Dr. Roxana Saldarriaga began her dental training at the Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia in Lima, Peru. She continued her studies after moving to Canada, and obtained her DDS degree in 2005 from the University of Western Ontario, School of Dentistry. Following a one-year General Practice Residency at Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Dr. Saldarriaga entered the Graduate Prosthodontics program, graduating in 2010 and becoming a Certified Specialist in Prosthodontics upon her return to Canada.

Dr. Saldarriaga is in full-time private Prosthodontic practice in Vancouver, B.C. She is passionate about complex treatment planning, fixed prosthetics, and implant dentistry. She enjoys mentoring colleagues through various study clubs.

How Not to Have a Bad Day (& Other Secrets to Success)

We’ve all had our share of bad days. Everything seems to go sideways. We can’t wait for 5 pm to arrive so we can go home, have a strong drink, and lock ourselves in our room. In this presentation, we will discover how to set ourselves and our team up for success. What simple strategies can we implement to help our day run smoothly and efficiently? But more importantly, actually love coming to work.

• Building a solid and cohesive team
• Creating your happy place with a positive team culture
• Constructing an effective support system
• Providing extraordinary experiences for both patients and team members

Meet Monica, the seasoned mind behind Blossom Dental Consulting, who has over two decades of experience in the dental field. She emphasized building lasting community relationships and champions the philosophy that thriving dental practices rely on solid, supportive teams. Beyond her role as a consultant, Monica is a community builder, leading the Dental Office Managers’ Study Club—a dynamic hub for knowledge-sharing, resources, and mutual encouragement. Join us as we uncover Monica’s insights and witness her transformative impact on dental practices, shaping and supporting teams with precision and dedication.

Phantom Tooth Pain | Uncovering the Mysteries

Every now or then in our dental practice, we encounter a perplexing case of tooth pain for which no odontogenic cause could be recognized.

Phantom tooth pain also called atypical odontalgia, or a psychogenic toothache is a neuropathic pain characterized by chronic pain in a tooth or teeth, or at a site where teeth have been extracted or following an endodontic treatment, without an identifiable clinical or radiographic cause. Over time, the pain may spread to more extensive areas of the face or jaws.

In this talk, I will discuss phantom tooth pain, briefly explaining the relevant pain pathways and basic neuropathic pain concepts. I will also review various orofacial pain conditions that could result in phantom tooth pain and management strategies for this type of pain condition to help your patients in your office.

Dr. Saini is a Canadian and American Board-Certified specialist in Oral Medicine. He is the Fellow of the Royal College of Dentists of Canada, Diplomate of American Board of Oral Medicine and a Fellow of the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology. Dr. Saini completed a four-year Oral Medicine and Oral Pathology Hospital Residency Program at the University of British Columbia and Vancouver General Hospital. During his residency, he was also fortunate to have gained expertise through visiting rotations to several prominent institutions in North America including MD Anderson Cancer Centre, Texas A&M College of Dentistry at Dallas, The University of Texas School of Dentistry at Houston, UCSF at San Francisco, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry at London Ontario, Long Island Jewish Medical Centre New York, The University of Washington School of Dentistry at Seattle, among others.

Alongside private practice, Dr. Saini is a Clinical Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Dentistry, the University of British Columbia and Consultant Staff in Oral Medicine at Vancouver General Hospital where he is involved in teaching undergraduate dental students and residents along with providing clinical services. Dr. Saini currently serves as the Vice President of the BC Society of Oral Medicine and Pathology.

In the past, Dr. Saini has been extensively involved in oral cancer and precancer research. After completing his Ph.D. from the National University of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, he worked as a post-doctoral fellow at BC Cancer Research Centre. He then worked as a Post-Doctoral fellow at UBC Dentistry where he contributed to the establishment of the Oral Health Research Centre at the National Hospital of Odonto-Stomatology in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Besides North America, he has presented and has had research collaborations with prominent institutes in countries of South Asia, South-East Asia and the Middle East.

Pediatric Pulp Therapy

The lecture will focus on current guidelines on vital pulp therapy in the primary dentition. In addition, we will discuss the different materials that are on the market that have contributed to the success and drastically reduced failures in such treatment. We will also touch on clinical pearls that will make your life easier when staring down deeply decayed primary teeth.

Dr. Jonathan Hung is a Pediatric Dentist from Burnaby, BC. He obtained his DMD in 2012 from the University of British Columbia and his MS in Pediatric Dentistry in 2014 from the University of Michigan. There, his research specifically focused on comparing vital pulp therapies in primary molars. Jonathan practices in the Greater Vancouver area with Monarch Pediatric Dental Centre. 

When not in the office, Jonathan enjoys spending time with his wife, Hayley, and his 3 daughters.

Molar Incisor Hypoplasia

MIH is was first introduced in 2001 and is defined as hypomineralization of systemic origin, defined as qualitative defects of the first perm molars and often the permanent incisors. It is highly prevalent throughout the world wide and can lead to decay and post-eruptive break down. Early diagnosis and treatment can lead to conserving tooth structure and more effective management long term.

Dr. Korada studied at a prestigious London hospital in England (Guy’s Hospital, UK). Following that, she completed her specialist training in Pediatric Dentistry at UBC. She also teaches undergraduate dental students and graduate pediatric dental residents for UBC Dental School, and is on the board of the Ridge Meadows hospital foundation.

Having trained as a dentist in the UK, Dr. Korada was interested in pediatric dentistry from the beginning. Being a mother of two young children, she understands what the important things are when bringing up children. She has over ten years of experience working in pediatric and special care dentistry including Canada and the UK.

Although baby teeth are temporary, they play a vital role: they support the growth of the jaw and face. They provide spacing for the adult teeth to grow. Her role as a pediatric dentist is to provide an environment that is comfortable for children and work with the parents to encourage a positive attitude towards oral health.

Integrating Artificial Intelligence in Dentistry

This course is designed to equip dentists with the knowledge and skills needed to effectively integrate artificial intelligence (AI) technologies into their dental practices. Participants will explore various AI applications tailored to dentistry, understand their implications for patient care and practice management, and learn how to leverage these tools to enhance diagnosis, treatment planning, and overall patient experience. Through a combination of case studies, clinical examples and audience-involved activities, participants will gain practical insights into implementing AI solutions in their day-to-day clinical workflows, and also debunk the myths around what AI can and cannot do for the dental practice at this point in time.

1. Understand the fundamentals of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and computer vision as applied to dentistry, including terminology and common applications. Learn about the 5 categories of Artificial Intelligence (AI), and how each of them are impacting dentistry.
2. Evaluate the potential benefits and challenges of integrating AI technologies into dental practices, including improved diagnostic accuracy, treatment planning efficiency, and enhanced patient engagement to increase case acceptance and understanding.
3. Explore the evolving landscape of AI in dentistry, including its impact on the patient insurance process. Gain insights into how AI-driven tools and algorithms are revolutionizing insurance claims processing, fraud detection, and reimbursement optimization, and learn strategies for navigating this changing environment to streamline administrative workflows and maximize practice efficiency.

Mike is a recognized thought leader in the dental technology space, dedicated to advancing the industry through innovative solutions and forward-thinking strategies. Over the past 13 years, he has played a pivotal role in transforming dental practices with cutting-edge software designed to streamline office efficiency, boost overall production, and enhance patient care standards.

Mike’s journey began with leading business development and partner strategy at Solutionreach, a time when the dental field was just beginning to adopt patient communication technologies such as text appointment confirmations. His expertise and vision were instrumental in the rapid growth of Dental Intelligence during its startup phase, where he spearheaded key partnerships that drove the company’s success, while also lecturing across the country about how to grow dental practices through managing various key performance indicators.

At Weave, Mike’s leadership in partnership growth strategies further cemented his reputation as a pioneer in dental technology. Currently, as the Executive Vice President of Revenue at Pearl, he is at the forefront of integrating Artificial Intelligence into dentistry. Pearl is the first company to achieve comprehensive FDA clearance for AI technology that aids clinicians and dental teams in accurately reading and detecting pathologies in 2D X-rays.

A frequent speaker at national conferences, Mike is passionate about the future of technology in dentistry. He shares his insights and knowledge on how innovative tech can elevate the industry, making him a sought-after expert in the field.