Dental Trade Alliance Announces 2024-25 Board of Directors; Sandra Hirsch, President and CEO of Zyris, Inc. Named DTA Board Chair

The Dental Trade Alliance (DTA) is proud to announce the 2024-25 Board of Directors. This year’s board was elected during the DTA Annual Meeting on the morning of November 12, 2024, in Napa, CA.
The 2024-25 Board of Directors includes five new members, elected for their first three-year term: Mercedes Aycinena, CEO, Komet USA; Matt Ingram, VP, Dental, Conexiant; Karim Khadr, Global Dental President of Septodont; Josh Killian, VP of Marketing, Patterson Dental; Joseph Talanges, President & COO, GC Americas.
“The Dental Trade Alliance leverages the strengths of our member companies to collectively impact oral health, supporting business objectives across the industry while empowering clinicians to provide optimal care,” said new board chair Sandra Hirsch. “I am excited to focus together on key initiatives in 2025, to facilitate better oral health for every individual Patient, the ultimate beneficiary of all our efforts!”
DTA Board Chair – Sandra Hirsch
Sandra Hirsch serves as President and CEO of Zyris, Inc. As a founding member of Zyris, she has been instrumental in transforming Zyris from a fledgling startup to the global leader in dental isolation technology, successfully distributing its flagship product, Isolite, throughout North America and in over 20 countries worldwide.
Sandra was appointed to the DTA Board of Directors in 2017 and has served on the Executive Committee, as Chair of the Audit Committee also serving on the Finance Committee. Her term as Board Chair is for one year 2024-2025 and then will move into a Past Chair roll for 2025-2026.
DTA Board Second Vice Chair – Marv Nelson
Marv Nelson serves as the CEO of A-dec, Inc., joining the A-dec team in 2006. Marv played a key role early in his career at A-dec developing the company’s strategic planning process as CFO, leading other corporate initiatives and eventually taking charge of all global business operations and corporate strategy. Marv was promoted to President, leading A-dec’s Executive Leadership Team before being appointed CEO in December 2023.
Marv was elected to the DTA Board of Directors in 2019 and has served on the Executive Committee and Finance/Audit Committee. Marv was elected Second Vice Chair and will eventually serve as Board Chair in 2028.
2024-25 DTA Board of Directors
Officers
• Sandra Hirsch, Board Chair, President and CEO, Zyris, Inc.
• Scot Andersen, Chair-Elect, Vice President, Global Business Development, Ultradent Products, Inc.
• Katy Cohen, 1st Vice Chair, Chief Revenue Officer, Benco Dental
• Marv Nelson, 2nd Vice Chair, CEO, A-dec, Inc.
• Tom Richardson, Treasurer, President, Atlanta Dental Supply
• Ted Kehagias, Immediate Past Chair, Vice President Sales, Midmark Dental Division
Directors at Large
• Mercedes Aycinena, CEO, Komet USA, 1st term to 2027
• Don Bell, VP, Product Marketing – North America, Ivoclar, 1st term to 2026
• Matt Berns, VP and General Counsel, HuFriedyGroup, 1st term to 2026
• Laura Dawson, EVP Revenue & Data, Premier Dental Products Company, 1st term to 2025
• Steve Desautel, Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Dental Health Products, Inc., 2nd term to 2026
• Matt Ingram, Vice President, Dental Conexiant, 1st term to 2027
• Karim Khadr, Global President, Septodont, 1st term to 2027
• Glen Kendrick, President, Planmeca USA, 1st term to 2025
• Josh Killian, Vice President of Marketing, Patterson Dental, 1st term to 2027
• Linda Miller, CEO and Founder PDT, Inc., 2nd term to 2025
• Dave Steck, President, U.S. Dental Group, Henry Schein, 1st term to 2025
• Joseph Talanges, President and COO, GC America, 1st term to 2027
• Mark Trimmer, VP, North American Consumables, Dentsply Sirona, 1st term to 2026
• Eric Wenzel, Vice President, US and Canada, Solventum, 1st term to 2025
About the Dental Trade Alliance
The Dental Trade Alliance (DTA) is a member supported trade association of suppliers and service providers of the oral health profession and industry with the common goal of improving the state of oral care. The organization provides resources, knowledge-sharing opportunities and advocacy supporting businesses throughout North America, with ties to the rest of the globe. With a dedication to oral health that reaches back to the 1800s, the modern day DTA is committed to the success of its members and the industry at large.
Through a combination of business intelligence, education initiatives and industry-leading events, the DTA drives a stronger bottom line for companies supporting the oral care marketplace. The organization’s policy and advocacy efforts focus on maintaining a safe oral care environment while minimizing regulations that make it difficult for suppliers and service providers to operate profitable businesses. The DTA Foundation (DTAF) supports the DTA mission closer to the patient level, by funding grants and scholarships to improve access and education. The Dental Trade Alliance is making a lasting impact on the oral care ecosystem.
Find out more about the Dental Trade Alliance at dentaltradealliance.org.