The future is now

James Clear is a writer and keynote speaker focused on habits, decision making, and continuous improvement. His book, Atomic Habits, has sold over 25 million copies worldwide, has been translated into more than 60 languages and was the #1 best-selling book of 2021 and 2023 on Amazon and #1 audiobook on Audible. Clear is a regular speaker at Fortune 500 companies and his work has been featured in publications such as Time magazine, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal and on CBS This Morning and Today Show Australia. He is a MasterClass instructor, alongside the world’s top experts such as Serena Williams, Neil Gaiman and Gordon Ramsay. His popular “3-2-1” email newsletter is sent out each week to more than 3 million subscribers.

James doesn’t merely report the research of others. He tries out the concepts for himself as he experiments with building better habits as an entrepreneur, writer, and weightlifter. In the end, his talks end up being one-part storytelling, one-part academic research, and one-part personal experiment, forming a colorful blend of inspirational stories, academic science, and hard-earned wisdom.

More About James Clear

Some of James’ engagements include Fortune 1000 and strategic clients such as Amazon, KPMG, Microsoft, A&T, Bristol-Myers Squibb, DellTechnologies, Facebook, Google, Liberty Mutual, Pfizer, JP Morgan Chase & Co., Procter & Gamble, Adobe, Cisco, Lockheed Martin, and Wells Fargo.

James Clear, one of the world’s leading experts on habit formation, is known for his ability to distill complex topics into simple behaviors that can be easily applied to daily life and work. In his book Atomic Habits, which has spent over four years on the New York Times bestseller list, he draws on the most proven ideas from biology, psychology, and neuroscience to create an easy-to-understand guide for making good habits inevitable and bad habits impossible.

Audiences come away from his talks learning how to:

• Build a system for getting 1% better every day.
• Break bad habits and stick to good ones.
• Avoid the common mistakes most people make when changing habits.
• Overcome a lack of motivation and willpower.
• Develop a stronger identity and believe in yourself.
• Make time for new habits (even when life gets crazy).
• Design an environment to make success easier.
• Make tiny, easy changes that deliver big results.
• Get back on track when you get off course.
• Put these ideas into practice in real life.

James is a supporter of the Against Malaria Foundation, donating five percent of his income to support AMF in distributing nets to protect children, pregnant mothers, and families from mosquitos carrying malaria. It is one of the most cost-effective ways to extend life and fulfills his bigger mission to spread healthy habits and help others realize their full potential.

Prepare to be inspired by Dr. Scott Parazynski, a multifaceted explorer whose extraordinary journey spans the realms of medicine, space, and extreme adventure. As a veteran NASA astronaut, Dr. Parazynski has completed five Space Shuttle missions and conducted seven spacewalks, including a daring repair of a live solar array during the STS-120 mission—an endeavor hailed as one of the most challenging spacewalks in history.

Beyond the stars, Dr. Parazynski achieved a terrestrial milestone by becoming the first person to both fly in space and summit Mount Everest. His relentless pursuit of exploration has taken him to the depths of the ocean, the peaks of the Andes, and the heart of active volcanoes, exemplifying his commitment to pushing human boundaries.

A graduate of Stanford University and its School of Medicine, Dr. Parazynski’s expertise in human physiology and adaptation to extreme environments has been instrumental in advancing space medicine. His entrepreneurial spirit led him to found Fluidity Technologies, a company dedicated to developing innovative control devices for various applications, from drones to surgical robotics.

Dr. Parazynski’s compelling memoir, The Sky Below, offers a profound narrative of resilience, courage, and the indomitable human spirit. His insights into leadership under pressure, innovation, and teamwork are invaluable for professionals across all industries.

Don’t miss this opportunity to hear from a true pioneer whose life story is a testament to the power of determination and the pursuit of excellence.

Salima Lin is the Managing Partner for Strategy, M&A, Transformation, and Thought Leadership at IBM Consulting. With over 25 years of experience in management consulting and leadership, she has guided numerous Fortune 500 companies in developing and executing business and operating strategies, driving transformation, and operationalizing process improvements. Her expertise spans various industries, including pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, diagnostics, medical devices, managed care, and healthcare delivery.

In her role, Salima oversees the IBM Institute for Business Value (IBV), which is recognized for its high-quality thought leadership and has been ranked #1 by Source Global. Under her leadership, the IBV has produced award-winning, evidence-based studies that provide strategic insights to business leaders worldwide.

Salima’s commitment to benchmarking and thought leadership as strategic business capabilities has been acknowledged through her recent appointment to the board of directors at APQC, the benchmarking and best practices authority. She is a fierce advocate for leveraging these tools to maintain competitiveness in the AI era.

She holds a master’s degree in health policy and administration from Harvard University and a bachelor’s degree in business administration and biology from Simon Fraser University.

Dr. Kimberly Schlam

Prosthodontist | Educator | Full-Arch & Complex Restorative Specialist

Dr. Kimberly Schlam is a nationally recognized prosthodontist, educator, and thought leader in comprehensive and full-arch restorative dentistry. With a reputation for clinical precision and interdisciplinary excellence, she has built a practice centered on advanced implant reconstruction, esthetic rehabilitation, and complex restorative care.

Based in Bend, Oregon, Dr. Schlam leads a specialty prosthodontic practice focused on full-arch implant therapy, digital workflows, and highly collaborative interdisciplinary treatment planning. She is deeply committed to elevating patient outcomes through meticulous diagnosis, thoughtful execution, and seamless coordination with surgical partners.

In addition to her clinical work, Dr. Schlam serves as Resident Faculty with Spear Education, where she teaches and mentors clinicians from across the country. Her ability to translate complex restorative concepts into practical, actionable strategies has made her a sought-after speaker and educator. She is particularly passionate about helping specialists and restorative dentists build predictable systems around full-arch treatment, interdisciplinary communication, and patient-centered case acceptance.

Dr. Schlam earned her dental degree from Oregon Health & Science University and completed advanced specialty training in prosthodontics, where she developed deep expertise in implant-supported restorations and complex rehabilitative care.

At the Moonshot Annual Meeting, Dr. Schlam will bring her experience in high-level restorative strategy, digital integration, and collaborative growth — offering insights that help specialists think beyond procedures and toward scalable, system-driven excellence.

Imtiaz Manji is the CEO and Founder of The Leadership Thread and one of dentistry’s most influential leaders, continuing his work helping specialists grow while delivering exceptional patient care. With more than three decades of industry impact, he was the Co-founder and Executive Chairman of Spear Education, where his visionary leadership helped redefine continuing education in dentistry. He is also the CEO of companies like Mercer Advisors and ExperDent, where his innovations helped practices improve efficiency and enabled clinicians to achieve greater financial freedom.

Known for his ability to challenge conventional thinking, Imtiaz has spent his career helping clinicians and teams move beyond incremental improvement toward true transformation. His work focuses on the intersection of leadership, clarity, and execution, guiding practices to align around a shared vision that drives both clinical excellence and meaningful growth.

At the Annual Meeting, Imtiaz will explore the fundamental role leadership plays in shaping every aspect of a practice. From how clinicians lead themselves to how they influence their teams, patients, and referring doctors, this session will redefine what it means to lead and how that leadership ultimately determines the trajectory of your growth.

Dr. Scott De Rossi is a nationally recognized healthcare executive, educator, and strategic innovator who has spent his career transforming organizations at the intersection of dentistry, medicine, and leadership. A two-time dental school dean and former academic health system CEO, he currently serves as Chief Strategy Officer of Nexus Integrated Health and holds senior leadership roles across multiple organizations driving enterprise strategy, innovation, and medical-dental integration.

Throughout his career, Dr. De Rossi has built and scaled complex institutions across higher education, clinical care, and private enterprise. From founding the Workman School of Dental Medicine at High Point University to leading the UNC Adams School of Dentistry and Carolina Dentistry, his work has consistently centered on aligning people, systems, and strategy to unlock growth and long-term impact. As a trusted advisor to emerging healthcare companies and a leading voice in positioning dentistry within broader healthcare, he brings a unique perspective on what it truly takes to lead in today’s evolving landscape.

At the Annual Meeting, Dr. De Rossi will challenge leaders to think differently about the role of leadership in building high-performing organizations. His session will explore how the right people, aligned around a clear vision, become the force that either accelerates growth or quietly holds it back—offering a powerful framework for making the leadership decisions that ultimately shape the future of your practice.

Dusty Heal is the Vice President of Innovation and Client Experience at The Leadership Thread, where he leads the development of AI-infused tools and resources designed to help dental specialists achieve their most ambitious goals. Overseeing both product innovation and client success, Dusty ensures every solution strengthens practice performance, streamlines workflows, and enhances the patient experience.

With more than 15 years of experience working alongside high-performing clinicians and their teams, Dusty brings a unique ability to bridge strategy, technology, and real-world execution. He leads two high-powered development teams focused on pushing the boundaries of what is possible with AI, while also guiding client success to ensure these innovations translate into measurable, lasting impact within practices.

At the Annual Meeting, Dusty will share how AI is actively reshaping leadership and the specialist practice. From enhancing decision-making to improving alignment and execution, he will provide a clear view of how clinicians can leverage AI today while preparing for what’s coming next.

Chief Investment Officer, Mercer Advisors

Donald Calcagni serves as the Chief Investment Officer at Mercer Advisors, where he leads the strategic direction of the firm’s investment platform, chairs the investment committee, and oversees all investment-related communications. With a career spanning over two decades, Donald’s expertise encompasses fiduciary oversight, economics, financial mathematics, portfolio management, corporate finance, and taxation.

As a thought leader and educator, Donald has contributed to the financial industry through his roles on the Advisory Board of Institutional Investors, the RIA Institute, and the Journal of Financial Services editorial board. He has also served as an adjunct professor at Widener University and as a guest lecturer at the University of Colorado at Boulder.

Donald holds an MBA from The University of Chicago Booth School of Business and a Master’s in Taxation from Widener University. He is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professional and has earned the Accredited Investment Fiduciary® designation.

In his upcoming session, Donald will address the challenges and opportunities presented by today’s rapidly evolving financial landscape, marked by AI acceleration, geopolitical volatility, and increasing complexity.

Clarity Amid Chaos: The Strategic Edge of Institutional Wealth Management

Owning the Future in an Age of Acceleration

The pace of change has shifted. We’ve entered an era defined by AI acceleration, geopolitical volatility, and relentless complexity. Specialists—who are already leaders in clinical care—now face a deeper challenge: how to lead their financial lives with the same level of intention, clarity, and control.

This isn’t just about investing. It’s about owning your future. It’s about making decisions today that hold up tomorrow, no matter how fast the world moves. Institutional-grade wealth management isn’t just a solution—it’s a philosophy. A way to streamline complexity, integrate everything (tax, insurance, investments), and stay positioned for opportunity when others are overwhelmed by change.

In a world full of noise, your margins become your message—the difference between surviving and compounding toward a vision that’s actually yours.

Today, Clarity Matters More Than Ever

The ground beneath us is shifting faster than ever, driven by global instability, disruptive technology, and the accelerating influence of AI. As a specialist, your success already demands clarity, precision, and leadership. Now, your financial life must meet that same standard.

You can no longer rely on outdated strategies, fragmented advice, or passive planning. This is your moment to lead, not react.

This session will help you:

• Ask the right questions—ones that cut through outdated models and surface what truly matters now.
• Clarify the type of advisory leadership you need—and the kind of leadership you must bring to the financial side of your life.
• Understand how to surround yourself with the right minds—people and partners who simplify complexity and amplify your strategy.

You’ll walk away with more than insight. You’ll walk away with a framework for action—a lens to navigate uncertainty with intention, and the confidence to build a plan that puts you fully in control of your destiny.

Dr. Simon Bernstein is a Diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology and a nationally recognized leader in advanced periodontal therapy, implantology, and digital dentistry. With training from Cornell University, Columbia University, and the University of Michigan, his clinical work is centered on advanced regeneration, full-arch implant solutions, and minimally invasive techniques that elevate both patient outcomes and clinical performance.

Beyond his clinical expertise, Dr. Bernstein is deeply committed to advancing the profession through education and innovation. As an active researcher in immediate full-arch implant restorations, he continues to shape the future of periodontal and implant care. He also leads Spear Education groups and mini-residency programs, creating intimate learning environments where clinicians come together to learn, improve, and push each other to higher levels of excellence.

At the Annual Meeting, Dr. Bernstein will share how creating a high-performing, close-knit clinical community can elevate everyone involved. Through a focus on education, collaboration, and continuous improvement, he will demonstrate how clinicians can grow together, strengthen relationships, and create an environment where both doctors and patients benefit.

Amy Morgan is one of the most respected voices in dental practice management, bringing over 30 years of experience helping practices grow with clarity, efficiency, and purpose. As Vice President of Practice Growth Strategy at Spear Education, she leads the development of tools, content, and strategies that empower clinicians to build strong operational foundations that support exceptional patient care.

Previously, as CEO and owner of Pride Institute, Amy expanded one of dentistry’s most trusted consulting organizations, evolving its systems to meet the demands of modern practices. Known for her practical, no-nonsense approach, she has helped thousands of clinicians strengthen leadership, align their teams, and create practices that are both highly profitable and deeply fulfilling.

At the Annual Meeting, Amy will explore the direct connection between leadership, team culture, and case acceptance. She will break down how the environment you create inside your practice shapes patient decisions and provide clear, actionable ways to build a culture that consistently leads to more “yes” from both patients and your team.