October 2016 Speakers

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Speakers' Biographies

Susan Griffin, PhD

Health Economist, Office of Noncommunicable Diseases, Injury and Environmental Health, Division of Oral Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, CDC

Susan Griffin, PhD, is a health economist in the Division of Oral Health within the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, and has been with CDC since 1997. Dr. Griffin’s research has focused on the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of interventions that aim to prevent dental disease. She has published more than 40 articles and received the American Association of Public Health Dentistry Public Service Award in 2012.

She received her PhD in economics from Emory University.

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Robbyn Kuester, BSDH, RDH

Statewide Dental Sealant and Fluoridation Program Coordinator, Wisconsin Department of Health Services

Robbyn Kuester, BSDH, RDH, is the Statewide Dental Sealant and Fluoridation Program Coordinator at the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. She plays a critical role in the Wisconsin Oral Health Program in efforts to reduce the burden of oral diseases. She provides statewide leadership and technical assistance on the promotion and implementation of school-based dental sealant and community fluoridation programs. She has more than 20 years of experience in the oral health field with a diverse background, including clinical dental hygiene, public health, education, and program development.

Kuester is a registered dental hygienist and received her BS degree in dental hygiene from Minnesota State University in Mankato.

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Dionne Richardson, DDS, MPH

State Dental Director, New York State Department of Health

Dionne Richardson, DDS, MPH, joined the New York State Department of Health in January 2016. Her current role as state dental director includes work in overseeing programs that provide valuable public health services to the maternal and child health population—such as school-based health center sealant programs, community water fluoridation, and other prevention programs to improve oral health across the lifespan. Prior to this position, she served as dental director for the Mississippi State Department of Health. She has more than 20 years of post-doctoral training and experience in the field of oral health.

Dr. Richardson received her DDS from Meharry Medical College School of Dentistry in Tennessee, as well as master of public health degree through the University of Rochester Medical Center and is a graduate of the New York State Department of Health’s Dental Public Health Residency program. She completed her undergraduate work at Xavier University in Louisiana.

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