Dr. Alan Budd is president of NCDHP. He is also director of Dentists Concerned for Dentists of Massachusetts; consultant to the Massachusetts Dental Society's (MDS) Health and Wellness Committee; consultant to the ADA Dentist Wellbeing Advisory Committee, and a member of the Rehabilitation Evaluation Committee of the Massachusetts Unified Recovery and Monitoring Program, a state diversion program. He is the recipient of the 2023 James Etherington Award in recognition of his years of service to the MDS.
Dr. Budd practices general dentistry in Boston.
Dr. J. William “Bill” Claytor, Jr., vice-president of NCDHP, is a distinguished dental professional with extensive expertise in the areas of general dentistry, substance use disorders, mental health, and burnout prevention within the dental community. He currently serves as the Executive Director of North Carolina Caring Dental Professionals, a position he has held since January 2022. He is also a Key Opinion Leader for Dentsply Sirona and serves as a visiting faculty member at Spear Education in Scottsdale, AZ.
Dr. Claytor holds both Fellowship and Mastership distinctions from the Academy of General Dentistry (FAGD/MAGD), as well as the prestigious AGD Lifelong Learning and Service Recognition Award (LLSR). He has been a Consultant to the American Dental Association (ADA) Council on Scientific Affairs (2022-2023) and has contributed as a panelist at the ADA’s Health & Well-being Summit and its Clinical Practice Evidence-based Guidelines on acute dental pain.In addition to his current roles, Dr. Claytor is a recognized speaker and educator, lecturing extensively on topics such as the opioid epidemic, marijuana use and its effects on dental treatment, and the management of burnout and perfectionism. He has presented at numerous national conferences, including the Michigan Dental Association, North Carolina Dental Society, and the Federation of State Physician Health Programs. His earlier roles include serving as an adjunct clinical faculty member at the UNC Adams School of Dentistry and as a consultant to the ADA’s Dental Well-Being Advisory Committee (2016-2021). He has written articles in peer-reviewed journals, textbook chapters, and an eBook addressing burnout and perfectionism in dentistry.
Mr. White, secretary of NCDHP, has been the Clinical Director of the Maryland Dentist Well-Being Committee for 30 years. He was the first paid staff for the Med Chi Physician Rehabilitation Program in 1985. He has been in long-term recovery for over 40 years. He holds a clinical faculty appointment with the University of Maryland School of Medicine, is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, and continues to manage a variety of behavioral health programs. He is on the board of NCADD and founded the Maryland Chapter of the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence in 1988. He founded the Tuerk conference on Addiction Treatment in 1989 and the Maryland Center of Excellence on Problem Gambling in 2012. He has designed and managed EAP programs at the University of Maryland Medical Center since 1989.
Dr. Hamel, treasurer of NCDHP, was born and raised in the central Illinois town of Mattoon. Upon completion of his dental school training at the UIC College of Dentistry in 1983, he purchased an established practice in a western suburb of Chicago, Clarendon Hills. He currently practices with his son Philip and loves going to work every day. Dr. Hamel has another son, William IV, daughter Anna and two step-children, Blake and Terra. His wife Belinda recently retired from teaching at Chicago Public Schools. As an ADA Wellness Ambassador and chairman of the Dentist Support Program Committee of the Illinois State Dental Society Foundation, Dr. Hamel is dedicated to helping dentists with substance use disorders and other mental health problems.
Dr. Julie Spaniel earned her dental degree from the University of North Carolina in 1991. She is the Chair of the Oregon Dental Association Wellness Initiative and Wellness Ambassadors, a Peer to Peer dental support team. She was a member of the first cohort of Wellness Ambassadors at the American Dental Association and on the Dental Wellness Advisory Council at the ADA. Dr. Spaniel is on the Board of Trustees at the ODA, the President of the Washington County Dental Society and President-elect of the Academy for Private Dental Practice and maintains her private practice near Portland, Oregon.
Dr. Spaniel founded One World Brigades, a registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization One World Brigades brings students and healthcare providers to underserved areas worldwide. Students learn the power of how compassionate serving of others strengthens the sole purpose of our young volunteers. Dr. Spaniel has traveled with students to Honduras, Ghana, Uganda, and Kenya, volunteering her services to help impoverished communities.
Mary Wolf is the president of Veritee Partners LLC, a coaching and consulting business designed to promote wellbeing and success for dentists, physicians, executives, and the companies they serve. Veritee Partners offers assessments and consultation to build wellbeing programs and cultures.
Since 2020, Mary has worked with the South Dakota Dental Association to create and develop the Be Well Program. She promotes mental health and wellbeing resources, provides counseling and coaching, and builds a state-wide culture of wellbeing.Mary was the Program Director for the Avera Medical Group LIGHT Program, an award-winning wellbeing program for physicians and advanced practice providers.Before creating LIGHT, Mary was the director of multiple behavioral health programs at Avera including employee assistance program-EAP, addiction recovery, outpatient mental health, and day hospital.
Mary earned a Master’s Degree in Counseling and Human Resource Development and is a Licensed Professional Counselor-Mental Health. Mary is a Board Certified Coach and holds certifications in executive, life, and spirituality coaching.
Dr. Miller is a general dentist in private practice in Prince Frederick, Maryland since 1983. He graduated from Gettysburg College in 1975 with a BA in Biology and from the University of Maryland School of Dentistry in 1981 with a DDS degree. Since 2006, he has been Chair of the Dentist Well-being Committee of the Maryland State Dental Association, helping dentists with personal problems including alcohol adn drug issues, stress, depression, and other mental health concerns. Dr. Miller is a member of the American Dental Association, the Maryland State Dental Association, the Patuxent Dental Society, and is a Fellow in the Acedemy of General Dentistry.
Dr. DeMello is a Past president of the Pawtucket Dental Society. He has served on the Rhode Island Dental Association's Legislation Council, House of Delegates, and a volunteer contributor to the Rhode Island Physician Health Program.
William Kane, DDS, MBA graduated from the University of Missouri - Kansas City School of Dentistry in 1980. He maintains a general practice in rural Dexter, Missouri. In addition to practicing dentistry, Dr. Kane's interest and passion have been in the area of recovery and wellness. Dr. Kane served as Chairman of the Dentist Well-being Committee of the Missouri Dental Association from 1987 to 2016. Additionally, Dr. Kane served on the Dentist Well-being Advisory Committee of the American Dental Association. Dr. Kane is very familiar with issues facing dental professionals and patients with addictive diseases. He also completed an MBA in 1982 at Southeast Missouri State u'niversity. In 2013, Dr. Kane was selected by the Missouri Dental Asscoaition as "Missouri Dentist of the Year. " In May, 2016, Dr. Kane was appointed to serve on the Missouri Dental Board, and served as President 2018-2019. Currently, he is the Missouri Dental Board's Representative to the Prescription Drug Monitoring Taskforce. In 2010, Dr. Kane co-founded The Smiles of Hope Clinic in Dexter, Missouri that provides emergency dental care for individuals who have difficulty accessing care.
Bridgett Anderson has over 25 years of experience in the dental field, including working as a licensed dental assistant and clinic manager for before moving into a position as Director of Regulatory Affairs at the Minnesota Dental Association. In that role, she was responsible for development of training and education for dentists and allied dental professionals in regulatory affairs, laws and rules that impact the dental profession. Currently, and for the past nine years, she has been in the role as Executive Director of the Minnesota Board of Dentistry, which is the state agency responsible for licensure and regulation of over 18,000 dental professionals in MN. She is responsible for Board of Dentistry operations, including legislative efforts regarding policy changes, rulemaking, and advocacy. She has led several successful projects related to public policy. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Biology and a Master’s degree in Business Administration. Ms. Anderson is very active in the dental community providing leadership, education, and resources for clinics on regulatory and practice management issues. Sharing a passion for supporting healthy providers and patients, she has spoken and participated in projects with both state and national organizations on topics surrounding substance use disorders, mental health, and overall health and wellness for healthcare providers.
Dr. Michael Baron attained his Medical Degree, Masters in Public Health and completed an internal medicine internship at Tulane University, School of Medicine. He completed his first residency in Anesthesiology at Washington University in St Louis, School of Medicine and his Psychiatry training at Vanderbilt University, School of Medicine. He has maintained board certifications in Anesthesiology, Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine.He has practiced in the Nashville area since 1998 in a variety of settings including private practice, academic and was Medical Director of a residential treatment center. He is a Clinical Assistant Professor at Vanderbilt University, School of Medicine. His specialty is chronic pain and addiction. In 2006, he published original research showing that high dose opioids increased chronic pain scores.
Dr. Baron was appointed to the Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners (BME) in 2010 and reappointed in 2015. He served as Chair of the Tennessee Controlled Substance Monitoring Database committee for 3 years. He helped write many different Tennessee Department of Health rules pertaining the treatment of pain, prescribing controlled substances and addiction. Dr. Baron resigned from the Board of Medical Examiners and the Controlled Substance Monitoring Database committees in January 2017 to accept the Medical Director position of the Tennessee Medical Foundation – Physician Health Program.
Dr. Baron continues to serve on the steering committees for the Tennessee Chronic Pain Guidelines and on the Nonresidential Buprenorphine Treatment Guidelines. Most recently he was asked by the Federation of State Medical Boards to join the workgroups that are rewriting the Policies on Professional Sexual Misconduct and the Impaired Physician. Dr. Baron is also the Medical Director for the Nashville/Davidson County Drug Court - a volunteer position.Dr. Baron gives about 40 lectures per year at the state and national level on topics related to Addiction, Pain, Physician Health and Professionalism. His hobbies include wood working, gardening and snow skiing.
Dr. Jennifer Thompson earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Biomedical
Engineering from Duke University in 2004 and graduated with the distinctions of
summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa. She then attended the University Of
North Carolina School of Dentistry and was awarded a Doctor of Dental Surgery
degree with Honors in 2008. After graduation, Jennifer enthusiastically returned
to her hometown in Farmington, NM and joined her mother’s general dental
practice. In addition, she instructs students in a nursing home setting as an
Adjunct Faculty at the San Juan College Dental Hygiene Program.
Jennifer is deeply involved in organized dentistry and always strives to create a
welcoming and supportive environment for all dentists. She serves as the Vice
Chair of the ADA Council on Dental Practice, where she understands that a
healthy workforce is best suited to achieving healthy patients. She has held
multiple leadership positions at the local and state level and is a past President of
the New Mexico Dental Association and the Northwest District Dental Society.
Jennifer believes strongly in giving back to her community and takes an active
role in many charitable projects. She has the roles of NM Section Chair in the
American College of Dentists and NM Deputy Regent in the International College
of Dentists and is also a fellow of the Pierre Fauchard Academy. She serves on
the NMDA Foundation Board of Directors as Treasurer and participates in
foundation-supported activities, including participating in Donated Dental
Services and co-chairing the NM Mission of Mercy in 2022. She is also the Chair
of the New Mexico Board of Dental Health Care and serves on the Dental
Hygiene Committee, Complaint Committee, and Rules Committee.
Jennifer loves to spend time with her husband Cedric and bernedoodle Lulu. As
a certified aerial arts instructor, she has a passion for dancing in the air and
performs on silks, sling, and rope.
I hold a Master’s degree in Social Work from Saint Louis University (SLU) and am licensed to practice as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in both Missouri and Illinois. My undergraduate degree is a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a minor in Sociology from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE). Additionally, I have completed Civil and Family Mediation training at Missouri State University.
I have extensive education and certifications in behavioral health disorders and interventions, including Certified Drug and Alcohol Counselor (CADC), Substance Abuse Professional (SAP), Master Addiction Counselor (MAC), and Certified Professional Interventionist (CIP). My experience and training equip me to address a broad range of mental health concerns, including addiction, depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder.
Currently, I serve as President of Recovery360, Program Director for the Missouri Dental Association’s Well-Being Foundation Voluntary Wellness Program, and Program Director for the Association of Intervention Specialists. I also maintain working relationships with treatment providers nationwide and internationally to provide comprehensive support for clients and their families.
While my credentials highlight my professional expertise, they don’t define who I am. I view myself as a unique individual, continually striving for self-actualization. Along my journey, my purpose is to help others discover their own path to fulfillment and healing.
My approach to practice emphasizes systems theory, addressing not just the individual seeking help but also the family, partner, spouse, or workplace dynamics surrounding them. This systemic focus allows for a holistic, tailored approach to care that fosters long-term growth and well-being.
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