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.

Audit Committee

The Audit Committee audits the Treasurer's annual report.

Mitchell D. Mindlin, Chair ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾
John P. Demas ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾
Anthony J. Agosto ⁽²⁰²⁷⁾
Paul S. Albicocco ⁽²⁰²⁸⁾

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.

Kirstin A. Wolfe, Chair ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾
Emma J. Guzman ⁽²⁰²⁸⁾
Christopher Bowers⁽²⁰²⁹⁾
Tricia S. Quartey-Sagaille ⁽²⁰²⁷⁾
James Sconzo ⁽²⁰³⁰⁾

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.

Cherry Libramonte, Vice President, Chair
Valerie A. Venterina, President
Phyllis G. Merlino, President-Elect
Joseph Merola, Secretary
Aia Shalan, 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.

Cherry Libramonte, Vice President, Chair
Paul W. Teplitsky, Immediate Past President
Paul S. Albicocco ⁽²⁰²⁷⁾
Saad A. Butt ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾
John P. Demas ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾
Bryan D. Pieroni ⁽²⁰²⁸⁾
Craig S. Ratner ⁽²⁰²⁷⁾
Bernadette Sawa ⁽²⁰²⁸⁾

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 ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾
Alyson K. Buchalter ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾Jacob Sokol ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾Lauro F. Medrano-Saldaña ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾Stephanie B. Sager ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾Jose E. Santana ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾Valerie A. Venterina ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾Mitchell T. Zientz ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾

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.

Cherry Libramonte, Chair ^{(June 2029)}
Valerie A. Venterina, Governmental Affairs Chair ^{(June 2027)}
Esther Nelson, Oral Health Chair ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾
Josh Segal, Staten Island Representative ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾
Phyllis G. Merlino, Membership Chair ^{(June 2028)}
Babak Bina, Consultant ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾
Ricardo A. Boyce, Jr., Consultant ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾
Aaron Brandwein, Consultant ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾Steven Gounardes, Consultant⁽²⁰²⁶⁾
James J. Sconzo, Consultant ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾Aia H. Shalan, Consultant ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾

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 2030)}
Paul S. Albicocco ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾
Emma J. Guzman ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾
Craig S. Ratner ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾
Jose E. Santana ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾
Anthony Agosto ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾
Valerie A. Venterina ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾

District Claims Committee

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

Sandra S. Scibetta, Chair ^{(June 2029)}
Abraham Ancselovics ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾
Babak Bina ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾
Jacques Doueck ⁽²⁰²⁷⁾
Yaela E. Faitlowicz Gayer ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾
Cherry Libramonte⁽²⁰²⁷⁾Howard I.A. Lieb ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾Mitchell D. Mindlin ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾Stuart L. Segelnick ⁽²⁰²⁷⁾Michele Nguyen ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾Ardeshir Taheri-Tafreshi ⁽²⁰²⁷⁾Paul W. Teplitsky⁽²⁰²⁶⁾Michael Zidile ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾

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 E Faitlowicz-Gayer, Chair ^{(June 2030)}
Brian F. Perrone, Staten Island Representative ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾
Babak Bina ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾
Judah L. Chasky ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾
John P. Demas ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾Paul W. Teplitsky⁽²⁰²⁶⁾
Emma J. Guzman ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾
Phyllis G. Merlino ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾
Charles J. Mistretta ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾
Joel L. Sokol ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾

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.

Howard I.A. Lieb, Chair ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾
Valerie Venterina, President
Phyllis G. Merlino, President-Elect
Aia Shalan, Treasurer
Paul W. Teplitsky, Immediate Past President
Joseph M. Merola, Immediate Past Treasurer
Joseph A. Albanese, RCDS President-Elect
Jonathan Caracappa ⁽²⁰³⁰⁾
Howard I.A. Lieb⁽²⁰²⁶⁾
Gisele F. Richard⁽²⁰²⁸⁾
Matthew C. Sciascia ⁽²⁰²⁹⁾Kirstin A. Wolfe ⁽²⁰²⁷⁾

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 A. Venterina, Chair ^{(June 2027)}
Lawrence J. Weiss, Dental Benefits Chair ^{(June 2027)}
Ricardo A. Boyce, Jr. ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾
Christen J. Carute ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾
Emma J. Guzman ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾Cherry Libramonte ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾Mitchell D. Mindlin ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾Tricia S. Quartey-Sagaille ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾Jose E. Santana ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾
Aia H. Shalan ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾

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.

Lorna Flamer-Caldera, GNYDM General Chair ⁽²⁰²⁷⁾Christopher W. Bowers ⁽²⁰²⁹⁾
Saad A. Butt ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾Lawrence Flaum ⁽²⁰²⁸⁾Steven Gounardes⁽²⁰²⁷⁾

House Committee

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

Marc A. Meiselman, Chair⁽²⁰²⁶⁾
Christine Terrio, Executive Director
Kirstin A. Wolfe ⁽²⁰³⁰⁾
Emma Guzman ⁽²⁰²⁸⁾Cherry Libramonte ⁽²⁰²⁹⁾
Mitchell D. Mindlin ⁽²⁰²⁷⁾

Membership and Communications Committee

The Membership and Communications Committee is responsible for recruitment 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 2028)}
Mark Goodenough, RCDS Vice President
Esther Nelson, Oral Health Chair
Phyllis G. Merlino, Program Chair
Lawrence J. Weiss, Dental Benefit Chair ^{(June 2027)}
Gisele Richard, Peer Review Chair^{(June 2027)}
Theressa L. Eliscar-Hewett, New Dentist Chair ^{(June 2028)}
Alyson K. Buchalter, Publications Chair
Anthony J. Agosto⁽²⁰²⁷⁾Paul S. Albicocco ⁽²⁰²⁷⁾Katherin Caracappa ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾
Christen J. Carute ⁽²⁰²⁷⁾
Emma Guzman ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾
Cherry Libramonte ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾
Tricia S. Quartey-Sagaille ⁽²⁰²⁷⁾
Stephanie B. Sager ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾Aia H. Shalan ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾Kirstin A. Wolfe ⁽²⁰²⁷⁾

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 L. Eliscar-Hewett, Chair ^{(June 2028)}
Anthony J. Agosto ⁽²⁰²⁷⁾
Mitchell D. Mindlin ⁽²⁰²⁷⁾Emma J. Guzman ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾Thema Hepburn ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾Cherry Libramonte ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾Jacob Sokol⁽²⁰²⁶⁾
Stephanie B. Sager ⁽²⁰²⁷⁾Matthew C. Sciascia ⁽²⁰²⁷⁾
Aia H. Shalan ⁽²⁰²⁷⁾Kirstin A. Wolfe ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾

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.

Valerie Venterina, Chair ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾
Babak Bina, Past President ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾Michael J. Donato, Jr., Past President ⁽²⁰²⁷⁾Raymond A. Flagiello, Past President ⁽²⁰²⁸⁾Tricia S. Quartey-Sagaille, Past President ⁽²⁰²⁹⁾Paul W. Teplitsky, Past President ⁽²⁰³⁰⁾
Phyllis G. Merlino, Observer ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾

^{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.

Esther Nelson, Chair ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾
Christina L. Klein, Staten Island Representative
Diane M. Klein, Staten Island Representative
Reneida E. Reyes, Consultant
Paul S. Albicocco ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾
Aaron Brandwein ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾
Jade Christensen ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾
Angela DeBartolo⁽²⁰²⁶⁾
Emma J. Guzman ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾
Rachel Iospa ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾
Edward Jastremski ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾
Rena S. Kravitz⁽²⁰²⁶⁾
Juana E. Luster⁽²⁰²⁶⁾
Charlotte E. Martin ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾
Lauro F. Medrano-Saldaña⁽²⁰²⁶⁾
Phyllis G. Merlino ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾
Joseph M. Merola ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾Pauline Micek ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾Seohyun Park ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾
Gisele F. Richard ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾
Sari R. Rosenwein ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾
Sophia L. Scantlebury ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾
James J. Sconzo ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾Josh D. Segal ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾

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.

Gisele Richard, Chair ^{(June 2027)}
Paul S. Albicocco ⁽²⁰²⁷⁾
Babak Bina ⁽²⁰³⁰⁾
Ricardo A. Boyce, Jr. ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾
Saad A. Butt ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾Joann M. De Leonibus ⁽²⁰²⁹⁾Jacques Doueck ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾Lawrence E. Flaum ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾Alvin D. Fried⁽²⁰²⁸⁾Murray Fryd ⁽²⁰²⁸⁾Jeffrey M. Galler ⁽²⁰²⁹⁾Rena S. Kravitz ⁽²⁰²⁸⁾Robert Lichtenstein ⁽²⁰²⁹⁾Marc A. Meiselman⁽²⁰²⁷⁾Mitchell D. Mindlin ⁽²⁰²⁹⁾Anthony Ramirez ⁽²⁰²⁸⁾Sari R. Rosenwein ⁽²⁰³⁰⁾Sejndi (Sandy) Rusi ⁽²⁰²⁷⁾Sandra S. Scibetta ⁽²⁰²⁷⁾
James J. Sconzo ⁽²⁰³⁰⁾
Ronald V. Speranza ⁽²⁰³⁰⁾Michael L. Steinberg⁽²⁰²⁸⁾Ronald Turchak⁽²⁰²⁷⁾Valerie A. Venterina ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾Kirstin A. Wolfe ⁽²⁰³⁰⁾Michael Zidile ⁽²⁰²⁹⁾

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.

Phyllis G. Merlino, Chair ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾
Shahram Shekib, Co-Chair ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾
Louis F. DeSantis, Co-Chair ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾
Anthony J. Agosto ⁽²⁰²⁷⁾
Paul S. Albicocco ⁽²⁰²⁷⁾Christopher W. Bowers ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾
Louis F. DeSantis ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾
Theressa L. Eliscar-Hewett⁽²⁰²⁸⁾
Emma J. Guzman ⁽²⁰²⁷⁾
Gary Klemons ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾Cherry Libramonte ⁽²⁰²⁸⁾Phyllis G. Merlino ⁽²⁰²⁷⁾Richard Oshrain ⁽²⁰²⁸⁾Gisele F. Richard ⁽²⁰²⁷⁾Aia H. Shalan ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾
Shahram Shekib ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾
Ronald Turchak ⁽²⁰²⁸⁾
Kirstin A. Wolfe ⁽²⁰²⁸⁾
Alyson K. Buchalter, Advisor ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾

Publications Committee

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

Alyson K. Buchalter, Chair ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾
Jeffrey M. Galler, Business Manager⁽²⁰²⁶⁾
Paul S. Albicocco, Secretary ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾
Alyson Buchalter, Editor ⁽²⁰²⁶⁾
Paul S. Albicocco ⁽²⁰²⁸⁾
Babak Bina ⁽²⁰³⁰⁾
Alyson K. Buchalter ⁽²⁰²⁹⁾
John Demas ⁽²⁰²⁷⁾Howard I.A. Lieb⁽²⁰²⁶⁾