Board of Directors

Chair

A graduate of Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine, Dr. Mark Armstrong has been in private practice since 1989. His affiliation with CDCA-WREB-CITA began in 2005 following a gubernatorial appointment to the Ohio State Dental Board where he was President in 2009 and Vice President in 2007 and 2008.
Dr. Armstrong has served in numerous capacities throughout his membership, most recently as Vice-Chair, Treasurer, and Finance Committee Chair. He was elected Chair in 2023. He was also a member of the Credentialing Committee and a Member-at-Large of the Board of Directors for two terms in 2012 and 2013.
Dr. Armstrong’s commitment to his field is demonstrated by his continued membership and active presence in the Western Ohio Dental Society and Ohio Dental Association, where he has led numerous committees over the years. He has also participated in medical-dental missions in South America and as a civil servant, donating his forensic expertise to identify victims of September 11th.

Vice Chair

Dr. Rudy Ramos graduated from the University of Texas School of Dentistry in 1990. Dr. Ramos has been in private practice since 1991.

Dr. Ramos was appointed by Governor Rick Perry to the Texas Dental Board from 2009 to 2017 and served as president of the board from 2012 to 2017. Dr. Ramos has been involved with testing development and administration since 2010 and has served in several roles including grading examiner and Team Captain. Additionally, he served as the Chairman of the Endodontic committee and then served on the Dental Exam Review Board for the legacy WREB organization. Dr. Ramos currently serves as Vice Chair of the CDCA-WREB-CITA Board of Directors.

Treasurer

Dr. Gregory Waite graduated from Loyola University School of Dentistry in 1987. He was an associate in a private practice for two years and then was the Dental Director at a Federally Qualified Health Center for 28 years. He has been the Dental Director at San Carlos Apache Healthcare Corporation for the past four and a half years.
Dr. Waite served more than 12 years on the Arizona Board of Dental Examiners, half as its President. Soon after being appointed to the board, he joined WREB and was on the Board as a Member at Large and Treasurer. He has 13 years of examining experience.
Dr. Waite was involved with forensic dentistry with the Maricopa County Forensic Science Center and the Department of Homeland Security’s Disaster Mortuary Response Team, and helped identify victims of the September 11th attacks and Hurricane Katrina disaster.

Secretary

Betty Howard earned a Bachelor of Dental Hygiene from Maryland University School of Dentistry in 1983. Currently, she is a member of the University of Marylands’ Board of Visitors and
previously served on Maryland’s Alumni Board as member and Treasurer. Betty’s commitment to her chosen profession is demonstrated thru her participation in professional associations, on Marylands’ Board of Examiners, and the many contributions she has made to NERB/CDCA-WREB-CITA Through her 39 years in practice, she has worked in periodontics, general dentistry, pediatrics, and Public Health. Receiving a gubernatorial appointment to Marylands’ Board of Dental Examiners in l994, Betty completed her 2nd term as the Board Chair. She has been an examiner for 28 years. She previously served two terms as Dental Hygiene Member At Large on the board and has served on many committees including Steering, Constitution and By-Laws, New Member Orientation, the Nominating Committee.

Dental Member at Large

Former Vice Chair of the Rhode Island Board of Dentistry, Dr. Russell Chin graduated from the NYU College of Dentistry in 1976.
He is active in his community, participating in health fairs for the elderly and performing youth dental screenings for the children of the Pawtucket Rhode Island School District.
Dr. Chin maintains his private practice while serving as Director of District 9 for the American Board of Dental Examiners (ADEX) and participating in various committees for CDCA-WREB-CITA through his twenty-five years of membership.
A Fellow of the International College of Dentistry, he is also Past Executive Director and Treasurer of the International Association of Orthodontists of New England, and current Treasurer of the New England Society of Clinical Hypnosis, having served as President previously.

Dental Member at Large

Dr. Brian Kevin Collins graduated from NC State University in 1989 with a degree in biology and the UNC School Dentistry in 1993. Since then, he has maintained a private practice in Zebulon, North Carolina, actively serving the local community.

He has participated in dental testing since 2006, participating with CITA and CDCA-WREB-CITA Dr. Collins has maintained the position of Treasurer with CITA since 2019.
Dr. Collins has held two committee positions with ADEX (the American Board of Dental Examiners). He is finishing his three-year term as the Dental Examination Committee Chair and concurrently serves as a member of the Calibration Committee. He is married to Kelli Collins and has two sons, Tanner and Hudson Collins.

Dental Hygiene Member at Large

Heather Hardy has been a dental hygienist for 25 years, working in pediatric, periodontic and general practices. Heather was appointed to the Arizona State Board of Dental Examiners in 2013 and served for 8 years, finishing the second term as board president. Heather served on a dental hygiene subcommittee to the dental board concurrently for 8 years and sat as chair for 7 years.

She is currently and adjunct faculty at Rio Salado School of Dental Hygiene while continuing private practice two days a week.

Heather began examining with CDCA-WREB-CITA in 2015 and has served on many committees, including the Steering Committee, Constitution and Bylaws Committee, Hygiene Assignment Subcommittee, and Public Advocacy Committee.  Heather also participated in developing the Hygiene Manikin Exam best practices during COVID-19.

Heather has a passion for learning.  She is currently finishing a bachelor’s degree in Information Technology and is self-taught in Spanish.  Heather has 3 college-aged children and loves to golf.

Dental Member at Large

Dr. Rob Lauf graduated from the University of Nebraska Medical Center and has been in private practice since 1989. He has recently joined the CDCA-WREB-CITA Board of Directors. He was the president of WREB aiding in the process to form CDCA-WREB. He served on the North Dakota Board of Dental Association for ten years, 2006-2016 of which he has served as its President. He served on the board of the North Dakota Dental Association for 8 years, serving as its President for the years 2000-2002. He is also past chair of CAPIR for the American Dental Association and had served as a delegate for many years. He has been a dental examiner for 15 years.

Dental Member at Large

Dr. Chip McVea is currently the President of ADEX.

Dr. McVea graduated from the LSU School of Dentistry in New Orleans in 1987. After graduation, he entered private practice with his father, where they served the community together for more than 30 years.

Governor Bobby Jindal appointed Dr. McVea to the Louisiana Board of Dentistry in 2010. He served as President of CITA, the Council on Interstate Testing Agencies, from 2014 to 2018 and 2022. He was elected to the American Board of Dental Examiners (ADEX) Executive Committee in 2016 and today serves as its President, having taken office in August 2022.

Dr. McVea is a Master Fellow of the Academy of General Dentistry and continues to practice while examining nationwide.

Dental Hygiene Member at Large

Bio coming soon!

Dental Member at Large

In 2013, Dr. Thomas was appointed to the District of Columbia Board of Dentistry and concluded his tenure serving as the Board’s Chairperson in February 2022. He is a Fellow of the American College of Dentists and the International College of Dentists. He served as a Board Commissioner of the Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations and ADEX’s Board of Directors.
Dr. Thomas is a Lieutenant Colonel in the District of Columbia Army National Guard and a practicing general dentist. Dr. Thomas has been an active member of the CDCA-WREB-CITA since 2014, serving on several committees. Previously, he served on the Board of Directors for Whitman-Walker Health Center.
He shares his talents by supporting his undergraduate alma mater, Morehouse College, and several D.C. area art programs, including the John F. Kennedy Center Circles, Washington National Opera, Washington Performing Arts, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, and as an Ambassador for the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture.