As dentistry faces mounting challenges around access to care, workforce shortages, research funding, industry transformation and slowing practice productivity growth, Incisal Edge magazine’s 10th annual ranking of the 32 Most Influential People is less about recognition than responsibility.
Long considered dentistry’s definitive ranking of leaders, executives, innovators and power brokers, this year’s list poses a consequential question: What will dentistry’s most influential people do with their influence? That’s why the 2026 edition of the 32 Most Influential People in Dentistry—one entry for every tooth—explores not only where influence resides today, but also how those who hold it can wield it to help overcome those challenges. The future of the profession may depend on the answer.
This year’s ranking reflects an increasingly diverse landscape of influence. While organized dentistry, major DSOs, dental technology companies and financial institutions remain powerful forces, this year’s list also highlights how influence is expanding across new corners of the industry—from artificial intelligence and entrepreneurship to policy advocacy and healthcare economics.
Among this year’s highest-ranked honorees are:
• The ADA leadership team: Dr. Nader A. Nadershahi, Executive Director; James Schulz Jr., Senior Vice President of Government Affairs; and Marko Vujicic, Chief Economist.
• Dr. Jennifer Webster-Cyriaque, Acting Director of the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR).
• Wade Rakes, CEO of CareQuest Institute for Oral Health.
• Sarah Chavarria, CEO of Delta Dental of California.
• Steve Thorne, Founder and CEO of Pacific Dental Services; Pat Bauer, CEO of Heartland Dental; and Bob Fontana, Founder, Chairman and CEO of The Aspen Group.
• Wardah Inam, CEO of Overjet, and Ophir Tanz, Founder and CEO of Pearl.
• Guillaume Daniellot, CEO of Straumann Group.
• Doug Brown, Managing Partner and CEO of Dental Innovation Alliance.
• Dan Wicker, Managing Partner of Cain Watters & Associates.
• Sonia Williams, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Dental, CareCredit
Also in this issue:
The ADA Faces Its Reckoning: Former Wall Street Journal reporter Jerry Markon traces the American Dental Association’s drift and whether it can once again emerge as the unifying force the profession needs—and what might happen if it cannot.
Dentistry at the Crossroads: Benco Dental Managing Director and nearly four-decade industry veteran Charles Cohen lays out a clear-eyed view of an industry that is stronger and more visible than ever, yet facing real pressure, and explores why the decisions dentistry makes today may determine how oral healthcare is delivered for decades to come.
How Dentists Got Hot: New York Times contributor Gloria Liu explores dentistry’s growing cultural visibility and how a new generation of dentist-entrepreneurs and influencers has expanded the profession’s reach well beyond healthcare.
10 Years of the 32 Most Influential: To mark this anniversary, Incisal Edge also revisits a decade of rankings to see why influence has shifted over time, and how those early signals connect to where the industry stands now.
The Summer 2026 issue of Incisal Edge is available at IncisalEdgeMagazine.com and in print for subscribers and Benco Dental customers. To subscribe to the print edition, visit IncisalEdgeMagazine.com/subscribe.
About Incisal Edge
Benco Dental’s Incisal Edge magazine is focused on helping readers get an edge—and keep it—in the fast-changing worlds of healthcare and business. Known for its “40 Under 40 — America’s Best Young Dentists,” “32 Most Influential,” “Year In Innovation” and “Lucy Hobbs Awards” signature issues, Incisal Edge curates the industry’s most progressive thought leadership to concisely and compellingly spotlight the latest in dental innovations and the people behind them. Every edition delivers columns and features packed with sharp advice, expert success tips on everything from marketing to operations, and the latest clinical advances and essential tools for practicing and living smarter. IncisalEdgeMagazine.com online leads with dynamic visuals and follows with exclusive web content, an improved mobile experience, and a centralized nomination hub for the magazine’s signature awards.
