Student and Continuing Education

Rebecca A. Strong, R.N., B.S. (Michigan)

Rebecca Strong is a Patient Educator and the Outreach Director with the International Pemphigus & Pemphigoid Foundation (IPPF). She was diagnosed with pemphigus vulgaris in 2010, 17 months after her initial symptoms appeared. In 2011, Rebecca was the Keynote Speaker at the IPPF Annual Patient Meeting in Detroit, MI and spoke at a meeting of the Canadian Pemphigus and Pemphigoid Foundation in Toronto, Ontario. She has shared her story at dental schools and professional conferences around the country including the University of Michigan, Indiana University, Yankee Dental Congress and the Chicago MidWinter Meeting.

Rebecca graduated from Western Michigan University in 1999 with a B.S. in Nursing. In addition to the IPPF, she works at Beaumont Trenton Surgery Center in Trenton, MI where she is an Operating Room Nurse.

Marc Yale, A.S.B.M. (Southern California)

Marc Yale is a Certified Peer Health Coach and Executive Director for the International Pemphigus & Pemphigoid Foundation (IPPF). He was diagnosed in 2007 with Cicatricial Pemphigoid, a rare autoimmune blistering skin disease. Like others with a rare disease, he experienced delays in diagnosis and difficulty finding a knowledgeable physician. Eventually, Marc lost his vision in one eye from the disease. This inspired him to help others. In 2008, he began working with the IPPF as a Peer Health Coach and helped implement a Health Management Program. He works with patients to improve their quality of life and encourages people to become self-advocates. In 2009, he helped develop the Pemphigus and Pemphigoid Comprehensive Disease Profile giving experts insight into the patient perspective. Marc is a national advocate for rare diseases and was a Rare Voice Award Nominee in 2015.

Marc currently resides in Ventura, California with his wife and daughter where he is obtaining his business degree.

Ellen Levine (New England)

Ellen Levine works for a foundation at Harvard Medical School that supports scientists at Harvard and at institutions in Italy. She has long-standing roots in Boston with ties to Down East Maine. Thanks to modern medicine, Ellen has been living successfully with pemphigus for thirteen years.

Daphne Smolka (Southern Florida)

Daphne Smolka is a Patient Educator and Awareness ambassador for the IPPF. Daphne was diagnosed with pemphigus vulgaris in 2014 after a year of being misdiagnosed in 2013. She is currently on the road to remission.

Daphne is active in a number of philanthropic activities in her community. She graduated from George Washington University in 1991 with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics. She also earned a Master’s degree in Hospitality Management from Cornell University in 1997. Daphne lives in South Florida with her children.

Nancy W. Burkhart, BSDH, M.Ed., Ed.D. (North Carolina)
Dr. Burkhart received a Bachelor of Science degree in dental hygiene from Fairleigh Dickinson University School of Dentistry, a Master of Education degree from North Carolina State University in Occupational Health Education, and a Doctor of Education Degree from North Carolina State University in Adult Education/Interdisciplinary studies. Dr. Burkhart conducted a one-year postdoctoral fellowship in the section of Oral Pathology at the University of North Carolina School of Dentistry in Chapel Hill. Her dissertation topic was “Oral Lichen Planus Commonalities: Educational and Psychological Implications.” Dr. Burkhart is an Adjunct Associate Professor and Educational Consultant in the Department of Periodontics/Stomatology at The Baylor College of Dentistry where she has been a faculty member since 1997. She is founder and faculty Co-Host of the International Oral Lichen Planus Support Group established in 1997.

Dr. Burkhart has presented papers both nationally and internationally on Oral Lichen Planus/ Mucosal Diseases and has published articles in national dental journals. She is co-author of “General and Oral Pathology for the Dental Hygienist” published through Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins and the book is soon to be in its 3rd edition 2017. She was a 2006 recipient of the ADHA Crest Award through Proctor and Gamble and The Philips Consumer Lifestyle and PennWell Corporation “Mentor of Distinction Award” in 2012. As a columnist for RDH since 2007, she writes a monthly column titled, “Oral Exams” for the PennWell publication that appears in both dental and dental hygiene literature. To date, she has written more than 115 columns for the publication on oral pathology/oral medicine topics. She is a reviewer for several national dental journals.

Paul C. Edwards, MSc, DDS, FRCD(C) (Indiana)

Dr. Paul C. Edwards is Professor in the Department of Oral Pathology, Medicine and Radiology, Indiana University School of Dentistry. Dr. Edwards received his MSc in Biochemistry and DDS from the University of Toronto and his specialty in oral and maxillofacial pathology from Long Island Jewish Medical Center in New York. He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology and fellow of the American Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology.

Dr. Edwards is editor of the Oral Pathology section of the journal “Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology and Oral Radiology,” the official journal of the American Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, the Canadian Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology and Oral Medicine, and the Brazilian, Chilean and Chinese Oral Pathology associations.

Dr. Edwards maintains a private clinical practice, treating oral pathology/oral medicine patients in the School of Dentistry’s Dental Faculty Practice, and also participates in the School of Dentistry’s Surgical Oral Pathology Biopsy Service.

Bruno Jham, D.D.S., M.S., Ph.D. (Illinois)

Dr. Jham is Associate Professor and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at Midwestern University College of Dental Medicine – Illinois. Upon obtaining his D.D.S. degree in Brazil, Dr. Jham pursued a certificate and an M.S. degree in Oral Medicine. He then completed a residency in Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology and obtained a Ph.D. degree in Oral and Experimental Pathology, both at the University of Maryland at Baltimore. Dr. Jham teaches courses in Oral Pathology and has over 15 years of experience in seeing patients with oral lesions and patients with oral manifestations of systemic diseases. In addition to his teaching and clinical responsibilities, Dr. Jham also conducts research in the field of oral cancer. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology and a Diplomate of the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology.

Joel M. Laudenbach, DMD (North Carolina)

Dr. Laudenbach received his DMD from the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine in 1998. Dr. Laudenbach completed postdoctoral residencies in general practice (GPR) at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles (1999) and Oral Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania (2004). He also completed a fellowship in Geriatric Dentistry at the University of Pennsylvania (2004).
In April 2018, Dr. Laudenbach was appointed to Atrium Health (formerly Carolinas HealthCare System) as an Associate Professor of Oral Medicine in the Department of Oral Medicine in Charlotte, North Carolina. He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Oral Medicine, practices Oral Medicine at the Carolinas Center for Oral Health, and is attending faculty for the Oral Medicine General Practice Residency post-graduate programs.

Carol Anne Murdoch-Kinch, DDS, PhD (Michigan)

Dr. Carol Anne Murdoch-Kinch is the Dr. Walter. H. Swartz Professor of Integrated Special Care Dentistry, Clinical Professor of Dentistry and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry, where she has led the team responsible for interprofessional education across the 9 health science schools. She is a diplomate of the American Board of Oral Medicine, the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology and a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.
For more than a decade she ran a hospital- based oral medicine referral clinic at the University of Michigan Hospital, where she provided care for patients with oral mucosal disease, salivary gland hypofunction and oral complications of cancer. Over that time she also collaborated in multidisciplinary clinical research in oncology, including research to preserve salivary function in patients treated for head and neck cancer.
Dr. Murdoch-Kinch received her DDS from Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, completed her residency and PhD at Indiana University, and Clinical Research training at the University of Michigan. Dr. Murdoch-Kinch is a Fellow of the Pierre Fauchard Academy and the American College of Dentists.

Terry Rees, DDS, MSD (Texas)

Dr. Terry Rees received his DDS degree from the University of Tennessee, College of Dentistry, and his MSD in Periodontics from Baylor College of Dentistry. He is a Professor Emeritus and former Chair of the Department of Periodontics and former Director of the Stomatology Center, at Texas A&M College of Dentistry. He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology and the American Board of Oral Medicine, a Fellow in the American and International Colleges of Dentists, a Fellow in the American Academy of Periodontology and a member of numerous professional organizations. He is Past-Chairman of the American Board of Periodontology. He has presented many lectures or seminars in the United States and abroad and he is author or co-author of approximately 200 professional papers, text chapters and monographs. He has a special interest in oral medicine including blistering diseases such as mucous membrane pemphigoid and pemphigus vulgaris.

Nasser Said-Al-Naief, DDS, MS (Oregon)

Dr. Said-Al-Naief is currently a Professor & Chair, Pathology and Radiology at Oregon Health Sciences SOD, & Director of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology Laboratory. He had served as a Professor of Oral Diagnosis, Radiology and Pathology at Loma Linda University (LLU) School of Dentistry and as an Associate Professor at LLU School of Medicine, Department of Anatomy & Pathology, Head & Neck Pathology. He had most recently served as an Associate Professor & Director of OMF Pathology Lab/ Oral Medicine at the University of the Pacific, in San Francisco, CA. He maintains active licensure in the states of CA, AL, IL, WI, NY and OR.
He began his career with a DDS from Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI, where he also served as faculty for a few years. He then completed two residences in Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology; the first was at the University of Illinois at Chicago where he obtained his certification in Oral & Maxillofacial Pathology and also a M.S. degree in Oral Biology at UIC graduate college. The second residency was at Long Island Jewish Medical Center / Albert Einstein Hospital where he obtained his second certification in OMFP.
Dr. Said continued on and completed an advanced fellowship in Head and Neck /ENT Pathology in Mount Sinai Medical Center in NY. He also attended a 2 year externship in General pathology/Dermatopathology at the University of Illinois at Chicago and 2 months of additional training at the AFIP in Washington DC. He authored and co-authored numerous articles, manuscripts, abstracts, and posters in various topics in head and neck pathology and a few chapters in Maxillofacial H&N Pathology. He has also been invited to present numerous lectures, seminars and continuing education courses nationally and internationally. He did and continues to actively participate in a wide range of basic and translational research related to head and neck pathology.

David A. Sirois, DMD, PhD (New York)

Dr. David A. Sirois is an Associate Professor of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, Radiology and Medicine, and Associate Professor of Neurology at the New York University School of Medicine. He is also a Diplomat of the American Board of Oral Medicine.
Committed to pursuing an academic career balancing patient care with research and education, Dr. Sirois has held a variety of leadership positions in major universities, professional organizations, and organized healthcare.
As a leading authority in Oral Medicine, oral mucosal disease, orofacial pain and dental health care for patients with complex medical problems, Dr. Sirois has lectured and published extensively, and been continuously funded in research.
Dr. Sirois completed his DMD at the University of Pennsylvania. He went on to additionally complete an Oral Medicine Fellowship as well as a PhD in Neuroscience at the University of Pennsylvania.Dr. Sirois is on the International Pemphigus & Pemphigoid Foundation’s Medical Advisory Board, Board of Directors, and Dental Advisory Council.

Ines Velez, DDS, MS (Southern Florida)

Dr. Ines Velez is Professor, Director of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, and Director of Biopsy Service at Nova Southeastern University, College of Dental Medicine. She is also an Oral and Maxillofacial Pathologist at the University of Florida. She is a Diplomate of the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, Fellow at the American Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, and holds Masterships in Education and laser Dentistry. She has received several Golden Apple and Professor of the Year Awards and has been published in numerous scientific peer reviewed journals. She is an editorial reviewer for several scientific journals and is a national and international lecturer.