Planning Committee

2020-2021 Continuing Education Committee
Each year, the Continuing Education Committee meets in Chicago to plan the program for the Insight Track meeting. The CEC reviews feedback and suggestions from past meeting attendees to begin developing the various courses, all centered around one main topic or theme.

		Callee Cosby Clark, D.D.S., CEC Chair Dr. Callee Cosby Clark is a private practice endodontist in Grand Junction, Colo. She attended Millsaps College in Jackson, Miss., earning a bachelor's degree in chemistry, and minors in anthropology and sociology. Dr. Clark received her Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis. She was accepted to the University of Texas at San Antonio Health Science Center, where she earned a Top 10 award for her Oral Research Presentation at the Annual Session. Upon completion of her certificate of training, Dr. Clark opened a private practice in her hometown of Columbus, Miss. She then earned her Diplomate status.
		Anita Aminoshariae, D.D.S., M.S. Dr. Anita Aminoshariae is a professor (with tenure) and director of Predoctoral Endodontics at Case Western Reserve University. Her dental career commenced when she was accepted to the Pre-Professional Scholars Program, Six-Year Dentistry at Case School of Dental Medicine. She then worked as a contract dentist for the United States Navy. She obtained her endodontic training, certificate and masters from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2003. She became a Diplomate of the American Board of Endodontics in 2005. Dr. Aminoshariae is a member of the American Dental Association, Ohio Dental Association Ohio Association of Endodontists andthe Council of Scientific Affairs (ADA). She is a spokesperson on the topic of opioids in dentistry (ADA) and asite visitor, Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA). She has served on the American Association of Endodontists’ Board of Directors and as president of the Greater Cleveland Dental Society. She is a member of the Scientific Advisory Boards for the Journal of Endodontics and Journal of the American Dental Association and is an associate editor for the Journal of Endodontics. Dr. Aminoshariae has published numerous articles in the field of endodontics and evidence-based dentistry.
		Adham A. Azim, B.D.S., Distance Learning Representative Dr. Adham A. Azim, Diplomate, is an associate professor of Endodontics and the division head & director of the Endodontic Post-Graduate Program at the University at Buffalo (UB) in New York. He maintains a private practice limited to endodontics. He is also the founder and chief editor of Endolit. Dr. Azim earned his BDS from Cairo University, where he also did his endodontic training. He practiced as an endodontist in Cairo for a few years in several private practices and his own clinic, then joined the endodontic post-doctoral program at Columbia University. Dr. Azim later joined the Endodontic Department at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center where he worked as an assistant professor. Dr. Azim has lectured all over the world and has been awarded several times for his research work. He has numerous publications in peer-reviewed journals, is a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the Journal of Endodontics, and is a reviewer for multiple other endodontic journals.
		Frederic Barnett, D.M.D. Dr. Frederic Barnett received his D.M.D. degree in 1978 and his Certificate in Endodontics in 1981, both from the University of Pennsylvania, School of Dental Medicine. He received his Board certification in Endodontics in 1988. He has served as the director of Postdoctoral Endodontics at the University of Pennsylvania, and is currently the chairman of the Department of Dental Medicine and chairman and program director of the IB Bender Postdoctoral Endodontic Program at Albert Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia. Dr. Barnett has written numerous scientific and clinical papers and has lectured nationally and internationally on the treatment of endodontic infections, revascularization, dental trauma, root resorption and contemporary endodontic treatment. Dr. Barnett is director and Fellow of the International Association of Dental Traumatology, and a Fellow of the International College of Dentists and the American College of Dentists. He received the Edward M. Osetek Educator Award in 2017 from the AAE and the 2018 Community Service Award from the Philadelphia Business Journal for providing endodontic services for the homeless in Philadelphia. He is a former associate editor of the Journal of Endodontics.
		Sonia Chopra, D.D.S. Dr. Sonia Chopra was born and raised in Upstate New York. She studied anthropology at the University of Buffalo. She then went on to complete dental school at the University of Maryland and graduated in 2003. In order to live at least one year of her life in New York City, she committed to a GPR program at the Long Island College Hospital in Brooklyn, N.Y. She loved it so much, she practiced general dentistry in New York City for two years upon completion of this program. Dr. Chopra then decided to continue her education and complete an endodontic residency at Nova Southeastern University in 2008. After graduation, she moved to Charlotte, N.C. where she opened her very own practice. After three kids (two girls and a boy) and growing a practice, she became a Diplomate of the American Board of Endodontics in 2014.
		Carolina Cucco, D.D.S. Dr. Carolina Cucco is currently an assistant professor at the University of Iowa College of Dentistry and Dental Clinics, Department of Endodontics, which she joined in July 2018. She received her D.D.S. degree from the University of Passo Fundo (Brazil) in 2009 and Ph.D. from the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (Brazil), in 2015. During her Ph.D. studies, she had the opportunity to develop her research at the Angiogenesis Lab under the supervision of Dr. Jacques Nör at the University of Michigan. After concluding her Ph.D., she decided to return to the U.S. and joined the Advanced Specialty Education Program in Endodontics at the University of Michigan, where she obtained a certificate and M.S. degree in 2018. Dr. Cucco’s research interests are in pulp biology and pulp regeneration, gene expression and biomaterials. She is also interested in conservative endodontic therapies for permanent teeth with irreversible pulpitis.
		Marcus D. Johnson, D.D.S., Board Liaison Dr. Marcus Johnson, a Denver native, headed east to pursue his childhood dream of becoming a dentist. A Rutgers University alum and graduate of New York University Dental School, he advanced his knowledge and training receiving his Certificate of Endodontics from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland while earning his Master’s Degree of Science in Dentistry. Dr. Johnson, an astute evidence-based clinician, won an award for his research on new treatment techniques in 2011 and was also selected as a 2017 Leadership Development participant by the American Association of Endodontists. Dr. Marcus Johnson is a Diplomate of the American Board of Endodontics. He serves as the directing endodontic attending for the General Practice Residency at Interfaith Medical Center in Brooklyn and owns and operates a private office, City Endodontics PLLC, in midtown Manhattan. Dr. Johnson is host of Endo Voices, the evidence-based podcast for the AAE, and is involved with organized dentistry at the local, state and national levels. Currently, he is President for the New York State Association of Endodontists and sits on the Board of Directors for the AAE.
		Kevin Kuo, D.D.S., Distance Learning Representative Dr. Kevin Kuo is a private practice endodontist in Tampa, Fla. His career path bears some synchronicities to his sports idol Tom Brady’s: Like the six-time Super Bowl champion, Dr. Kuo graduated from the University of Michigan for his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree and then transitioned to Boston for his endodontics residency at Harvard for his Master of Medical Sciences. In addition to endodontics, he is developing a creative agency specializing in dental video, social media and marketing. He previously worked with the American Association of Endodontists on video campaigns showcasing the profession. The videos have since garnered over 100,000 views on Facebook and YouTube.
		Kathy McNally, D.D.S. Dr. Kathy McNally is a graduate of the University of Maryland and Served in the U.S. Army for 24 years, where she was appointed the assistant director for the Army Endodontic Postgraduate Program in Fort Gordon, Ga., from 2007-2011 and the Navy’s Endodontic Postgraduate Program in Bethesda, Md. from 2011 to 2016 when she retired. She is a Diplomate of the American Board of Endodontics (2008) and earned both her B.S. (1982) and D.D.S. (1992) degrees from the University of Maryland. She went on to earn her AEGD Certificate at the U.S. Army base in Fort Jackson, S.C., in 1993, before completing her endodontic residency at Maryland from 1999-2001. She continues to be involved with multiple educational institutions teaching graduate endodontic students and renders care to the Apache Indians on the San Carlos reservation in Arizona.
		Michael A. Pham, D.D.S., Resident Member Dr. Michael Pham was born and raised in Milpitas, Calif. He attended University of the Pacific in Stockton, Calif., where he earned his B.S. in Biological Sciences in 2012. Afterwards, he moved to San Francisco and continued his education with Pacific, where he attained his D.D.S. in 2015. Upon graduation, Dr. Pham was commissioned as lieutenant into the United States Navy Dental Corps. He has served at Naval Air Station Oceana Dam Neck Annex, Naval Support Activity Bahrain, and Naval Base Kitsap. Upon completion of his service, he enrolled at University of Minnesota, earning his Endodontics Certificate and Master of Science degree in 2021. He now practices in Petaluma, Calif. Dr. Pham likes to enjoy the outdoors in his spare time by hiking and snowboarding.
		Renato Silva, D.D.S., M.S., Ph.D., ADA CERP Representative Dr. Renato Silva received his D.D.S. from the University Gama Filho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 1994. He received his endodontic certificate from both Brazil (University Gama Filho) and US (University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston). Dr. Silva received his M.S. (2002) in endodontics and Ph.D. (2006) degree in Oral Sciences from University of Sao Paulo, Brazil. He also completed a postdoctoral fellowship in Human Molecular Genetics at the University of Pittsburgh. Dr. Silva worked as an assistant professor at University of Pittsburgh from 2007 to 2011, when he moved to Houston. Dr. Silva is currently a tenured professor and chair of the Department of Endodontics at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston School of Dentistry. Dr. Silva has edited a textbook about endodontic retreatment and published several peer-reviewed articles in the field of endodontics and human genetics. He is a Board-certified endodontist and maintains a faculty practice limited to endodontics.
		Fiza Singh, D.D.S., M.M.Sc., FRDC Dr. Fiza Singh received her Doctorate of Dental Surgery from New York University College of Dentistry. She holds both a Certificate in Endodontics, a three-year specialty fellowship from the Harvard School of Dental Medicine, and Master’s of Medical Sciences from Harvard Medical School, including two years of research at The Forsyth Institute. Her specialized training includes oral implantology and orofacial musculoskeletal pain/TMD disorders from the New York University College of Dentistry. Dr. Singh is also Board-certified in endodontics in Canada, where she is a member of the Royal College of Dental Surgeons. Her charitable work includes clinical outreach to rural communities in the Dominican Republic and Jamaica. Dr. Singh has served as clinical instructor to pre-doctoral students at Harvard School of Dental Medicine and currently maintains a faculty appointment at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine. Dr. Singh is a trustee on the AAE Foundation Board.
		Mary Um, D.M.D Dr. Mary Um graduated from the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine in 2010. Dr. Um received her endodontic certification and master’s from University of Illinois Chicago in 2018. During dental school, she was awarded the Health Professional Scholarship from the U.S. Air Force. During her five years of active duty, she was stationed in Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, and Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, and deployed to Al Udeid Air Force Base, Qatar. After active duty, Dr. Um was honorably discharged and worked in private practice until she started her endodontic training at UIC. Dr. Um served as the resident member of the AAE Professional and Public Relations Committee from 2017 to 2018. She is currently a member of the Continuing Education Committee. Currently, she is a clinical associate professor in the Endodontic Department at College of Dentistry at UIC.