Welcome to the Dental Board of California

Member Profiles

Bruce L. Whitcher, DDSBoard President, Bruce L. Whitcher, DDS
Bruce L. Whitcher, DDS was appointed by Governor Schwarzenegger to the Dental Board in April, 2009. A 1981 graduate of UCSF School of Dentistry, Dr. Whitcher completed his residency in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at Harbor UCLA Medical Center in Torrance, California in 1985. Dr. Whitcher has maintained a private practice of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery in San Luis Obispo since 1987. Dr. Whitcher is a member of the Central Coast Dental Society, the California Dental Association, the California Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, and the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. He maintains hospital affiliations with French Hospital Medical Center, Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center, and Twin Cities Hospital Medical Center. Dr. Whitcher resides in San Luis Obispo with his wife Alexandra and has two children. (Term expires January 1, 2015)

Houng Le, DDSBoard Vice President, Houng Le, DDS
Huong Le, DDS, graduated from Baylor University with a degree in Chemistry and obtained her Doctor of Dental Surgery from the University of Texas Dental Branch in Houston in 1984. She did her General Practice-Hospital Dentistry residency program at Jerry L. Pettis Veterans Memorial Hospital. After completion of her residency, she joined a private practice in northern California where she provided hospital dentistry to primarily pediatric, medically compromised, physically and mentally challenged patients at Rideout Memorial Hospital in Marysville, CA.
In 1989, Dr. Le joined a community health center in northern California where she worked as a dental provider then later became their dental director. In 2003, she joined Asian Health Services as their first dental director to help them open their new dental program. Dr. Le is a member of the American Dental Association, California Dental Association and Alameda County Dental Society. Dr. Le serves as a member on Board of Directors of National Network for Oral Health Access and Secretary for Western Clinicians Network, a regional network of medical and dental directors in California, Arizona, Nevada and Hawaii. Additionally, she is President-Elect for Alameda County Dental Society. Dr. Le presently serves as Assistant Clinical Professor at UCSF School of Dentistry, A. T. Still School of Dental and Oral Health in Arizona and Dental Director of Lutheran Medical Center-affiliated AEGD program at Asian Health Services. Dr. Le is also a grant reviewer for HRSA. She received an Outstanding Clinician Award from National Network for Oral Health Access in 2007. In November 2008, she published a white paper on Health Information Technology titled: Guide to the Future: Using HIT to Improve Oral Health Access and Outcomes. (Term Expires: January 1, 2015)

Fran BurtonBoard Secretary, Fran Burton
Fran Burton was appointed by the Senate Rules Committee to the Dental Board of California in June of 2009. She served twenty-one years in California in the Legislative and Executive branches of government. She served in a number of capacities in the State Senate and her efforts concluded as a health and human services policy consultant to President pro Tempores Bill Lockyer and John Burton. In the Executive branch, Ms. Burton was Associate Secretary Programs and Legislation for the Health and Human Services Agency; Deputy Director Legislation and Public Affairs for the Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs; and, Deputy Director for Legislative and Governmental Affairs for the Department of Health Services. She currently consults on health policy issues. She holds a Master of Social Work degree from California State University, Sacramento. She lives in Carmichael and has an adult son. (Term Expires: January 1, 2013)

Steven AfriatSteven Afriat
Steven Afriat is an expert in public policy, political strategy and governmental decision-making. Formerly Chief of Staff to Los Angeles City Councilman (now Supervisor) Zev Yaroslavsky, Afriat was also a Chief Legislative Aide to the California Legislature and has vast experience in government and public affairs. He has been rewarded for his years of service with appointments to many boards and commissions. Currently, he is President of the Los Angeles County Business License Commission, and most recently was appointed by Speaker John Perez as a Public Member to the California Dental Board. Throughout his professional career, he has developed a formidable network that spans throughout Los Angeles to Sacramento and Washington DC. As a Los Angeles City Councilmember's Chief of Staff, he was charged with vast municipal administrative responsibility in legislation, land use, building and safety, public works and community relations.   Afriat has also served as not only as an Assemblyman's deputy, Consultant to the Legislature, community organizer, high school teacher and businessman. A lifelong resident of the San Fernando Valley, Afriat has served as President of the Los Angeles City Animal Services Commission, the LA City Council Redistricting Commission, and on the Boards of the Valley Community Clinic, Equality California, the West Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, and the Valley Industry and Commerce Association.  Afriat owns his own Governmental Relations firm in Burbank. (Term Expires: January 1, 2013)

John Bettinger, DDSJohn Bettinger, DDS
 Dr. Bettinger was appointed to the Dental Board of California by Governor Schwarzenegger in February 2007. He graduated from the first class of Dentistry at the new UCLA School of Dentistry in 1968. He was a Commissioned Officer on active duty in the United States Public Health Service, Division of Indian Health providing dental care for American Indians from 1968 to 1970. He returned to the Los Angeles area in 1970 and began the private practice of dentistry while serving as a faculty member at the UCLA School of Dentistry. Dr. Bettinger is a member of the American Dental Association, California Dental Association and Western Los Angeles Dental Society. He is a Life Member with Fellowship status in the Academy of General Dentistry. He served on the Western Los Angeles Dental Society Peer Review Committee for 10 years, and on the Diversion Evaluation Committee of the Dental Board for 2 years. Dr. Bettinger has been affiliated with Saint John's Hospital and the UCLA/Santa Monica Hospital and Health Care Center (formally the Santa Monica Hospital) and has provided charity dental services to children for over 35 years. Dr. Bettinger is married with three children and three granddaughters. (Term Expires: January 1, 2013)

Stephen Casagrande, DDSStephen Casagrande, DDS
Stephen Casagrande, DDS, was appointed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in January 2006 to the Dental Board of California. Dr. Casagrande has been a dentist in private practice since 1974. He was previously the director of the Sacramento District Dental Society, a past member of the peer review committee, an advisor to the Sacramento City College Dental Hygiene Program Advisory Board Member to Hi-Tech Institute, a Proprietary School for Dental Assistants. Dr. Casagrande is a member of the American Dental Association, California Dental Association, and Sacramento District Dental Society. (Term Expires: January 1, 2012)

Luis Dominicis, DDSLuis Dominicis, DDS
Luis R. Dominicis, DDS, was appointed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in November 2005 to the Dental Board of California. Dr. Dominicis is a general dentist in private practice in the City of Downey, California since 1993. He also serves as the Pro-bono Dental Director for the Firebaugh Children's Free Dental Clinic which provides gratuitous dental treatment to indigent and poor children in the Southeast area of Los Angeles County. Dr. Dominicis is the President of Los Angeles Dental Society, Past President of the Latin American Dental Association; he has also served in various Councils in the California Dental Association such as Council on Legislative Affairs, Council on Community Health and in the Reference Committee for the House of Delegates. Dr. Dominicis is presently a member of the Dental Forum, which represents the ethnic dental societies in California. Dr. Dominicis is married to Sonia and together they have 5 children. (Term Expires: January 1, 2012)

Rebecca DowningRebecca Downing
Rebecca Downing was appointed by Governor Schwarzenegger to the Dental Board in April of 2009. She is an attorney and the Chief Legal Officer for Western Health Advantage, a Sacramento-based health plan. Previously, she served as general counsel for Landmark Healthcare, Inc., a chiropractic / acupuncture health care company. In addition, Ms. Downing was the Executive Director of the California Chiropractic Association, and served in various capacities with the California Veterinary Medical Association and the California Dental Association. She received her Juris Doctorate degree from University of Southern California Gould School of Law and her Bachelor's degree from California State University, Sacramento. She lives in Sacramento with her husband and daughter. (Term Expires: January 1, 2012)

Judith Forsythe, RDA
Judith Forsythe, of Riverside, has been a Registered Dental Assistant in the State of California since 1994. She currently holds the position of director of back office development for Pacific Dental Services, where she has worked since 1998. Previously, Forsythe was a Registered Dental Assistant for Dental Associates of Riverside from 1995 to 1998 and held the same position in the office of James W. Jacobson, D.D.S. from 1983 to 1994. She is a member of the American Dental Assistant Association. (Term expires January 1, 2013)

Susan McCormick, DDSSuzanne McCormick, DDS
Suzanne McCormick, DDS, was appointed by Governor Schwarzenegger in January 2006 to the Dental Board of California. She is an Oral and Maxillofacial surgeon in private practice who is an active staff member at the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at Tri-City Medical Center in Oceanside, California. She has been affiliated with many hospitals including, but not limited to, Health North Medical Center, Loma Linda University Medical Center, Riverside Medical Center, Metropolitan Medical Center, St. Vincent's Hospital and Medical Center, and New York University Medical Center. Dr. McCormick has served as an Assistant Professor for various academic institutions in New York and California, then as Professor and Chair of the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Loma Linda University. She has lectured nationally and internationally and has authored numerous scientific publications on bone regeneration. She is a currently a member of the following professional organizations: California Dental Association, American Dental Association; the San Diego County Dental Association, American Dental Association; Prytanean Honor Society, University of California, Berkeley; American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association; American Dental Society of Anesthesiology; American Association of Women Dentists; Alumni Association of Student Clinicians of the American Dental Association; Delta Sigma Delta, American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons; International Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons; the International Craniofacial Society, and has served on the Continuing Education Committee for both the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons and the California Society of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. She holds fellowship in the Omicron Kappa Upislon Honor Society, the Academy of Dentistry International and has served as Trustee from District I, of the Board of Directors, International College of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons.(Term Expires: January 1, 2013)

Steven Morrow, DDSSteven Morrow, DDS
Steven G. Morrow, DDS, MS was appointed by Governor Schwarzenegger to the Dental Board in September, 2010.  He graduated from Loma Linda University School of Dentistry in 1960.  Following graduation from dental school, Dr. Morrow served two years as a commissioned officer in the United States Navy Dental Corps.  Following military service, he established a private dental practice, limited to endodontics, in Sherman Oaks, California.  After sixteen years of endodontic practice, he returned to the field of dental education, completed a Master of Science Degree in Microbiology and accepted a faculty appointment in the Department of Endodontics at Loma Linda University School of Dentistry.  Dr. Morrow has lectured at numerous scientific meetings and continuing dental education courses in the United States and other countries.  He is a Life Member of the American Dental Association and the American Association of Endodontists.  He is a member of the California State Association of Endodontists, Tri-County Dental Society, Southern California Academy of Endodontics, and the American Dental Education Association.  He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Endodontics and a member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the Journal of Endodontics.  Dr. Morrow has been a previous member of the Board of Directors of the American Association of Endodontists and is a past President of the Southern California Academy of Endodontics and the California State Association of Endodontists.  He is currently a Professor of Endodontics and Director of Patient Care Services and Clinical Quality Assurance at Loma Linda University School of Dentistry.  Dr. Morrow was presented the Distinguished Service Award from Loma Linda University School of Dentistry in May, 2009.  He resides in Yucaipa with his wife Sheila. (Term Expires: January 1, 2014)

Thomas Olinger, DDSThomas Olinger, DDS
Thomas Olinger, 57, of El Cajon, has been appointed to the Dental Board of California. Since 1979, he has owned and operated his private practice. Olinger has also served as a dental officer in the U.S. Navy Reserve since 1976. He is a member of the California Dental Association, American Dental Association and San Diego County Dental Society. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Olinger is a Republican. (Term Expires: January 1, 2013)