The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD), the leading authority on children’s oral health, recently appointed new board officers and trustees at the AAPD 2025 General Assembly in Denver.
The new Academy members who will take office for the 2025-2026 academic year include:
Thomas G. Ison – President
Dr. Thomas G. Ison is in private practice in Newburgh, Indiana. He received his dental degree and certificate in pediatric dentistry from the University of Kentucky College of Dentistry and Chandler Medical Center in Lexington, Kentucky, and completed fellowships in pediatric dentistry at the Indiana University College of Dentistry.
He has served as an assistant professor at the University of Kentucky College of Dentistry and chief of dentistry at Norton Children’s Hospital in Louisville. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and the American College of Dentists, and a diplomate of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry.
He has completed the AAPD Leadership Institute at the Kellogg School and the Advanced Leadership Program at the Wharton School. He has served as an advisor to the AAPD Clinical Affairs Committee, the Third Region (now Southeast Region) Trustees, and is a past president of the Southeastern Pediatric Dentistry Association and the Kentucky Pediatric Dental Society.
Dr. Ison has served as an examiner for the ABPD Oral Clinical Examination, as well as a committee member and section leader for certification renewal examinations. He resides in Evansville, Indiana with his wife, Connie, and daughter, Maggie.
Carlos A. Bertot – President-Elect
Dr. Carlos “Charlie” Bertot received his dental degree from the University of Florida College of Dentistry in 1992 and his certificate in pediatric dentistry from the University of Kentucky Albert B. Chandler Medical Center in 1994.
He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry and a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. Dr. Bertot is a graduate of the AAPD Leadership Institute at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and the AAPD Advanced Leadership Institute at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Dr. Bertot has been committed to organized dentistry since graduating from dental school. In addition to membership and leadership positions in several dental organizations, he has served as President of the Florida Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and has served on the Council/Committee and Board of Directors of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD).
Dr. Bertot has served as a Councillor and Trustee of the AAPD and currently serves as Managing Partner of a busy pediatric dental practice in Maitland, Florida (a suburb of Orlando).
He and his wife enjoy spending time with their family, traveling, and staying healthy. Dr. Bertot is most proud of his three children. His son is a dentist and physician specializing in oral and maxillofacial surgery.
His oldest daughter is an ophthalmologist and his youngest is a mental health counselor focusing on youth and addiction issues.
Jacob K. Lee—Vice President
Dr. Jacob Lee holds a Doctor of Dental Surgery degree (DDS) from the University of Toronto. He completed his dental residency at the Toronto Hospital for Sick Children and received his diploma in Pediatric Dentistry at the University of Toronto Faculty of Dentistry.
Dr. Lee was an Associate Professor at the Loma Linda University School of Dentistry and served as Director of the Pediatric Dentistry Graduate Program at the University of Minnesota.
He also served as the Chair of the Department of Pediatric Dentistry at the University of the Pacific Dugoni School of Dentistry in San Francisco, as well as the Dental Director of the Pediatric Dentistry Clinic at Miller Children’s Hospital at Memorial Medical Center in Long Beach and the Director of the Pediatric Dentistry Residency Program at the University of Southern California.
Currently, Dr. Lee is an Adjunct Clinical Associate Professor at the USC Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry. He has a keen interest in dental materials and has presented at numerous state, national, and international conferences.
Dr. Lee is a graduate of the American Dental Association (AAPD) Leadership Academy and the Advanced Leadership Academy. He has served on several committees and councils for the AAPD, including serving on the editorial board of the Journal of Pediatric Dentistry, as Chair of the Graduate Research Awards, and as Coordinator of the Fellow Sessions for the AAPD Annual Meeting.
In addition, he organized and chaired the AAPD Practice Management Program. He served as Co-Chair of the Local Arrangements Committee for the 2022 AAPD Annual Meeting in San Diego. Dr. Lee has also served as President of the California Pediatric Dentistry Association, Director of the Western Pediatric Dentistry Association, and Director of the AAPD Western Region.
He is a Fellow of the AAPD, the American Dental Association, the International Academy of Dentists, and the Pierre Fauchard Academy. He is the 2024 recipient of the AAPD Merle C. Hunter Leadership Award.
A board certified pediatric dentist and a fellow of the Royal College of Dentists of Canada, Dr. Lee volunteers as a clinical dental examiner. He is also a guest speaker and media spokesperson on the American Association of Pediatric Dentistry Speakers Bureau.
Dr. Lee maintains private practice in San Clemente and Rancho Mission Viejo, CA with his son, also a pediatric dentist. They are both accomplished classical violinists and enjoy performing together.
Angela M. Stout—Secretary and Treasurer
Dr. Angela M. Stout is a private practice pediatric dentist in Erdenehim, PA and a clinical assistant professor of pediatric dentistry at Temple University Kornberg School of Dentistry. She received her dental degree from Temple University School of Dentistry in 1993 and completed three years of residency training in pediatric dentistry at the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh in 1996.
While on the full-time faculty at the University of Pittsburgh School of Dentistry, Dr. Stout earned her Master of Public Health degree from the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health.
A passionate advocate for the prevention of child abuse and neglect, she is past president of the Pennsylvania Dental Association’s PANDA (Preventing Abuse and Neglect Through Dental Awareness) coalition and a key player in the Pennsylvania Dental Association’s Child Abuse Licensure Certification Course Trainer Team.
Dr. Stout is currently a dentist for the Springfield Township School District. She holds positions and memberships in many professional, community, and academic organizations, in addition to appointments at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children, Jefferson Abington Hospital, Chestnut Hill Hospital, Temple University Hospital, and Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. She lectures on numerous topics and trains doctoral students and postdoctoral residents.
Dr. Stout was named a top dentist for 2010-2024 by Philadelphia Magazine. She is a Diplomate of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry and a Fellow of the American Dental Association, the International Academy of Dentistry, and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry.
She has served as a councilor on the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry Board of Governors, a Northeastern District Councilor for the American Dental Association, a vice president of the Pennsylvania Pediatric Dental Society, a member of the Pennsylvania Pediatric Dental Society’s “Healthy Teeth Healthy Kids” Advisory Board, and a member of the Omicron Kappa Upsilon National Dental Honor Society.
Dr. Stout is a graduate of the American Dental Association Foundation’s Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management Leadership Institute and the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Advanced Leadership Institute. She is the recipient of the 2023 AAPD Merle C. Hunter Leadership Award and the Temple University Kornberg School of Dentistry Alumni Association Education Award.
Dr. Stout enjoys spending time with family and friends, especially at the beach in Ocean City, New Jersey and watching Penn State football games at Happy Valley.
Sarat “Bobby” Thikkurissy – Councilman
Dr. Bobby Thikkurissy is a professor at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and holds a Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS), Master of Science (MS), and Master of Arts (MA). Dr. Thikkurissy graduated from New York University with a Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS).
He completed the Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD-1) program at Wright-Patterson and served in the United States Air Force for eight years, including serving as Chief of Pediatric Dentistry at Ramstein Air Base in Germany. Dr. Thikkurissy received his Certificate/Master’s degree in Pediatric Dentistry from Ohio State University. He received his Master’s degree in English Literature from Southern New Hampshire University in 2023.
Dr. Thikkurissy is a Diplomate of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry, Chair of the AAPD Committee on Sedation and Anesthesia, and the AAPD Representative on the Sedation Panel of the ADA Committee on Dental Education and Licensure. In addition, he has served on the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry’s Committee on Exams.
In 2017, he was named Pediatric Dentist of the Year by the American Dental Association (AAPD) and in 2019, he was named “Doctor of Excellence” by the Aubrey Ross Foundation for his work with the special needs population. He also holds academic appointments in the Bone Marrow Transplant and Immunodeficiency Sections.
He has lectured nationally and internationally and has published on topics such as childhood illness, quality of life, and pain management. He is also the co-editor of the textbook History and Physical for the Pediatric Dental Patient. Dr. Thikkurissy is married to Karin and has one son, Robert, and four dogs, Wadsworth, Oliver, Theodore, and Cricket.
Sally Sue Lombardi—ABPD Director
A native Washingtonian, Dr. Sally Sue Lombardi completed her undergraduate and dental training at the University of Washington.
She then continued her residency training at the University of Washington, completing a clinical residency in general dentistry, and subsequently earned her master’s degree and completed a clinical residency in pediatric dentistry.
Dr. Lombardi has a diverse practice. With nearly 25 years of experience in suburban private practice, she now holds a clinical care and teaching position at the Odessa Brown Children’s Clinic, a community “safety net” clinic in downtown Seattle.
She is an affiliated clinical instructor at the University of Washington School of Dentistry, an attending physician at Seattle Children’s Hospital, and a faculty member in the general practice residency program at Swedish Hospital in Seattle.
She received her Diplomate from the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry (ABPD) in 2003. Dr. Lombardi has been an examiner for the Oral Clinical Examination (OCE) since 2014.
She currently serves on the Certification Renewal Subcommittee and previously served on the Qualifying Examination Subcommittee. She has the great honor of serving as a mentor to new examiners and subcommittee members during their orientation.
In addition to her activities with the ABPD, Dr. Lombardi is a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and is one of the founding members of the Pacific Northwest Pediatric Dental Research Club.
Dr. Lombardi is married and a proud mother of two children. Over the years, she has driven her sons to school, sports games, and various other activities, often praying that they would arrive on time and with all the gear they needed for the event.
She thoroughly enjoys the relationships she builds working with children and has served in various roles over the years, including dorm mom, team mom, volunteer mom, and community volunteer. She understands the challenges of balancing a busy family and professional life.
She applies this life experience to her work with patients, parents, and colleagues to foster meaningful and effective relationships.
Elizabeth Gosnell – International Trustee
Elizabeth “Liz” S. Gosnell, DMD, MS, is a professor and department chair of the Department of Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center.
After graduating from the Medical University of South Carolina School of Dentistry, she completed her residency in Pediatric Dentistry at Ohio State University/Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio.
After internship, she joined Ohio State University/Nationwide Children’s Hospital as the pre-doctoral director of Pediatric Dentistry for two years. She has been on the faculty at Cincinnati Children’s for ten years, served as a department fellow, and currently serves as a pediatric dentist on the craniofacial team. She is a certified member of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry.
Dr. Gosnell is involved in the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry in many ways. She served as a member of the Special Medical Needs Committee and a member of the Clinical Affairs Committee for eight years.
She then became the Chair of the Special Medical Needs Committee. She has served on the Evidence-Based Dentistry Committee and helped write the Clinical Practice Guidelines for Non-Pharmacological Behavioral Instruction. She is a past member of the North Central Society of Pediatric Dentistry (NCSPD) Executive Committee and is currently its President.
She is working with the AAPD Center for Research and Policy to form an advisory group to support transition care grants for adults with disabilities.
She is a past recipient of the AAPD Suzi Seale Coll Award for Service in Evidence-Based Dentistry in 2021 and 2024. Gosnell is actively involved and committed to the AAPD vision of providing optimal oral health for all children.
Dr. Gosnell is also active in organizations outside of the AAPD. She serves on the AAPD Credentialing Exam Committee; the North Central Regional Director for the AAPD College of Diplomates, and is a member of the Editorial Board of the Journal of Pediatric Dentistry.
Scott Schwartz – North Central District Trustee
Scott B. Schwartz, DDS, MPH, is an associate professor in the Department of Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center and serves as the Director of the Advanced Education Training Program in Pediatric Dentistry.
After graduating from the University of Illinois at Chicago School of Dentistry, he completed his general practice residency at Ohio State University. He then continued to the Southeast, earning a certificate in pediatric dentistry and a Master of Public Health in Health Policy and Management at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Professionally, he has a strong focus on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and has served on committees for the American Dental Education Association, Cincinnati Children’s Graduate Medical Education DEI Subcommittee, and has written extensively on the topic in editorial and research publications.
Since his residency, Dr. Schwartz has been actively involved in various branches of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD), starting with the Residency Committee, where he served as a committee member and chair.
During residency training, Dr. Schwartz was selected as a Samuel D. Harris Research and Policy Fellow to evaluate how pediatric dentists were responding to the then-new Affordable Care Act.
After serving as a committee member on the Early Career Pediatric Dentist Committee, he became its chair, spearheading efforts to recognize and support the largest and fastest-growing AAPD member group.
Whether serving on committees such as the AAPD Foundation Grants and Program Committee, leading the residency for the Children’s Oral Health Advocacy Conference (POHAC), or most recently being named a Fellow in the Center for Research and Policy, Dr. Schwartz is actively involved in the future of the profession and is committed to the AAPD’s mission of providing optimal oral health for all children.
Dr. Schwartz’s involvement extends beyond the AAPD to include serving the Ohio and North Central regions. As a member of the Ohio Dental Association’s Medicaid Task Force, Dr. Schwartz has a deep understanding of state and local barriers to care, stakeholder engagement, and effectively leveraging group dynamics to achieve common goals.
Dr. Schwartz was instrumental in the recent passage of a bill to increase Medicaid dental reimbursement when he testified at the Ohio State Capitol. Additionally, he served on the Executive Committee of the North Central Society of Pediatric Dentistry (NCSPD) for four years.
One of his greatest accomplishments as president was the creation of an advocacy fund to support residents, public policy advocates, and NCSPD members in participating in POHAC.
These appointees will join current members of the AAPD Board of Directors for the 2025-2026 term and include:
Dr. Hakan Koymen, Northeast District Trustee
Dr. Ann Bynum, Southeast District Trustee
Dr. Anthea Drew Mazzawi, Federal Service Trustee
Dr. Warren A. Brill, Congressional Liaison Officer
Dr. Jade Miller, Congressional Liaison Officer
Dr. Noel K. Childers, Editor-in-Chief
Dr. Scott D. Smith, Past President
Related topics:
