{"id":233,"name":"Dr. Valerie Kanter, DMD, MS; Dr. Mary Ellen Chalmers, DMD, IFMCP; Dr. Staci Whitman, DMD, IFMCP","url":"","description":"Dr. Valerie Kanter DMD MS is a board-certified endodontist and co-founder of the Institute for Functional Dentistry (IFD), where she is advancing a new model of care centered on regeneration, vitality preservation, and root-cause healing. Through her practice, Integrative Endodontics, she implements advanced endodontic techniques with biologic and functional therapies to support tooth vitality and whole-body health. Her work focuses on shifting dentistry from reactive intervention to proactive preservation. Through IFD, she is helping train clinicians to rethink endodontics as a critical gateway to systemic health and building the ecosystem needed to transform the future of dental care.\r\n\r\nDr. Mary Ellen Chalmers DMD IFMCP is an functional dentist, educator, and leader in the functional medicine space, with over 10 years of experience teaching through The Institute for Functional Medicine. Based in Santa Rosa, California, she has dedicated her career to bridging clinical dentistry with systems-based, root-cause approaches to patient care. Her work emphasizes the oral-systemic connection, patient education, and empowering both clinicians and patients through deeper understanding of chronic disease drivers. As Curriculum Director for the Institute for Functional Dentistry, she plays a central role in shaping a new standard for dental education grounded in functional medicine principles.\r\n\r\nDr. Staci Whitman DMD IFMCP is a nationally recognized pediatric dentist and leader in functional dentistry, known for her focus on prevention and early-life interventions. Through her practice and educational platform, she has built a strong following by translating complex science into practical strategies for families and clinicians alike. Her work emphasizes nutrition, microbiome health, and developmental foundations that influence lifelong wellness. As Director of Outreach and Engagement for the Institute for Functional Dentistry, she brings a powerful voice to advancing awareness and adoption of a more integrative, prevention-focused model of care.","link":"https:\/\/www.oraldna.com\/trends-in-salivary-testing\/index.php\/author\/ifd\/","slug":"ifd","avatar_urls":{"24":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/2a191d146b304be59c2e56fa1b630a72?s=24&d=mm&r=g","48":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/2a191d146b304be59c2e56fa1b630a72?s=48&d=mm&r=g","96":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/2a191d146b304be59c2e56fa1b630a72?s=96&d=mm&r=g"},"meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oraldna.com\/trends-in-salivary-testing\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/233"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.oraldna.com\/trends-in-salivary-testing\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users"}]}}