Ultimate Synergistic Team
Every practice dentist should have this information committed to memory and use it every day!
Join our mailing list to receive the latest news and updates from TGNA. Each month you will receive practice management tips, white papers, or handouts you can use in your practice right away.
Lisa maintains the critical role of conduit and liaison between clients, teams and coaches. Her solid understanding and appreciation for building client relationships along with her creative nature is an asset to the Transitions Group. She is solution focused with a make it happen attitude.
Lisa leverages her exceptional communication skills, empathy and organization to manage active client relationships. She is responsible to maintain an ongoing knowledge of project status and track project success. Her friendly manner along with her ability to create a solid project plan and adapt as required assists her as she works with our coaches to support our client needs.
She has a natural ability to conceptualize, and is skilled at coming up with unique strategies and dealing with complex problems. She is systematic thinker who is conscientious and pays attention to the details. These natural abilities are reflected in the caliber and quality of solutions and service she provides to our clients.
Sonia is an articulate and personable communicator with a reputation for building and nurturing client relations. She has a 15+ year track record for growing General and Orthodontic offices with both her clinical and management skills. After being exposed to practices that utilized various coaches, Sonia developed a fascination with the field and its teachings. It very quickly became her passion and she is extremely fortunate to have achieved her ultimate career objective of becoming a Dental Professional Coach with TGNA. While she loved working with patients on a one-on-one basis, she believes she can have a positive impact on the experiences of more patients and practitioners in a coaching role.
As a graduate of the Algonquin College Dental Hygiene program in Ottawa, she started her hygiene career in 2005. She also gained her Bachelor’s Degree in Biology in 2003 from the University of Waterloo, where she cultivated her ability to analyze and manage situations logically, using theoretical knowledge as a base.
While practicing dental hygiene, she pursued continuing education and gained skills that helped her implement and manage new policies for Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) as standards continually changed. She is currently pursuing her international Certificate in Infection Control (CIC) designation from the Certification Board of Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc (CBIC). She firmly believes that it is her science education coupled with her clinical experience that has given her a unique and essential understanding of what it takes to evaluate, develop, and teach these IPAC standards to ensure they are applicable and effective in a post pandemic community.
Sonia is known to “geek out” on anything related to technology or science. She also loves music, dancing, travel and in her free time practices kick boxing and yoga. Most of all, she enjoys sharing wonderful experiences with her son Nathan, friends and family!
Dr. Waschuk holds a Doctor of Dental Surgery and a Master of Education from the University of Toronto and has taught ethics, communication, recordkeeping and clinical skills to students in five health professional educational programs at six institutions of higher education.
Among many previous roles, she was an invigilator and examiner for the Assessment of Clinical Skills exam for the National Dental Examining Board (NDEB) and held a number of roles with the Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario (RCDSO), where she was employed for 21 years.
At Prep Doctors she is responsible for developing and maintaining compliance processes for the organization, course design and assisting with content creation and instruction in our Continuing Dental Education Department.
Dr. Robertson is a founding partner and lead appraiser of The Dental Broker Team. A graduate of the Faculty of Dentistry at the University of Toronto, he has also studied with the Canadian Chartered Business Valuation program. Beyond the scope of appraising and selling practices, he has worked hard to establish solid relationships with executives at the major Canadian banks with whom he has developed the appraisal formulas used by our firm. Because of this dialogue, his reputation, and his grounded research based approach to valuation, he has been called upon by the major Canadian banks to consult on trends, predictions, and perspectives in the Ontario and Canadian dental practice marketplace. He has authored articles on the topic of practice appraisal rationale in Ontario Dentist, The Journal of The Ontario Dental Association, and presented publicly with the Canadian Dental Association on the topic. As a dentist and brokerage partner, he contributed to the development of the Career Options Initiative with the Canadian Dental Association. Dr. Robertson is the author of The Science of Opinion, a research-based paper that establishes the only known evidence-based formula specific to dental practice appraisal value. He is the author of the book, From DEBTistry to Dentistry: A Buyer’s Guide to Successful Transitions.
Michael Griffith is a founding partner of The Dental Broker Team and a 7th generation Burlington/Hamilton resident with a rich family history in the local area. He is a graduate of the University of Guelph with an Honours Bachelor of Commerce degree majoring in Economics and Marketing. Upon graduation he was recruited directly out of school by a Large International Company where he received his MBA and held a variety of management roles in Sales and Marketing taking him across North America over a span of 10 years. Having a passion for real estate over the years he began to renovate houses as a hobby and after a number of successful projects decided to pursue his real estate dream by acquiring his Real Estate License. Once fully licensed he was hired on by Coldwell Banker Burnhill Realty in Burlington and over the past 18 years has managed to assemble a team of extremely skilled professionals that has reached tremendous success. Currently, ranked in the Top 10 teams in Canada and Top 1% internationally for Coldwell Banker Global he continuously strives to improve skills and processes while providing impeccable service for his clients. Most recently he obtained his Broker License and is now the President/Broker of the Brokerage. Michael is also an avid golfer and board member at the Burlington Golf and Country Club, Board member of the BSO (Burlington Symphony Orchestra), curler at the Burlington Curling Club and Downhill Ski Racer.
As CEO and founder of Patient News, Wayne Lavery has extensive experience developing effective marketing strategies in the health care provider marketplace.
Over the past 28 + years Patient News has worked with 7500 dental offices, and generated millions of new patients for their clients. Over this time the company has expanded from being a direct mail provider, to services that now include: software, call analytics, staff training, web development, SEO, and social media.
Patient News has been the recipient of many awards including being named a Top 100 Employer for four consecutive years – as compared with more than 70,000 companies across the country. We’ve received multiple awards for graphic design, direct marketing, and our environmental efforts. Our clients give us an NPS (Net Promoter Score) level of 86, putting us in the same company for service as Zappos and Amazon.
Not one to sit still for too long, in his spare time you’ll find Wayne on a mountain bike or ski racing – on his new bionic knees. A good thing the company headquarters has a state-of-the-art gym and spin studio.
Lisa Philp is the Chief Visionary Officer and founder of TGNA – Transitions Group North America; a full service coaching company for dentistry.
Her career began in clinical hygiene, however she quickly transitioned into a world class coach; creating a periodontal disease management program, in which she coached thousands of dental professionals.
Lisa is an industry leader, author, consultant, coach and speaker providing insights to dentists and their teams on practice development and industry changes. Through Lisa’s leadership, TGNA has developed into one of dentistry’s premier full service practice development companies providing practice management solutions for dentists and dental teams through coaching, training, mentorship and support.
Maralee is an accomplished dental professional who works hard to build strong working relationships with dental practices. After graduating from the Dental reception course at VCC in Vancouver, BC she soon found herself providing opportunities for professional development with dental offices.
After spending the last 17 years combined experience as a Software Sales Specialist and customer service expert in the dental environment, Maralee acquired unique knowledge in Practice Management, Implementing software, plus taking dental practices chartless, and developed proficiency in all aspects of daily dental operations. She also believes in respect, customer service excellence, commitment and building trust with her peers. Her values are professional as well as personal.
Maralee is a powerful force in the workplace. Her commitment to success, her positive attitude, her energy and her natural mentorship ability all work hand in hand to encourage others to work hard as well ,to achieve success in their goals.
She is inspired by her husband and family. In her free time she likes to hike, camp, snowboard, travel and spend time with her nieces and nephews.
Karen’s ability to recognize other’s unique strengths allows her to connect people and ideas when managing projects.
As a Financial Manager, she is excellent at coming up with unique strategies, prioritizing opportunities and dealing with the unknowns in complex problems. She is the go-to person when elaborate projects need help. She is precise in that she seeks details, correcting errors along the way to define the differences and frequently asking thorough questions to understand the situation fully. Karen is up for any challenge and can handle last-minute changes by seeking alternatives and using her imagination to cope with the unknowns. She doesn’t have to see it to believe it!
Karen has over a decade of growth with Transitions Group which enables her to be mindful of the specifics for expectations, time requirements and evaluation procedures to accomplish the tasks at hand.
Paul brings 28 years of experience in Health Care related Sales, Sales Management, Business Development, Marketing Communications, Medical Regulatory, CE, and Internal Operations experience to the Chief Operating Officer Role at Transitions.
He started his career with SPEED System Orthodontics as the North American Territory Manager, developing the market for SPEED Orthodontic Products, prior to moving to MarketForce Communications to take on a role as Account Director. Paul handled the “big brands” at MarketForce, developing strategic marketing and communication programs for Bayer (Antihypertensives / Adalat XL), Pharmacia and Upjohn (Oncology / Salagen), and Astra (GERD / Losec).
He later returned to SPEED System Orthodontics to build and manage a North American Sales Force, in addition to managing all aspects of global marketing and CE efforts. Once the North American Sales force was established and running efficiently, Paul took on direct International Sales, developing the Western European market for SPEED with specific emphasis on French language markets, while managing internal operations, and overseeing medical regulatory compliance.
Paul is a builder of teams and bridges. He’s a great listener, always seeking to understand and identify gaps and see the bigger picture. He seeks to be a solutions oriented resource for his Clients and his Team.
Indra graduated from the Dental Assisting program at Fanshawe College in London, Ontario in
1984. Upon graduating she became involved with the research department at UWO Faculty of
Dentistry and also the dental department at St. Joseph’s Hospital.
Her interest in the business aspect of the dental office prompted her to join an anesthesia
practice in Toronto, Ontario where she then moved into the administrative area as a Treatment
Coordinator and Office Manager before joining a dental consulting company. She consulted for
8 years coaching dental offices throughout Ontario to become more profitable through
successful organizational techniques.
Indra’s desire and ambition for growth prompted her to explore the sales field. She has worked
with several dental supply companies and implant companies over the last 17 years as a
successful territory representative.
Indra’s extensive and diverse background has allowed her to gain a complete and thorough
understanding of the dental office, team and environment- all of which foster a successful
business.
Indra’s experiences both clinically and administratively have contributed to her ability to analyze
situations from various vantage points in order to offer the best result. With a strong work
ethic and motivation to empower those around her, Indra offers integrity and positivity to the
team.
With over 18 years of experience in the dental industry, Kathy is known for her in-depth knowledge, positive personality, infectious laughter, and ambitious drive.
Passionate about creating streamlined work environments that are built on the firm foundation of correct IP&C and safety protocols; Kathy is able to apply her experience to connect with all office styles and personalities while implementing concise, proven, and effective management, administrative, and clinical systems.
As a registered Level II dental assistant – office manager – dental educator – and graduate of Mount Royal University’s Certificate in Adult Education – Kathy has developed a broad scope of skills that she shares with dental teams whose goal is to enhance the work environment and achieve both clinical and personal excellence. Continually striving to attain improvements and compliance with IP&C and safety programs, she also recognizes the need to streamline office policies and protocols to help dentists and staff balance work and home life. Believing that a low stress environment fosters enhanced performance and team cohesiveness; Kathy’s stance has always been “clear policies and documentation followed by proper team training”.
Recognized for clarifying office needs and customizing practical, workable solutions, Kathy’s dynamic approach and endless enthusiasm is able to transform old and outdated protocols with current and viable systems, making her a respected asset to both established and new dental practices.
Adhering to her strong belief in creating work life balance through healthy boundaries and resourceful solutions, Kathy‘s down time includes spending time with family (3 teenagers) and friends (too many to count), snowboarding, and lake side enjoyment.
“Minimizing stress, striving for the best, and always looking for the positive will lead to great results”. Kathy Elkadri
Bronko brings more than 25 years of experience working with dentists across Western Canada as an equipment specialist and a dental consultant. His experience covers being involved in building hundreds of clinics.
He has helped with finding great clinic locations, negotiating leases, clinic design, and securing financing. He also has consulted on growth plans for practices, practice analysis, and human resources (HR) issues.
Bronko has reviewed hundreds of practice evaluations, and he believes there is a better way to represent both the seller, and the buyer.
With his knowledge of the dental industry and with the many contacts he has made over the years, he knows what is important for the seller and the buyer. He believes that to provide the best possible evaluation, you must satisfy the seller, the buyer, the banking professionals, the lawyers, and the accountants.
His knowledge, experience, and integrity allow him to create a successful evaluation and sale, while minimizing stress, and reducing the time involved in processing the sale.
Before becoming a dentist, I attained my BSc from Laurentian University in Sudbury, and my Doctor of Dental Surgery Degree from the University of Toronto. I know that in order to provide quality dental care, I must always learn about the latest dental methods and technologies.
I actively pursue my continuing dental education with a primary focus on comprehensive reconstructive and rehabilitation dentistry. I also pay special attention to courses and seminars that teach the latest innovations in esthetics, implants, CAD/CAM dentistry, sleep disorders, and Invisalign® orthodontic aligners. My highest priority is helping my patients attain and retain optimal oral health for a lifetime, and my continuing education helps me do my job efficiently and with more comfort for my patients.
Prior to being elected mayor, Rick had a long and successful career in financial services. He began in 1979 and, prior to establishing Goldring Financial Leadership Inc., was a Senior Financial Advisor at Assante Financial Management Ltd. Rick is qualified as a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) and a Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU). He was elected President of the Hamilton Chapter of Advocis – The Financial Advisors Association of Canada.
In the community, he has served as a board member at the Ron Edwards Family YMCA, the Burlington Chamber of Commerce and the Rotary Club of Burlington Lakeshore. Rick is a Rotary “Paul Harris Fellow” and recipient of both a Canada 125 medal and a Queen’s Diamond Jubilee medal for service provided to Rotary and the community.
Rick has also served on the Boards of the Burlington Economic Development Corporation, Burlington Hydro, Burlington Performing Arts Centre, Tourism Burlington, Halton Community Housing Corporation, Association of Municipalities of Ontario and continues to serve on the Board of the Municipal Employers Pension Centre of Ontario
John Moakler, a Financial Planner well known across Canada, wants to rectify this imbalance. With a client list exclusively comprised of physicians, this is his straightforward but ambitious vision: That every doctor in Canada will take as much care of their financial health as they do of their patients’ health.
Financial health is something that John understands intimately. After graduating from the University of Waterloo in 1986 with a Bachelor of Mathematics and Computer Science, he spent 18 years in the high-tech industry – capped by building a software start-up and selling it to IBM for $76-million. In the course of that transaction, he became dissatisfied with the financial advice he was receiving. So, he set out to become a financial planner himself.
As he puts it: “I know what I want to see when I’m looking for a doctor: Lots of letters after their name. That’s why, when I decided in 2003 to become a financial planner, I added to my BMath by obtaining the Certified Financial Planner (CFP) and Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) designations.”
My passion is for coaching high-performance dental teams and advancing communication in dentistry worldwide. My focus is on improving treatment acceptance for complete dentistry and leadership development.
Having practiced implant and restorative dentistry for twenty years, I’ve been active in providing dental continuing education for 23 years, and like to take a practical approach to professional development. I’ve presented my work on treatment acceptance and leadership communications at associations and organizations worldwide.
In addition to creating speaker development programs for market-leading dental companies including Nobel Biocare, Ormco Orthodontics, Pacific Dental Services, Dentsply Sirona, and many others, I’ve enjoyed writing five books; Dentists: An Endangered Species; Isn’t it Wonderful When Patients Say “Yes!”; Making it Easy for Patients to Say “Yes!”; Just Because You’re Leading…Doesn’t Mean They’ll Follow, and Just Because You’re An Expert…Doesn’t Make You Interesting. Additionally, I authored two online in-office training programs on case acceptance; Case Acceptance Skills for New Dentists and Making It Easy for Patients to Say “YES!”.
I’m a current member of the American Dental Association, The Arizona Dental Association, The National Speakers Association, and licensed to practice dentistry in the great state of North Carolina. I hold the highest earned designation in professional speaking from the National Speakers Association – Certified Speaking Professional (CSP), where fewer than 15% of professional speakers hold this designation. I’m the first dentist worldwide to earn it.
I’m happily married to my wife Sweet Lisa and have two wonderful children, Adam and Kristen, who are all grown up, have children of their own, and off my payroll. Life is good
Gavin is known for changing the traditional mindset of online marketing in dentistry. He brings 10 years of experience working with global brands, including Four Seasons, Toronto Maple Leafs, Toronto Raptors, GQ, Samsung and Stella Artois.
After graduating in 1984 from the University of Toronto with an Honors science degree focused in Dentistry, Dr. Robert Cappell dedicated his life to caring for his patients.
Dr. Robert Cappell brings over 35 years of experience. In his career he has completed well over 10,000 root canals and 10,000 crowns, along with many other services.
While his credentials are undoubtedly impressive, his dedication to his patients deserves an even higher praise. Dr. Cappell’s approach focuses on your mouth as the first line of defence for your overall health. After all, everything that goes into your body typically comes from your mouth, which is why it is vital to protect its health.
He is not afraid of the challenges in dentistry and is well-prepared to tackle most disciplines, thanks to continued education throughout his career.
Dr. Walter Heidary prides himself on helping his patients understand what their “desired smile” is, and works with them to create a plan to achieve it. He emphasizes a collaborative doctor/patient relationship; by truly listening to what his patients want, he is able to consistently achieve dental results that meet (and often, exceed) their expectations.
Dr. Heidary has been practicing dentistry since 1993. He is a graduate of the University of Western Ontario, Case Western Reserve University and the University of Missouri in Kansas City. He is licensed to practice by the Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario Canada and in 41 US states.
He is married with three children, and is also the President, Founder and CEO of Child ventures Early Learning Academy.
As a Dental Hygiene student, Lisa Mapplebeck considered herself very fortunate to have passionate, dedicated teachers. They inspired her to want to make a similar impact for her patients and clients, lighting a spark that ultimately lead her to support student and graduate healthcare professionals to make a difference in the health of Canadians.
Having been inspired by these wonderful mentors, Lisa has pursued various career roles in Clinical, Education, Consulting, and Corporate settings where Lisa has continued her dedication to Healthcare and Dental Hygiene practice and standards, while supporting others with their educational and professional goals.
Lisa has developed, facilitated, and presented numerous programs, workshops, and CE courses. Audiences include students, faculty, and graduate professionals across local, Provincial and National Associations, as well as Dental, Dental Hygiene, and Pharmacy schools across Canada. Programs include:
Lisa lives with her husband and puppy in Southwestern Ontario. In her free time, she gives back in her community, and freely admits that she is 1 very big part dental geek, 2 parts aspiring yoga and meditation student, and 3 parts animal, flower, and nature lover…too many parts?
Everything Lori does, whether personally or professionally, is seen out from start to finish. She believes that with positivity, hard work and tenacity nothing is out of reach. Progress begins with change and cannot happen without it!
She has been actively involved in the dental profession as an Office Manager, Treatment Coordinator and Hygiene Coordinator before reaching her goal as a Business Coach with Transitions Group North America. Lori provides the tools and resources needed to help teams thrive; she is detail-oriented determined to excel with proven organizational, communication and leadership skills.
Lori holds certificates in Dental Practice Management from the University Of Toronto Faculty Of Dentistry, Lean Six Sigma – Yellow Belt, and in Adult Education from St Francis Xavier University. Lori is the proud recipient of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Commissioner’s Commendation for Community Service and was recognized for her innovative and informative approach she used, along with her dental practice, to raise awareness of the dangers of impaired driving through their “Don’t Brush Off Drinking and Driving” initiative
Karima is a graduate of two faculties from the University of Alberta in Edmonton – her undergraduate in the Dental Hygiene program and a master’s degree in Business Administration. She is an associate clinical professor at the dental hygiene department at the University of Alberta.
She is the co-director of the Diploma in Dental Hygiene (DDH) program at the Aga Khan University in Karachi, a program she has been instrumental in its research, development, implementation and ongoing evaluation.
Karima has conducted clinical research and published a paper on Implant hygiene protocols and peri-implant tissue assessments. Aside from North American venues, she has conducted extensive worldwide training in countries of Asia, Africa, Australia and Europe including Russia.
Karima is a recipient of the prestigious 2014 University of Alberta Alumni Honor Award and the 2013 Gibb Clinical Teaching Award at the School of Dentistry, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry at University of Alberta.
Lori is an expert in professional empowerment; she motivates teams to maximize their capacity for excellence. She inspires by supporting clients in the discovery of their true potential. Lori enjoys meeting new people and is fascinated by their uniqueness. She is open-minded and passionate about helping individuals to identify and enhance their strengths. Lori validates the significance of talent diversity and shows how it effectively contributes to team success. She demonstrates how a healthy balance of capacity and exceptional collaboration can transform a good team to one that is outstanding.
With creativity, Lori discovers and delivers innovative conduits to drive effective results. Her vision stems from conceptualizing what could be. As a leader and a risk-taker who embraces challenge, she relies on her keen intuition and acts on instincts appropriately. Adaptability, empathy and her ability to improvise enhances Lori’s connection with clients, leading them to ideal solutions.
Outgoing and approachable, Lori is proficient in people engagement and relationship building. She is an upbeat coach and dynamic facilitator who ignites excitement about team growth and development. With enthusiasm, she focuses on the lighter side of life and encourages others to do the same. Lori appreciates that although we do not always have the power to change what happens to us, we do have the power to control our attitude towards them.
Kris is a committed learner. After graduating from McMaster University where she earned her B.A. in Psychology she attended Humber College where she obtained her Certification in Human Resources Management. Based on her skills and continuing education over the past 15 years as a as a Human Resource Business Partner and Independent consultant within the health care industry and for several dynamic and growing dental clinics, she has been awarded her Certified Human Resources Leadership designation (CHRL). Kris’s learning has not stopped since graduation. She has acquired specialized training in one on one coaching. She was awarded a Kolbe Certification on Conative Strength evaluation. She has also obtained her Joint Health and Safety certification.
As a leader and coach; Kris has the ability to develop teams to understand their own unique strengths and gain a greater appreciation for the strengths of those around them. With her unique skills in Human Resources Management, Kris has strengths in supporting business owners in meeting legislative regulations along with coaching their leaders in best practices to ensure the business is protected.
Melanie is a committed Leader, Registered Dental Hygienist and an Associate Certified Coach with the International Coach Federation. She brings over 15 years of diverse professional experience ranging from; clinical practice, training and development, post-secondary academics and management. Melanie has a genuine passion for sharing her knowledge and helping others achieve great success. She is results driven, has high expectations and brings tremendous optimism and energy to her work.
Melanie unique style of blending personal and professional qualities helps her connect with all team members and foster cultures rich in engagement. She has a natural ability to see the big picture while taking complex situations and simplifying them into doable processes. Melanie is known for her ability to listen on multiple levels, helping her to clearly understand complex priorities, identify key strengths and crucial gaps. She can be relied on to create increased self-awareness, accountability and understanding amongst teams. Melanie believes that there is a solution to every challenge when leveraging each other’s potential, being collaborative and curious, and focusing on the strategic goal.
Maureen enhances through technology.
Maureen’s inquisitive style and ability to adapt quickly enhance the role of technology at Transitions. Strengths include the ability to see the bigger picture, how things/people connect; assessing risk to eliminate variables, making the most use of research and experience to make the best use of technology resources.
Incorporating her in-depth research skills, the ability to define objectives and establish priorities, Maureen’s talents enhance productivity through more efficient use of technology. Her ability to improvise, experiment and initiate innovation and her ability to relate to others, help to improve and develop user-friendly strategies to simplify technology.
Maureen is a perfectionist, systematic, precise, and conscientious and thrives in situations requiring attention to detail. Her willingness to encourage the input of others allows for the development of a workable consensus.
Score & Rank Your Practice with our Practice Assessment Score Card
Signature Coaching Program 
Virtual Dental CE Courses
New Dentist Business Consulting & Coaching
With an education from Harvard Business School, Ryerson University, York University and a background in engineering and business, Firas co-founded Prep Doctors with one vision – to create an inclusive learning space for dentists from all over the globe. Overseeing the business and marketing portfolios at Prep Doctors, Firas ensures that through compassionate and meticulous business strategy, the institute puts dentists first in everything we do. Prep Doctors began as an idea between friends to help dentists get qualified to practice in Canada – with Firas’ entrepreneurial vision, the institute has become Canada’s largest private dental institute and is ever-expanding. His mission is to create as many opportunities as possible for healthcare professionals to thrive and pursue their passion in Canada.