2026 Speakers

Speaker Bio

Like so many dentists, Dr. Dickerson was busy creating a practice based on the skills and knowledge he obtained in dental school, however he was increasingly frustrated and disenchanted by the traditional approach to dental care. Developing a “Patient Centered Practice” gave him his passion driven purpose. Propelled by this new excitement for dentistry, Bill started sharing his passion with other dentists and quickly became recognized as a respected opinion leader and highly sought after speaker as well as one of the most influential people in dentistry. He was instrumental as a pioneer in the aesthetic revolution as well as igniting the professions interest in Physiological Based Dentistry. His focus for the past two decades has been to create a better future for the profession. Since 1994, Bill’s efforts have been channeled into creating the Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Studies (LVI Global), providing an educational forum for advancing our profession, and developing many aesthetic and occlusal techniques that enhanced comprehensive restorative procedures. Over nine thousand dentists from all over the world have attended LVI and over 10,000 of their patients have been treated there, as well as the thousands of others who have enhanced their practices by attending lectures of Bill’s or reading his several books. From Aesthetic dentistry to scientifically based occlusal approaches, Bill has encouraged, assisted and propelled dentists from over 43 nations to grow and excel.

Lecture Synopsis

Are you thinking about retirement, what will you do, why are you retiring, when will you retire, where will you retire. These are just a few of the Ten Important steps to create a successful retirement that Dr. Dickerson will discuss during this lecture. Understand how you can successfully set yourself up for a happy retirement and future, and how to make it better than you ever imagined.

THE EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES OF THIS PRESENTATION ARE FOR THE PARTICIPANTS TO BE ABLE TO:

• Assess your financial situation before retiring.
• Assess if you are healthy which will determine where and why you are retiring
• Understand your mental health. (Are you ready?)
• Discuss retirement with your spouse.(Are they ready to retire as well)
• Implement a successful transition into retirement-slowly test the waters
• Discuss how you will create a new life(dentistry is not your identity)
• Implement avoiding degradation.(How to prevent stagnation and decline)
• Discuss the importance of where to retire(Your location is more important than you think)
• Understand the social aspect of retiring
• Implement how to maintain Health and Happiness during retirement

Speaker Bio

Nick Clausen is a business strategist and dental practice consultant who specializes in helping owner-doctors transition from primary producer to Dental CEO. While widely known for his work in laser optimization, Nick’s core expertise lies in leadership development, profitability strategy, and enterprise design. For five years, Nick served as a business coach with Fortune Management, the nation’s largest dental consulting organization, advising teams and owner-doctors in Las Vegas on team accountability, systems, communication, and doctor leadership. He was promoted to a Fortune 50 (F50) coach, working directly with some of the highest-producing dentists in the country on advanced scaling strategies, organizational structure, and leadership. As founder of Dental Laser Coaching (DLC), which he has led for over 15 years, Nick has coached practices nationally on clinical and business optimization. His approach bridges clinical excellence with financial performance—helping practices turn production into enterprise value. Nick holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Iowa State University and an MBA from Creighton University. He has completed executive education through Georgia Tech and the Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School. His work centers on one principle: great dentistry should produce great patient experience and enterprise value.

Lecture Synopsis

Many dentists create best-in-class clinical outcomes and patient experiences—yet the practice production does not always reflect that level of excellence. When production, collections, and EBITDA depend entirely on the systems and teams the owner builds, poor structure silently suppresses valuation and eliminates freedom. This presentation is specifically designed for the owner-doctor who wants to transition from primary producer to Dental CEO and ultimately build an enterprise that delivers maximum value and time freedom. This is not something that can be engineered one year before retirement; the foundation must be built early and intentionally. Attendees will understand how to shift from working in the practice to working on business by adopting a CEO mindset centered on communication, leadership, accountability, and scalable profitability. We will explore growth strategies that expand revenue without adding clinical days, including the four revenue streams of a successful dental enterprise. Participants will gain clarity around the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that influence valuation, how to structure accountable leadership within the team, and the critical differences between being a boss and becoming an effective leader. Practical systems will be provided for conflict resolution, corrective communication, and internal leadership development. The goal is simple: build a practice that thrives without you at the center—so when you are ready to exit, your business commands premium value and creates long-term wealth.

THE EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES OF THIS PRESENTATION ARE FOR THE PARTICIPANTS TO BE ABLE TO:

• Demonstrate communication structures that prevent production leakage and operational drift.
• Practice CEO leadership and communication frameworks that build accountable, self-managing teams.
• Measure and track the critical KPIs that directly impact profitability, enterprise value, and exit readiness.

Speaker Bio

Dr. John Highsmith is a graduate of Davidson College. He earned his dental degree from the University of North Carolina (go Heels!). Following a residency at the VA Medical Center in Baltimore, he pursued additional training in dental implants and cosmetic dentistry. Dr. Highsmith is one of only six accredited members of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry in North Carolina, a Diplomate of The International Congress of Oral Implantologists (ICOI), and a fellow in the Misch Implant Institute. He is a member of the American Dental Association, the Western NC Dental Society, and the NC Dental Society. He has been using ozone in his office since 2007 and is a founding member of the International Association of Ozone in Healthcare and Dentistry. Dr. Highsmith has taken many continuing education courses at LVI, the Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Education, starting in 1999. Dr. Highsmith has served as a clinical instructor at LVI, helping other dentists in the cutting edge techniques for cosmetic and functional dentistry. His non dental passions include photography (above and under the water), scuba diving, astrophotography, theater, art and fitness.

Lecture Synopsis

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THE EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES OF THIS PRESENTATION ARE FOR THE PARTICIPANTS TO BE ABLE TO:

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Speaker Bio

Dr. John Pawlowicz is a 1993 graduate of the University of Pittsburgh, School of Dental Medicine and completed a General Practice Fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center – Montefiore Hospital. He has achieved Mastership and Fellowship status with ICCMO (International College of Craniomandibular Orthopedics), Fellowship status with LVI (Las Vegas Institute), and is on the Mastership track with the AGD. He has been chosen as a top Dentist in Western Pennsylvania as voted by his peers, and recognized by the IACA for his excellence in smile design. Dr. Pawlowicz is a member of the American Dental Association (ADA) where he served as a member of the New Dentist committee, the Pennsylvania Dental Association as a delegate, and alternate delegate. On the Board of Directors of the Western Pennsylvania Dental Society he was Vice President, as well as the past President of the Butler County Dental Society. He is a member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD), American Academy of Craniofacial Pain (AACP), American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine (AADSM), IACA (The International Association of Comprehensive Aesthetics), Academy of General Dentistry (AGD), and the International College of Craniomandibular Orthopedics (ICCMO). Dr. Pawlowicz is a Featured Speaker and Clinical Instructor at the Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Studies. Additionally he speaks nationally for LVI on the topics of OSA, snoring and TMD. He served as a consultant in the area of clinical materials testing for DENTSPLY of America, and lectured on behalf of Kerr Dental Products. Dr. Pawlowicz has also been a guest lecturer for the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine regional speaker’s series. He currently holds a United States patent for a new design in TENS devices and the application of the device with regard to the placement in the Posterior Cervical/Sub-Occipital regions of the head and neck. Dr. Pawlowicz maintains a full-time private practice in Lyndora, Pennsylvania emphasizing aesthetic restorative dentistry, occlusion, Obstructive Sleep Apnea and snoring, non-surgical treatment of TM joint dysfunction and myofacial pain. He spends his leisure time golfing and as a volunteer coach for his son’s basketball and baseball teams. He and his family regularly volunteer on behalf of Catholic Charities and their home Parish. He lives just north of Pittsburgh with his wife and two children. Dr. John Pawlowicz does not have relevant financial relationships with proprietary entities producing health care goods or services related to the content of LVI courses.

Lecture Synopsis

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THE EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES OF THIS PRESENTATION ARE FOR THE PARTICIPANTS TO BE ABLE TO:

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Speaker Bio

Dr. Clark received his DMD from the University of Mississippi in 2007, and has a General Dentistry practice in downtown Nashville with a special focus on TMD and Oro-Facial Pain, Dental Sleep Medicine, and Facial Aesthetics. In addition to his private practice, Dr. Clark serves as a Member of the Board of Education and Key Opinion Leader for Planmeca, USA, a dental technology company and industry leader in CBCT Imaging and CAD/CAM Restorative Dentistry. Dr. Clark also serves as a Key Opinion Leader for Desktop Health, a leader in 3D Printing specifically focused on healthcare products in the fields of dentistry, orthodontics, dermatology, orthopedics, cardiology, plastic surgery, and printed regenerative materials. A voracious learner, through his Fellowship with the Las Vegas Institute of Advanced Dental Studies and his subsequent coursework with other advanced institutes Dr. Clark has completed over 2500 hours of post-doctoral education in Conservative Adhesive Restorative Dentistry, advanced TMD and Cranio-Facial Pain therapy, Cranio-Mandibular Orthopedics, and Dental Sleep Medicine. His education has allowed him provide his patients with conservative therapies to reduce pain and disease and improve overall health and wellbeing. Although many dental providers are capable of treating the teeth, Dr. Clark’s unique background and education allows him to more effectively diagnose, treat, and manage the entire head and neck system. Additionally, his passion for conservative dentistry has lead him to advanced education courses in conservative tooth preparation and bonding protocols which allow him to treat tooth decay less invasively, saving tooth structure and increasing the lifespan of his patient’s natural dentition. In addition to treating acute problems, his philosophy of care includes working with patients and other providers to discover the underlying conditions that are contributing to frequent or long-standing health conditions.

Lecture Synopsis

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THE EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES OF THIS PRESENTATION ARE FOR THE PARTICIPANTS TO BE ABLE TO:

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Speaker Bio

Dr. Timothy Gross graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in 1992 and completed a general practice residency in dentistry at Allegheny General Hospital in 1993. He practiced in Pittsburgh for 17 years before relocating to Hilton Head Island, South Carolina in 2009. While in Pittsburgh, Dr. Gross was president of the Pittsburgh Academy of Dentistry and on the Peer Review and Patient Relations Committee of Western Pennsylvania. He also was a senior staff member at Allegheny General Hospital, a level one trauma hospital, where he remains on staff lecturing to hospital residents. Dr. Gross is a Fellow and Clinical Instructor of Physiologic Orthodontics at the Las Vegas Institute and Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine, Drexel University College of Medicine. He is on the Board of the International Association of Comprehensive Aesthetics. Dr. Gross’ practices on Hilton Head Island focuses on orthodontics, Physiologic Based Dentistry, cosmetic dentistry, sleep apnea, and mercury- free dentistry. Dr. Timothy Gross does not have relevant financial relationships with proprietary entities producing health care goods or services related to the content of LVI courses.

Lecture Synopsis

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THE EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES OF THIS PRESENTATION ARE FOR THE PARTICIPANTS TO BE ABLE TO:

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Speaker Bio

Dr. Amy Crary is the owner of Aesthetic Dentistry of Stuart, located in her hometown of Stuart, Florida. She earned both her undergraduate and dental degrees from the University of Florida, graduating with High Honors in 2002. After working as an associate dentist for two years, she fulfilled her dream of opening her own practice, Aesthetic Dentistry of Stuart. That same year, encouraged by a colleague, Dr. Crary attended her first course at the Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Studies (LVI Global). She quickly developed a passion for helping patients with TMJ disorders (TMD) and complex restorative needs. Dr. Crary went on to complete the full LVI Core Curriculum along with numerous adjunctive courses, and she continues to pursue advanced education there regularly. Dr. Crary earned Fellowship status from both the American Academy of Craniofacial Pain (2014) and LVI Global, and has recently joined LVI as a Clinical Instructor. Over the years, she has grown her small solo practice into a thriving, fee-for-service, all-female group practice, now including an associate dentist and an orthodontist. Together, they provide comprehensive and compassionate care with a focus on whole-body health and well-being. Beyond the practice, Dr. Crary is active in her community, serving on the Board of Directors for the local YMCA. Outside of dentistry, she enjoys staying active through various types of exercise, cooking, and traveling the world with her husband and three children.

Speaker Bio

Ashley Horn, RDH, is a native South Floridian and certified registered dental hygienist with 20 years of experience in the dental field. Alongside her work in private practice, Ashley has turned her passion for education into inspiring the next generation of dental professionals as an adjunct faculty professor in the Palm Beach State College Dental Hygiene Program, where she has taught for the past five years. With a specialty in orofacial myofunctional therapy, Ashley is dedicated to helping dental professionals confidently and successfully integrate myofunctional therapy into their practices. Through relatable experiences, practical strategies, and real-world application, she show clinicians how easy it can be to implement myofunctional therapy to elevate patient care, expand services, and create meaningful practice growth.