has maintained multiple academic appointments, including in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery’s Division of Hospital Dentistry at Stony Brook, where he is a clinical associate professor.

In 1984, Peskin was awarded AGD Fellowship, and, in 1989, he achieved fellowship in the American Association of Hospital Dentists. He is also a fellow of the American College of Dentists (1991), the International College of Dentists (1994) and the Pierre Fauchard Academy (1994). In addition, Peskin is the recipient of the New York Section Pierre Fauchard Distinguished Service Award (2010), his alma mater’s Distinguished Alumnus Award (2012), the New York State Dental Association’s Distinguished Service Award (2016), and, most recently, the Herbert L. Taub Distinguished Service Award, bestowed by the Nassau County Dental Society in 2022.

Peskin has been involved in education his entire professional career. In addition to lecturing predoctoral dental students at Stony Brook, he also teaches practicing dental hygienists at Farmingdale State University who are seeking certification to use local anesthesia and nitrous oxide. He has provided continuing education on pain and anxiety control at many widely attended dental meetings, including the Hinman, Greater Long Island, Greater New York and California Dental Association meetings. In addition, for almost 30 years, he has lectured extensively on risk management for multiple professional liability insurers.

Peskin has been actively involved at all levels within the American Dental Association (ADA) tripartite for four decades. The 2023 ADA Annual Session marks his 32nd consecutive year serving in the ADA House of Delegates. His experience in presiding is also expansive. In addition to having authored governing documents for many dental organizations, Peskin has served as speaker of the house for the American Dental Society of Anesthesiology and the New York State Dental Association, a position created as a direct result of his efforts in reformatting its governance structure in 2008.

In 2021, Peskin was honored to have been elected AGD speaker of the house and is grateful for the show of confidence the members of the House of Delegates demonstrated in their vote. Since his election, Peskin has worked closely with the Board to streamline many of its procedures in his capacity as parliamentarian. In looking forward to a second term as speaker, Peskin hopes to implement additional time-saving efficiencies that will enable the House to function even more smoothly.

Aside from his activities in organized dentistry, for more than a decade, Peskin’s focus has been working diligently in an effort to sharpen his presiding skills. Since 2014, he has served on the American Institute of Parliamentarians (AIP) Board of Directors. He was first elected AIP secretary in 2016 and served as vice president from 2020 to 2023. This past August, Peskin was honored to have been elected president of AIP. However, the achievement he is most proud of is being credentialled as a certified parliamentarian (CP) in 2021.

Personal Statement

“Throughout my career, I’ve participated in a myriad of business meetings and have been able to study their intricacies and complexities as well as observe and learn from a great many accomplished presiding officers. Based on the breadth of my experience, I’m confident I am uniquely qualified to continue my service as AGD speaker of the house going forward. But it’s not a conclusion that has been reached in a vacuum.

“I believe anytime you’re contemplating running for an office, one has to look at what the office calls for in that moment, then look at yourself and what you bring to the table, and see if it’s a match. In objectively evaluating my skill set, there isn’t an office better suited for me than this. Over the years, I’ve come to realize that, more than politics, my passion is the process.

“The AGD House of Delegates observes parliamentary rules and traditions. As speaker, it is my duty to interpret them impartially, to maintain order, and to defend the rights and privileges of each and every member. And, while the significance of this task cannot be overstated, it is equally important to be mindful that no set of rules can take the place of tact and common sense. I have found calm insistence — together with a little good humor — are some of the qualities essential to the success of a skilled presiding officer.

“I am honored to have served as your speaker of the house for these past two years. If reelected, I assure you I will continue to do all I can to facilitate your deliberations and make the precious time you take away from your families and practice both meaningful and worthwhile.”

“The editorial team and I work closely to present outstanding articles and useful tools to our members.”

Timothy F. Kosinski, DDS, MAGD, is an affiliated adjunct clinical professor at the University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry; serves on the editorial review board of Reality Ratings & Reviews, the information source for esthetic dentistry; and is the past editor of the Michigan AGD. He is currently AGD editor and, as such, oversees the publication of AGD’s peer-reviewed journal, General Dentistry, and its monthly newsmagazine, AGD Impact. He was also named editor of Implants Today, the implant publication of Dentistry Today. He is a past president of the Michigan AGD. Kosinski received his DDS from the University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry and his master’s degree in biochemistry from the Wayne State University School of Medicine. He is a diplomate of the American Board of Oral Implantology/Implant Dentistry, the International Congress of Oral Implantologists and the American Society of Osseointegration. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Implant Dentistry and received his Mastership from AGD.

Kosinski has received many honors, including fellowship in the American and International Colleges of Dentists and the Academy of Dentistry International (ADI). In 2017, he received the ADI’s Humanitarian Award “in recognition of significant contributions to the enhancement of the quality of life and the human condition.” He is a member of Omicron Kappa Upsilon and the Pierre Fauchard Academy. Kosinski was the University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry Alumni Association’s 2001 “Alumnus of the Year,” and, in 2009, 2014 and 2020, he received AGD’s Lifelong Learning and Service Recognition. Kosinski has placed over 16,000 dental implants, has published over 220 articles on the surgical and prosthetic phases of implant dentistry and was a contributor to the textbooks, “Principles and Practices of Implant Dentistry” and “Dental Implantation and Technology.”

Personal Statement

“I have been honored to serve as the current editor over the past three years and carry on the tradition of excellence tenured by Dr. Roger Winland in AGD Impact and General Dentistry. Roger trained me well while I was his associate editor during the previous four-year period. I’ve enjoyed many positive comments about the 51 editorials I have presented in our publications. The editorial team and I work closely to present outstanding articles and useful tools to our members. I appreciate the support and confidence of our AGD members and would like to continue in this role for another term.”