Rock Bottom, Running, and the Remarkable Stories of Dentistry’s Leaders

Date: 

Wednesday, February 14, 2024, 5:00pm to 6:00pm

Location: 

REB Auditorium

Harvard School of Dental Medicine invites you to an engaging session with Drs. Linda Edgar, ADA president, and Brett Kessler, ADA president-elect. They will recount their journeys of overcoming adversity and rising to leadership, offering insights on maintaining wellness across all facets of life. Their experiences underscore the importance of purposeful living and embracing every phase of our professional and personal journeys toward a shared future.

Speakers

Headshot of Dr. Linda Edgar.Dr. Linda Edgar, ADA President

Dr. Linda Edgar, a general dentist, is the 160th president of the American Dental Association (ADA) and the fifth woman to hold the position. She has been an active member of the ADA since 1992 and has devoted 30 years to private practice. Dr. Edgar also led the  University of Washington School of Dentistry's $22 million fundraising campaign for over a decade. Before her dental career, she was a national-class marathon runner, completing over 45 marathons, setting a record of 2:43 at the Seattle Marathon, and participating in the first Woman’s Olympic Marathon Trials.

Headshot of Dr. Brett Kessler.Dr. Brett Kessler, ADA President-Elect

Dr. Brett Kessler serves as the president-elect of the ADA.  He has practiced esthetic, functional, and reconstructive dentistry since 1995 and has been on the faculties of the University of Michigan and University of Colorado School of Dental Medicine. An international speaker, he presents to various organizations and dental societies on wellness and leadership. An avid athlete, Dr. Kessler enjoys coaching and participating in endurance races nationwide, including the Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii. He and his wife Gina, an orthodontist, have four children: Abbey, Max, Sydney, and Riley.

For questions and to RSVP, please email: hsdmfaculty_affairs@hms.harvard.edu