Clinicians

Gordon J. Christensen, DDS, MSD, PhD
What’s New—2008
Gordon J. Christensen is Founder and Director of Practical Clinical Courses (PCC) a career development program for the dental profession, initiated in 1981 in Utah, and Dean of the Scottsdale Center for Dentistry (SCD) a post-graduate dental organization opened in April 2007 in Arizona. Both groups are international continuing education organizations providing courses and videos for all dental professionals Gordon and Dr. Rella Christensen are co-founders of the non-profit Gordon J. Christensen CLINICIANS REPORT (previously CRA), which Rella directed for many years. Since 1976, they have conducted research in all areas of dentistry and published the findings to the profession in the well-known CRA Newsletter now called CLINICIANS REPORT. Each year, thousands of dentists from around the world participate in PCC seminars, hands-on courses, and videotape presentations. PCC has the most complete professional and patient education video series in the world. His degrees include DDS, University of Southern California; MSD, University of Washington; and PhD, University of Denver.

Rella P. Christensen, RDH, PhD
Zirconia Based Fixed Prosthodontics
Dr. Rella Christensen cofounded Clinical Research Associates (CRA Foundation) in 1976, and for 27 years directed this well-known dental products testing institute. Subsequently she served as Chairman of its Board of Directors. Currently she is the team leader of a non-profit institute dedicated to in-depth and long-term clinical studies of restorative materials, preventive dentistry, and dental caries, known as Technologies in Restoratives And Caries Research (TRAC Research), a nonprofit institute. She received a BS degree in dental hygiene from the University of Southern California and a PhD degree in physiology, microbiology emphasis from Brigham Young University.

She has presented at many dental continuing education programs, has made seven videos on the control of infectious diseases in the dental office, and worked on research in many areas of dentistry and published studies in books and journals on diverse topics. In addition, and has published 115 abstracts. She has been the lead scientist and author of over 1,800 studies reported in the CRA Newsletter on a wide variety of dental products and techniques. Dr. Christensen has received many honors, including listings in Who’s Who in Executive and Professionals. In 2001 she was selected as the Distinguished Alumnus of Brigham Young University’s School of Life Sciences and now serves on its National Advisory Board. In 2002 she received an Honorary Doctorate from Utah Valley State College.

Joseph J. Massad, DDS
Removable Prosthodontics
Dr. Joseph Massad is currently the director of Removable Prosthodontics at the Scottsdale Center for Dentistry in Arizona. Dr. Massad served from 1992—2003 as an associate faculty member at the Pankey Institute in Florida and presently holds faculty positions at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine in Boston, the University of Texas Dental School at San Antonio, and the Oklahoma State University College of Osteopathic Medicine. He is a fellow of the American College of Dentists and the International College of Dentists.

Howard M. Rochestie, JD, LLM
Practice Management
Howard M Rochestie received his business degree at the Wharton School of Finance, his juris doctorate at George Washington University, and his master of law degree at Harvard Law School, where he also taught part time and helped develop the first clinical education program for law schools. Mr. Rochestie began a business that grew to 22 locations and retired at age 37. Twenty years ago he became a client of Mercer Advisors and was then recruited to join the firm. In 1989 he and three other senior executives purchased Mercer Advisors, where he is currently a co-owner/director and chief spokesperson for the company.

Jeffrey S. Rouse, DDS
Overall Rehabilitative Dentistry
Dr. Jeffrey Rouse D.D.S. is a private practitioner in San Antonio, Texas. His practice is limited to prosthodontics focusing on rehabilitation and esthetic dentistry. Dr. Rouse received his specialty certificate in prosthodontics from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, where he currently holds a position as clinical adjunct associate professor in the Department of Prosthodontics. He is a member of the American Academy of Restorative Dentistry, the Southwest Academy of Restorative Dentistry, and the American College of Prosthodontics. Dr. Rouse is the director of the Division of Interdisciplinary Rehabilitative Dentistry at the Scottsdale Center for Dentistry.

Thomas Schiff, DMD
Maxillofacial Radiology
Dr. Thomas Schiff was born in Budapest, Hungary, and educated at the Semmelweis University Medical School. In 1956, during the Hungarian Uprising, he escaped to the United States. Dr. Schiff obtained a DMD degree at the University, Alabama, Birmingham, in 1961. He then practiced and was involved in preventive dental research in St. Louis, Missouri, for some 20 years. Dr. Schiff began a second career of teaching at Washington University in St. Louis and became the head of Maxillofacial Radiology. He has been trained in advanced imaging at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio. Dr. Schiff continued teaching until the closure of Washington University, when he relocated to and continued teaching at the University of the Pacific Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry for 15 years. Dr. Schiff was chairman of Maxillofacial Radiology as well as a full and endowed professor until January 2007, when he retired. Dr. Schiff is a fellow of both the American as well as the International Academy of Maxillofacial imaging. Married for 50-plus years, he has two children and three grandchildren.

Jon B. Suzuki, DDS, PhD, MBA
Periodontics/Preventative Dentistry
Dr. Jon Suzuki has a presidential appointment as professor of microbiology in the School of Medicine and professor of periodontology in the School of Dentistry at Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He also serves as the associate Dean for Graduate Education and International Affairs as well as director of Graduate Periodontology at Temple University. He has served as dean of the School of Dental Medicine and chief of Hospital Dentistry at the University of Pittsburgh. Dr. Suzuki received his DDS from Loyola University of Chicago and PhD in microbiology from the Illinois Institute of Technology. He completed an NIH fellowship in immunology at the University of Washington in Seattle. Recently, he completed an MBA from the Katz Graduate School of Business of the University of Pittsburgh. Dr. Suzuki is the immediate past chair and current member of the Food and Drug Administration Dental Products panel, Rockville, Maryland. He is on the faculty of the U.S. Navy National Naval Medical Command, Bethesda, Maryland.

John A. Svirsky, DDS, MEd
Oral Diagnosis, Oral Pathology, Oral Medicine
Dr. John Svirsky is a board-certified oral and maxillofacial pathologist at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) in Richmond, Virginia. He received his dental degree in 1973 from VCU and went on to complete a general practice residency at Long Island Jewish Medical Center/Queens Hospital Center, as well as an oral pathology residency at the Catholic Medical Center. He is currently a professor of oral and maxillofacial pathology and maintains a private practice in oral medicine and oral pathology. Dr. Svirsky has developed a broad background in research, published numerous articles in the dental literature, and earned a master’s degree in adult education. He is a sought-after speaker with an international reputation as an informative and entertaining lecturer.
Dr. Svirsky is an honorary member of the Thomas P. Hinman Dental Society and a director at the Scottsdale Center for Dentistry.