Advisory Board

A 1989 graduate of the University of California, San Francisco, School of Dentistry. In 1994 she served as a Woman’s Spokesperson for the ADA.  She has served as president of her dental society at a young age and served as a Chair of an ADA council and  on multiple committees and task forces over the years.  In 2014 the Dental Products Report recognized her as the Top 25 Women in Dentistry. In 2015, she was honored with the prestigious UCSF Alumni 150th Anniversary Award. This recognition was granted to only 150 alumni throughout the healthcare campus at UCSF.  During this COVID pandemic, CDA media selected Dr. Brattesani to represent dentistry on TV and radio and was quoted in several newspaper articles.  Recently, she has been inducted in the Class of 2022 Top 100 World Doctor-to-Doctor—a preeminent peer to peer global organization.

A devoted member of continuing education, Dr Brattesani has been a Faculty Club Member at Spear Education since 2012.  Dr. Brattesani lectures internationally on technology in the dental office focused on improving the patient positive experience. Her brand at her office is communication and using advanced technology to aid in communication excellence.  In the 1990s she adopted Air Abrasion technology and digital x-rays. She became a CEREC owner in CAD-CAM technology in 2005. She has featured articles in Dental Economics, Dentistry Today, Dentaltown Sidekick & Dental Products Report.   She is featured on many websites as a Key Opinion Leader for many dental companies of high level technology including 3D CBCT imaging, caries detection, computerized local anesthetic delivery systems, JotForm® and Square® she demonstrated how to implement such technology to a high degree of success. She enjoys mentoring and lecturing to dental students at the UCSF and UOP School of Dentistry on the challenges and benefits of the dental profession. Since 2014 she has lectured alongside attorneys on best practices for dentists for TDIC- The Dentist Insurance Company. At an early age she became a fellow of the International College of Dentists, the American College of Dentists and the Pierre Fauchard Academy.   She maintains a busy general private practice in San Francisco.

As the Chief Clinical Officer at Imagen Dental Partners, Dr. Sameer Puri harnesses over two decades of extensive experience in clinical practice and the educational sphere to enhance education, learning, and development within the dental industry. His role is pivotal in supporting partner practices to continue their growth while always prioritizing patient care. Dr. Puri’s commitment is to elevate the standards of dental education and practice, ensuring that the integration of innovative technologies and methodologies translates into superior patient outcomes and practice efficiency.

Prior to joining Imagen Dental Partners, Dr. Puri made substantial contributions to the dental education sector. As one of the founders and Vice President of Education at Spear Education/CDOCS, he led the organization to remarkable growth, with CDOCS experiencing a 24% annual growth rate since 2019 under his leadership. He was also central to expanding on-campus workshops at Spear Education, thereby enhancing its stature as a leading educational institution in dentistry.

Before his tenure in dental education, Dr. Puri ran a successful private dental practice in Tarzana, California. This experience grounded his understanding of clinical excellence and patient care, which he now applies to his role at Imagen Dental Partners.

Dr. Puri’s influence in the dental sector goes beyond educational initiatives; he is an esteemed consultant to major dental corporations and collaborates with manufacturers on the development and testing of new dental products. This collaboration underscores his dedication to innovation in dental care.

Dr. Puri’s educational credentials include a degree from the University of Southern California, School of Dentistry, and an Advanced Education in General Dentistry residency at the University of Tennessee. His journey reflects a lifelong dedication to pushing the boundaries of dental practices through technology and comprehensive education, positioning him as a transformative leader in the dental sector.

Dr. Jim Arnold is the founder and CEO of the Foundation Dental Alliance (FDA), a dentist-owned ecosystem committed to empowering growth-oriented professionals through education, leadership, and practice transition strategies that protect autonomy and multiply long-term value.

With over two decades of experience as a multi-practice owner, executive, and mentor, Dr. Arnold built the FDA ecosystem to solve the challenges he experienced firsthand. After scaling multiple successful practices and leading one of the top-performing fee-for-service groups in the Midwest, he recognized the need for a trusted alternative to corporate dentistry. FDA now exists to provide dentists with the tools, clarity, and community they need to lead practices and lives of exceptional impact.

Dr. Arnold’s vision stems from a career shaped by resilience, strategic execution, and a commitment to integrity. He invested over 250 hours per year in clinical, operational, and leadership training, ultimately building systems that produced elite-level results. As the founder of a multi-location dental group known for consistent 31% EBITDA performance without sacrificing patient care, he developed a repeatable model for practice growth, transitions, and team success.

His systems are based on results, not theory and have been tested across acquisitions, transitions, retreats, and high-stakes team development.

Dr. Arnold has been recognized by multiple institutions for his contributions to dentistry and leadership:

• National Doctors’ Choice Award (one dentist in the US)
• Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry: Partners in Peace Award
• International Academy for Dental Facial Esthetics: Fellowship
• The Hornbrook Group: Clinical Instructor
• Academy of Comprehensive Esthetics: Fellowship

Dr. Alvaro Gracia's professional tenure began upon receiving his Bachelor's degree of Dental Medicine at the Javeriana University in Colombia in 1988, where his drive for clinical excellence led him to achieve numerous state and national academic awards. Furthering his clinical passion, Dr. Gracia received his Doctorate of Medicine in 1994, coupled with his degree in Prosthodontics from Boston University, Goldman School of Medicine.

As the chief clinical officer at Advanced Dental Care of Norton, Dr. Gracia spearheads a multidisciplinary team with a concentrated focus on full mouth rehabilitation and cosmetic dentistry. Since 1994, implant placement has been an integral component of Dr. Gracia's repertoire. From the initial titanium to hybrid alloys and now encompassing full zirconium, Dr. Gracia continuously strives to remain at the forefront of continuing education. In doing so, he has been honored as a diplomate of the ABOI/ID, Diplomat and Fellowship of the ICOI, and maintains membership with the following accreditations; ICD member of the AO, ACP, AAFP, AAID, ADA and AADS.

Dr. Gregg May grew up around a dental practice, and it inspired him to pursue general dentistry as a career. After graduating from the University of Louisiana at Monroe, he completed his dental education at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Dentistry. He started practicing dentistry in 2000, and he opened his own practice a year later.

Dr. May’s commitment to top-quality, professional dental care for his patients has never wavered. He has completed 3,400 hours of continuing education to stay up-to-date on the latest dental innovations and technology. Today, he is considered a leading dental consultant and cosmetic dentist.

Howard Golan graduated from the University Of Michigan School Of Dentistry and completed a general practice residency at North Shore University Hospital in New York.  He partnered with his father in 1998. Dr. Howard Golan also trained two years in the Implant Surgery and Advanced Prosthetic Fellowship Program at NSUH.

In 2004, Dr. Howard Golan received a Mastership Certification from the World Clinical Laser Institute and utilizes the laser for procedures whenever possible. He lectures and teaches laser-assisted dentistry throughout the United States and Canada. Dr. Howard Golan is the co-founder of the Center for Laser Education and is a faculty member with the World Clinical Laser Institute. Dr. Howard Golan is founder and leader of the Laser Assisted Dentistry program at North Shore University Hospital, supervising clinical training of dental residents.

Dr. Howard is a graduate of the Alleman-Deliperi Center for Biomimetic Dentistry and is committed to providing Tooth Conserving Dentistry for his patients.

In 2007 Dr. Howard Golan also graduated from Concord Law School, Los Angeles, California and is a member of the California Bar.