Women in DSO® Announces 2026 Empower and Grow Conference Emcees

Women in DSO®, the official nonprofit organization supporting the advancement of women leadership in dentistry, is proud to announce the emcees for the 2026 Empower and Grow Conference:  Dr Farzeela Rupani, Chief Medical Officer, Colosseum Dental Group and Dr Brett Kessler, DDS, 161st President of the American Dental Association. These two dynamic leaders bring a wealth of experience, passion, and energy to the stage, and we are thrilled to have them guide us through this inspiring event.

Approaching 1000 women leaders as Women in DSO® members which includes leading DSOs, Private Equity groups, global organizations, and many professional leaders, Women in DSO® will host its highly-acclaimed event this March 5-7, 2027 at the Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.  Over 900 attendees including leading DSOs such as Heartland Dental, Aspen Dental, Independence Dental Services, Dental Care Alliance, Smile Brands, Risas Dental and Braces, 42 North Dental, Dental Express, Pepperpointe Partnerships, Rodeo Dental and Braces and more joined for the event last March.  

Register today for the 2026 conference event at https://womenindso.org/empower-%26-grow-conference.

Dr. Farzeela Rupani has been a dentist for 20 years, a strategist, a mentor, and now, one of the most influential leaders in European dentistry. Her path from the operatory to the boardroom is not just impressive—it’s reshaping how dentistry is practiced, led, and imagined. Dr. Rupani’s clinical experience spans across restorative dentistry, orthodontics, facial aesthetics, and implant care. But her leadership credentials are equally formidable. In addition to her dental degree from King’s College London, she earnt dual degrees in Medical Sciences with Management and International Health Management from Imperial College London Business School, and confidently stepped into roles that spanned consulting, regulation, academia, and corporate leadership. Her career has included teaching at Guy’s Hospital, management consulting for KPMG, nine years of dento-legal work at the General Dental Council, and leading clinical operations for DD Group. Each stage sharpened her ability to bridge clinical authenticity with business vision. Today, as Chief Medical Officer of Colosseum Dental Group, she leads the clinical strategy of one of Europe’s largest dental organizations—11 countries, 630+ clinics, 50 labs, and over six million annual patient visits. Her formula: empower clinicians to thrive, support them with advanced training, and balance performance metrics with a patient-first culture. Known for her forward-thinking mindset, Dr. Rupani has championed AI diagnostics, digital workflows, robotics, and personalized clinician reporting—always in service of better outcomes and stronger teams. She has also led outreach for underserved populations, spearheaded overseas recruitment to strengthen rural capacity, and made access to care more equitable through patient-friendly programs. Her vision is bold yet grounded: a profession where dentistry operates not just as oral healthcare, but as a cornerstone of systemic health and overall wellbeing. Beyond her executive role at Colosseum Dental Group, Dr. Rupani sits on the Faculty Board for the College of General Dentistry (UK), the Advisory Board for Women in DSO, and the Global Advisory Board for RipeGlobal. She continues to mentor, speak internationally, and champion diversity and development in dentistry.

Brett Kessler, DDS is the recent past president of the American Dental Association (ADA).  

Brett Kessler, DDS has been practicing esthetic, functional and reconstructive dentistry since 1995.  He has been published in multiple national and local periodicals and news outlets on various subjects with respect to cosmetic dentistry and well-being issues. In 2015, Dr. Kessler was featured by the Denver Post as the only dentist in Colorado with its inaugural “Strength in Health” award. He has been recognized by his peers as a “Top Dentist” in 5280 (fifty-two-eighty) Magazine every year since its inception in 2005. 

Dr. Kessler is a past president of the Colorado Dental Association. He also serves as the chairman of the well-being Committee for the State of Colorado and is a consultant for the American Dental Association, serving for several years on the Dental Well Being Advisory Committee as well as the Council on Dental Benefits.   Brett served from the 14th ADA District as its representative to the ADA’s Board of Trustees. As a Trustee, he was Chair of the ADA’s Science and Research Institute, Chair of the Diversity and Inclusion Committee as well as the Chair of the ADA’s Audit Committee.  

He is a Fellow in the American College of Dentists, International College of Dentists and the Pierre Fauchard Academy. 

In the fall of 2007, Dr. Kessler testified on behalf of the American Dental Association before the US Congress on the ravages of methamphetamines on the oral health. He speaks internationally to various organizations and dental societies with a focus on wellbeing and leadership concepts. 

While in private practice, he was a clinical associate professor at the University of Michigan until he moved to Colorado in 1999.  Brett then taught occlusion and morphology at the University of Colorado, School of Dental Medicine from 2003-2011.  

Brett keeps in shape by both coaching and participating in various endurance races across the United States including two finishes at the the Ironman World Championships in Kona, HI.  

Brett and his (orthodontist) wife Gina have four children: Abbey, Max, Sydney and Riley.