NCDHP Conference · August 21, 2026 · Virtual

Alan Budd, DMD

President, National Council of Dentist Health Programs

Dr. Budd founded and directs Dentists Concerned for Dentists of Massachusetts, the state's only peer-based confidential support program for dental professionals. He is the legislative architect of URAMP, Massachusetts's mandated diversion program for impaired dental professionals, and serves in advisory roles with the Massachusetts Dental Society and the ADA Dental Team Wellbeing Advisory Committee. He was recognized with the ADA Presidential Citation in 2025.

Brett Kessler, DDS

Immediate Past President, American Dental Association

Dr. Kessler served as President of the American Dental Association and is a past president of the Colorado Dental Association, where he chairs the well-being committee. He represented the 14th District on the ADA Board of Trustees and has been a consultant to the ADA Dental Well-Being Advisory Committee since 2007. He speaks internationally on well-being and leadership in dentistry.

Matt Wehner

Senior Account Executive, Well-Being Index (Champions of Wellness)

Matt Wehner is a healthcare leader with over 20 years of experience in healthcare, wellness, and organizational performance. He works with dental and healthcare organizations to deploy the Mayo Clinic Well-Being Index, using data-driven insights to address burnout and support clinician well-being. Earlier in his career he worked in cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation, where his focus on individual and organizational health took shape.

Mary Wolf, MS, LPC-MH, BCC

President, Veritee Partners

Mary Wolf is a licensed counselor and board certified coach who founded Veritee Partners, a coaching and consulting firm focused on well-being and performance for dentists, physicians, and healthcare organizations. Since 2020 she has partnered with the South Dakota Dental Association to build the Be Well Program, and previously directed the Avera Medical Group LIGHT Program, a nationally recognized physician well-being initiative. She is a board member of the National Council of Dentist Health Programs and an ambassador for the Dr. Lorna Breen Foundation.

Chris Bundy, MD, MPH, FAPA, FASAM

Chief Medical Officer, Federation of State Physician Health Programs

Dr. Bundy is Executive Medical Director of the Washington Physicians Health Program and Chief Medical Officer of the Federation of State Physician Health Programs. Board-certified in psychiatry, geriatric psychiatry, and addiction medicine, he holds faculty appointments at the University of Washington and Washington State University schools of medicine. He draws on decades of experience as a healthcare leader, medical educator, and physician in recovery.

William Kane, DDS, MBA

Vice President, Missouri Dental Board

Dr. Kane has combined 40 years of general dental practice with sustained leadership in dentist well-being, chairing the Missouri Dental Association Dentist Well-being Committee from 1987 to 2016. He was appointed to the Missouri Dental Board in 2016, served as President from 2018 to 2020, and was named Missouri Dentist of the Year. In 2010 he co-founded the Smiles of Hope Clinic, which has provided over $9 million in dental care to underserved patients. He received the ADA Humanitarian Award in 2025.

Melodie A. Jones, DMD

Past President, Board of Dental Examiners of Alabama

Dr. Jones is a general dentist with more than 33 years of clinical experience and extensive leadership in dental regulation, having served on the Board of Dental Examiners of Alabama from 2020 to 2025, including as President. She played a key role in removing stigmatizing licensure questions in Alabama, contributing to the state's recognition as a Lorna Breen Heroes Foundation Wellbeing Champion. She remains active through the ADA Council on Dental Education and Licensure and the Oral Health Coalition of Alabama.

Jennifer Thompson, DDS, FACD, FICD, FPFA

Chair, ADA Council on Dental Practice

Dr. Thompson chairs both the ADA Council on Dental Practice and the New Mexico Board of Dental Health Care, and serves as the ADA liaison to the National Council of Dentist Health Programs. A graduate of Duke University and the UNC School of Dentistry, she is a past president of the New Mexico Dental Association and has contributed extensively to dental standards, policy, and licensure reform. She practices general dentistry in Farmington, New Mexico.

Robert White, MA, LCPC

Clinical Director, Maryland Dentist Well-Being Committee

Robert White has directed professional rehabilitation programs for more than 35 years, including the Maryland Dentist Well-Being Committee, the MedChi Physician Rehabilitation Program, the DC Medical Society, and the Maryland Board of Pharmacy. He is Director of External Affairs and Business Development at the University of Maryland Department of Psychiatry, holds a faculty appointment at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, and founded the Tuerk Conference on Addiction Treatment, now the premier addiction conference on the East Coast. He is Secretary of the National Council of Dentist Health Programs and has been in long-term recovery for over 40 years.

J. William "Bill" Claytor, Jr., DDS, MAGD, FACD

Executive Director, North Carolina Caring Dental Professionals

Dr. Claytor is a nationally recognized leader in substance use disorders and professional well-being, serving as Executive Director of North Carolina Caring Dental Professionals since 2022. He received the 2025 ADA Distinguished Service Award, the association's highest honor, and was inducted as a Fellow of the American College of Dentists. He lectures nationally on opioids, cannabis use, burnout, and perfectionism, and has authored numerous publications on dental professional health.