Standing Committees

Here you will find the names of the members who serve on the Second District Dental Society standing committees. All members of the society may serve on committees when appointed, including sub-committees of the Greater New York Dental Meeting (GNYDM). Each year the SDDS President-Elect begins the process of formulating appointments to the SDDS Standing Committees for the following year. If you have an interest in serving on any of our committees please call Second District at (718) 522-3939 or complete the SDDS Member Volunteer Interest Form.

Administrative Committee

The Administrative Committee assists the president and executive director in performing their duties and makes recommendations to the board on issues related to the employed staff.

Constantine Pavlakos , Chair ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Howard I.A. Lieb, House Chair ⁽²⁰²³⁾
John P. Demas ⁽²⁰²⁵⁾
Marc Meiselman ⁽²⁰²⁴⁾
Audit Committee

The Audit Committee audits the Treasurer's annual report.

Mitchell D. Mindlin, Chair ⁽²⁰²³⁾
John P. Demas ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Marc Meiselman ⁽²⁰²⁴⁾
Kirstin Wolfe ⁽²⁰²⁵⁾
Awards Committee

The Awards Committee formulates and recommends policies to the SDDS Board of Trustees on all matters regarding the established Loan Forgiveness Program and all academic awards for ancillary dental programs in Brooklyn and Staten Island high schools and colleges.

Craig S. Ratner, Chair ⁽²⁰²⁵⁾
Howard I.A. Lieb⁽²⁰²⁴⁾
Mitchell D. Mindlin ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Tricia S. Quartey-Sagaille ⁽²⁰²⁷⁾
Kirsten Wolfe ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾
Benevolent Fund Committee

The Benevolent Fund Committee consists of the officers of the Society, who serve as trustees of the SDDS benevolent fund. The committee investigates and acts upon all applications for aid or contributions from the benevolent fund in accordance with the rules and regulations of the benevolent fund indenture of trust.

Paul W. Teplitsky, Chair
Raymond A. Flagiello, President
Tricia S. Quartey-Sagaille, President-Elect
Valerie Venterina, Secretary
Phyllis Merlino, Treasurer
Constitution and Bylaws Committee

The Constitution and Bylaws Committee receives all resolutions of amendment to the bylaws for review and makes recommendations to the board of trustees. It also periodically reviews the bylaws to recommend to the Board changes that would improve the administrative procedures of the Society.

Paul W. Teplitsky, Chair
Michael J. Donato, Jr., Immediate Past President
Michael L. Costa ⁽²⁰²⁵⁾
John P. Demas ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Steven Gounardes ⁽²⁰²⁴⁾
Cherry Libramonte ⁽²⁰²⁵⁾
Tricia S. Quartey-Sagaille ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Craig S. Ratner ⁽²⁰²⁴⁾
Continuing Education Committee

The Continuing Education Committee is responsible for developing all the educational programs other that the general membership meetings and the Friday Moring Seminars for the ensuing year. Members of the committee also serve as presiding chairpersons for assigned courses.

Lorna E. Flamer-Caldera, Chair
Paul S. Albicocco ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Babak Bina ⁽²⁰²⁴⁾
Saad A. Butt ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Gary Klemons ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Phyllis G. Merlino ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Gisele F. Richard ⁽²⁰²⁴⁾
Shahram Shekib ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Paul W. Teplitsky ⁽²⁰²⁴⁾
Kirstin Wolfe ⁽²⁰²⁴⁾
Mitchell Zientz ⁽²⁰²⁴⁾
James J. Sconzo, Consultant
Dental Benefits Programs Committee

The Dental Benefits Programs Committee is responsible for assisting with and keeping our members informed on dental health and third party dental insurance programs.

Lawrence J. Weiss, Chair ^{(June 2027)}
Steven Backer ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Alyson K. Buchalter ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Mark R. Herzog ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Lauro F. Medrano-Saldaña ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Jose Santana ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Valerie Venterina ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Mitchell T. Zientz ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Dental Health Planning and Hospital Dentistry Committee

The Dental Health Planning and Hospital Dentistry Committee develops plans and programs and works with all other concerned organizations to make better oral health care available for the public.

Alfred Joseph, Chair ^{(June 2025)}
Valerie Venterina, Governmental Affairs Chair ^{(June 2027)}
Reneida E. Reyes, Oral Health Chair ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Christen J. Carute, Staten Island Representative ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Phyllis G. Merlino, Membership Chair ^{(June 2024)}
Babak Bina, Consultant ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Ricardo A. Boyce, Jr., Consultant ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Steven Gounardes, Consultant⁽²⁰²³⁾
Gisele F. Richard, Consultant ⁽²⁰²³⁾
James J. Sconzo, Consultant ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Dental Practice Committee

The Dental Practice Committee studies and disseminates to the Board of Trustees and the membership factors that affect the economics and practice management in dentistry.

Tricia S. Quartey-Sagaille, Chair ^{(June 2026)}
Paul S. Albicocco ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Saad A. Butt ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Craig S. Ratner ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Ronald Turchak ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Valerie Venterina ⁽²⁰²³⁾
District Claims Committee

The District Claims Committee works with providers of professional liability insurance to protect the valid interests of our members.

Kirstin Wolfe, Chair ^{(June 2025)}
Abraham Ancselovics ⁽²⁰²⁵⁾
Babak Bina ⁽²⁰²⁵⁾
John S. Cavallaro, Jr. ⁽²⁰²⁴⁾
Jacques Doueck ⁽²⁰²⁴⁾
Yaela E. Faitlowicz Gayer ⁽²⁰²⁵⁾
Cherry Libramonte⁽²⁰²⁴⁾Howard I.A. Lieb ⁽²⁰²³⁾Mitchell D. Mindlin ⁽²⁰²³⁾Tricia S. Quartey-Sagaille ⁽²⁰²⁴⁾Stuart L. Segelnick ⁽²⁰²⁴⁾Dara A. Siegel ⁽²⁰²⁵⁾Ardeshir Taheri-Tafreshi ⁽²⁰²⁴⁾Paul W. Teplitsky⁽²⁰²³⁾Michael Zidile ⁽²⁰²³⁾Babak Bina, Consultant ⁽²⁰²³⁾
District Relief Committee

District Relief Committee

The District Relief Committee investigates and reviews applications for temporary financial assistance made necessary because of a hardship.

Sari R. Rosenwein, Chair ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Gabriel D. Ariola ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Phyllis G. Merlino ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Kirstin A. Wolfe ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Ethics Committee

The Ethics Committee investigates complaints against a member dentist involving ethical behavior that are registered with the Society, the New York State Dental Association and the American Dental Association.

Yaela Faitlowicz-Gayer, Chair ^{(June 2026)}
Christen J. Carute, Staten Island Representative ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Babak Bina ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Judah L. Chasky ⁽²⁰²³⁾
John P. Demas ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Yaela E. Faitlowicz Gayer ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Emma J. Guzman ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Howard I.A. Lieb ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Phyllis G. Merlino ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Charles J. Mistretta ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Joel Sokol ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Finance and Budget Committee

The Finance and Budget Committee supervises the finances of the Society and prepares a budget to be presented to the Board of Trustees for the ensuing year.

Gisele Richard, Chair ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Raymond A. Flagiello, President
Tricia S. Quartey-Sagaille, President-Elect
Phyllis G. Merlino, Treasurer
Michael J. Donato, Jr., Immediate Past President
Valeria Venterina, Immediate Past Treasurer
Christen J. Carute, RCDS President-Elect
Saad A. Butt ⁽²⁰²⁴⁾Steven Gounardes ⁽²⁰²⁵⁾Howard I.A. Lieb⁽²⁰²⁶⁾Gisele F. Richard⁽²⁰²³⁾
Kirstin Wolfe ⁽²⁰²⁷⁾
Half-Day Seminars Committee

The Half-Day Seminars Committee prepares a program of half-day seminars for the following year. Members of the committee also serve as presiding chairpersons for assigned courses.

Stuart Segelnick, Chair ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Michael N. Ettinger ⁽²⁰²⁴⁾
Jeffrey M. Galler ⁽²⁰²⁴⁾
Edward Jastremski ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Sari R. Rosenwein ⁽²⁰²⁴⁾
Ronald Turchak ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Governmental Affairs Committee

The Governmental Affairs Committee monitors all pending and passed legislation that affects the practice of dentistry and makes recommendations for actions and dissemination to the membership.

Valerie Venterina, Chair ^{(June 2027)}
Lawrence J. Weiss, Dental Benefits Chair ^{(June 2027)}
Ricardo A. Boyce, Jr. ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Christen J. Carute ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Steven Gounardes ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Emma Guzman ⁽²⁰²³⁾Cherry Libramonte ⁽²⁰²³⁾Mitchell D. Mindlin ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Tricia S. Quartey-Sagaille ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Craig S. Ratner ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Aia H. Shalan ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Valerie Venterina ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Greater New York Dental Meeting Committee

The Greater New York Dental Meeting Committee consists of Second District members who, with their counterparts from New York County Dental Society, plan, develop and run the annual Greater New York Dental Meeting.

Richard L. Oshrain, GNYDM General Chairman ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Saad Butt ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾
Ian M. Lerner ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Charles J. Mistretta⁽²⁰²⁵⁾Nathalie S. Mohadjeri ⁽²⁰²⁴⁾
House Committee

The House Committee supervises the maintenance of the headquarters building and recommends needed repairs and improvements to the Board of Trustees.

Howard I.A. Lieb, Chair ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Bernard W. Hackett, Executive Director
Babak Bina ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Michael J. Donato, Jr.⁽²⁰²³⁾
Theressa L. Eliscar ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Mark Meiselman ⁽²⁰²³⁾Mitchell D. Mindlin ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Insurance Committee

The Insurance Committee reviews Society-endorsed insurance plans for members and insurance coverage necessary for the function of the Society. It may also recommend changes or additions to the existing endorsed maintenance plans.

Kirstin Wolfe, Chair ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾
Bernard W. Hackett, Executive Director
Michael L. Costa ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Cherry Libramonte ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Andrew T. Moshman ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Aia H. Shalan⁽²⁰²³⁾
Sari R. Rosenwein ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Membership and Communications Committee

The Membership and Communications Committee is responsible for recrutiment and retention of qualified dentists as members, development of programs to implement these responsibilities and to assure favorable public and professional relations.

Phyllis G. Merlino, Chair ^{(June 2024)}
Bryan Pieroni, RCDS Vice President
Reneida E. Reyes, Oral Health Chair
Lydia Lam, Program Chair
Lawrence Weiss, Dental Benefit Chair ^{(June 2027)}
Man Sing Cheung, Peer Review Chair^{(June 2027)}
Theressa Eliscar, New Dentist Chair ^{(June 2024)}
Howard I.A. Lieb, Publications Chair
Man Sing Cheung⁽²⁰²³⁾
Sumaya Ibraheem ⁽²⁰²⁴⁾
Gisele F. Richard ⁽²⁰²⁴⁾
Stephanie Sager⁽²⁰²³⁾
Sophia Scantlebury⁽²⁰²³⁾
^{Aia H. Shalan⁽²⁰²³⁾}
New Dentist Committee

The New Dentist Committee identifies the special needs of the new dentist and recent graduates and develops programs to meet those needs.

Theressa Eliscar, Chair ^{(June 2024)}
Joseph A. Cipriano ⁽²⁰²⁴⁾
John P. Demas ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Emma Guzman ⁽²⁰²⁴⁾
Bethany P. Harris ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Thema Hepburn ⁽²⁰²⁴⁾
Cherry Libramonte ⁽²⁰²⁴⁾
Joseph Merola ⁽²⁰²⁴⁾
Tricia S. Quartey-Sagaille ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Stephanie Sager⁽²⁰²⁴⁾
Kirstin Wolfe ⁽²⁰²⁴⁾
Michael Zidile ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Nominating Committee

The Nominating Committee develops a slate of candidates to fill vacancies in elected positions within the Society that will occur in the following year. The slate is presented to the membership for consideration and five other members are elected in April.

Raymond A. Flagiello, Chair ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Paul S. Albicocco, Past President ⁽²⁰²⁵⁾
Babak Bina, Past President ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾Alyson K. Buchalter, Past President ⁽²⁰²⁴⁾Michael J. Donato, Jr., Past President ⁽²⁰²⁷⁾
Sari R. Rosenwein, Past President ⁽²⁰²³⁾Tricia S. Quartey-Sagaille, Observer ⁽²⁰²³⁾
^{Plus 5 Members to be elected at the April Membership Meeting}
Oral Health Committee

The Oral Health Committee disseminates information to the public to improve awareness of the need for good oral health and offers programs to implement good oral health.

Reneida E. Reyes, Chair
Christina L. Klein, Staten Island Representative
Diane M. Klein, Staten Island Representative
Paul S. Albicocco ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Lisa Alli-Lazzara ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Gabriel D. Ariola ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Man Sing Cheung⁽²⁰²³⁾
Michael J. Donato, Jr.⁽²⁰²³⁾
Laura M. Izzo⁽²⁰²³⁾
Susan Kolin-Liebman⁽²⁰²³⁾
Rena Kravitz⁽²⁰²³⁾
Cherry Libramonte ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Juana E. Luster⁽²⁰²³⁾
Lauro F. Medrano-Saldaña⁽²⁰²³⁾
Phyllis G. Merlino ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Esther Nelson⁽²⁰²³⁾
Tricia S. Quartey-Sagaille ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Gisele F. Richard ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Sari R. Rosenwein ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Sophia Scantlebury ⁽²⁰²³⁾
James J. Sconzo ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Peer Review and Quality Assurance Committee

The Peer Review and Quality Assurance Committee conducts reviews of complaints lodged involving quality of care, and determines their disposition.

Man Sing Cheung, Chair ^{(June 2027)}
Paul S. Albicocco ⁽²⁰²⁷⁾
Babak Bina ⁽²⁰²⁵⁾
Ricardo A. Boyce, Jr. ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾
Joann M. De Leonibus ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾
Jacques Doueck ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾
Lawrence E. Flaum ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾
Murray Fryd ⁽²⁰²⁷⁾
Jeffrey M. Galler ⁽²⁰²⁴⁾
Rena Kravitz ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Robert Lichtenstein ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Joseph A. Lichter ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Lauro F. Medrano-Saldaña ⁽²⁰²⁴⁾
Marc Meiselman⁽²⁰²⁷⁾
Mitchell D. Mindlin ⁽²⁰²⁴⁾
Alan L. Mintz ⁽²⁰²⁷⁾
Nathalie S. Mohadjeri ⁽²⁰²⁵⁾
Anthony Ramirez ⁽²⁰²⁴⁾
Gisele F. Richard ⁽²⁰²⁵⁾
Sari R. Rosenwein ⁽²⁰²⁵⁾
Ronald V. Speranza ⁽²⁰²⁵⁾
Michael L. Steinberg⁽²⁰²³⁾
Ronald Turchak⁽²⁰²⁷⁾
Valerie Venterina ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾
Program Committee

The Program Committee plans and conducts the programs of the four general membership meetings held annually. Members of the committee also serves as presiding chairpersons for the evening sessions.

Lydia Lam, Chair
Cherry Libramonte
Tricia S. Quartey-Sagaille
Ronald Turchak
Publications Committee

The Publications Committee appoints an editorial staff and has jurisdiction over all publications of the Society, including those of the Branch Society.

Howard I.A. Lieb, Chair
Jeffrey M. Galler, Business Manager⁽²⁰²³⁾
Paul S. Albicocco, Secretary
Stuart L. Segelnick, Editor ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Paul S. Albicocco ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Babak Bina ⁽²⁰²⁵⁾
Alyson K. Buchalter ⁽²⁰²⁴⁾
Sumaya Ibraheem ⁽²⁰²⁷⁾
Howard I.A. Lieb⁽²⁰²⁶⁾
Reception and Entertainment Committee

The Reception and Entertainment Committee arranges for dinners at scheduled meetings and is in charge of all social events.

John R. Halikias, Chair
Gabriel D. Ariola ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Michael N. Ettinger ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Tricia S. Quartey-Sagaille⁽²⁰²³⁾
Senior Dentist Committee

The Senior Dentist Committee identifies the special needs of the senior dentist and develops programs to address those needs.

Robert A. Seminara, Chair
Theodore P. Edwards ⁽²⁰²³⁾
Howard I.A. Lieb ⁽²⁰²³⁾
James J. Sconzo⁽²⁰²³⁾
James E. Spencer ⁽²⁰²³⁾

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