Demonstrating a deep commitment to expanding the core capabilities and diversity of its Board of Directors, BIOLASE, Inc. (NASDAQ: BIOL), the global leader in dental lasers, today announced it has appointed three new board members to its Board of Directors (the "Board"), effective immediately. Drs. Kathleen T. O'Loughlin, Carol Gomez Summerhays, and Martha Somerman join a Board that has been instrumental in establishing and implementing the Company's business plan, which has demonstrated significant growth over the past several quarters.
"As we embark on an aggressive growth strategy, I am pleased to welcome the new Board members as their extensive experience in dental practice, translational and clinical research, and dental education will be extremely helpful as we continue to execute on the BIOLASE business plan," commented Jonathan T. Lord, M.D., Chairman of the Board of BIOLASE. "We are delighted to have each of these women join our board and look forward to their contributions as we continue to execute on our plan for long-term growth."
The new Board members are proven leaders and will enable the Company to achieve its growth prospects:
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Dr. Kathleen T. O'Loughlin is currently the Executive Director of the American Dental Association and is retiring from the American Dental Association by the end of this year. Previously, Dr. O'Loughlin served as Chief Dental Officer of United Health Group, and from 2002 to 2008 she served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Delta Dental of Massachusetts. Dr. O'Loughlin serves on the Board of Directors of the American Dental Association and previously served as a Trustee at Tufts University. Dr. O'Loughlin received her Masters in Public Health from Harvard University, a Doctor of Dental Medicine, Summa Cum Laude, from Tufts University, and a B.A from Boston University.
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Dr. Carol Gomez Summerhays is currently the Chair of the Board of Councilors of the University of Southern California Ostrow School of Dentistry and is a former President of the American Dental Association and President of the California Dental Association. Dr. Summerhays worked in private dental practice from 1982-2015. Dr. Summerhays served in the United States Navy Dental Corps from 1974 to 1989. Dr. Summerhays received her Doctor of Dental Surgery from University of Southern California, and B.S. from University of San Francisco.
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Dr. Martha Somerman is the Chief Field Editor of Frontiers in Dental Medicine. She was the Director, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, National Institutes of Health (NIH) from August 2011 to December 2019 and then served as a senior advisor for NIDCR until her retirement on May 31, 2021. In addition, she was the Principal Investigator for the Laboratory of Oral Connective Tissue Biology, National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, NIH, from August 2011 to May 31, 2021. Her laboratory team focused on identifying factors controlling the development of the periodontal complex and applying this knowledge toward developing strategies to regenerate periodontal tissue lost as a consequence of disease. Prior to becoming NIDCR director, Dr. Somerman was Dean of the University of Washington School of Dentistry, a position she held since 2002. From 1991 to 2002, Dr. Somerman was on the faculty of the University of Michigan School of Dentistry where she served as a professor and chair of periodontics/prevention and geriatrics. From 1984 to 1991, Dr. Somerman was on the faculty of the University of Maryland College of Dental Surgery. Dr. Somerman received a bachelor's degree in biology and a D.D.S. from New York University, a Masters in Environmental Health from Hunter College, and a Ph.D. in Pharmacology from the University of Rochester. She completed her periodontal residency at the Eastman Dental Center in Rochester, New York and is a diplomat of the American Board of Periodontology.
In conjunction with the new appointments, Dr. Michael DiTolla and Garrett Sato (retirement) resigned as members of the Board to pursue other interests. The appointments increase the size of the BIOLASE Board to nine members.
