I am a Clinical Professor of Pediatrics in the UCSF School of Medicine, and Clinical Professor of Preventive and Restorative Dental Sciences in the UCSF School of Dentistry. My goal is to increase the rate and quality of preventive care provided to all children, but especially those who come from less resourced circumstances. I work to accomplish this through clinic, research, and service.

I love being a primary care pediatrician, helping children (and families) grow and develop, at the county hospital, Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital. Concurrently, I get the challenge and pleasure of teaching medical, nursing, and dental students.

My research focuses on preventing the most common chronic condition of childhood, dental cavities, by employing preventive strategies in primary care medical and other non-dental settings, as one example of changing the approach. My conceptual model of children's oral health has been cited widely, and my research now focuses on eliminating oral health disparities. I have been extending this work to help those pregnant and elderly.

I serve locally with CavityFreeSF and in the greater San Francisco region, plus nationally, and internationally. I serve on the California State Oral Health Plan and the California Perinatal and Infant Oral Health Quality Advisory Board. I worked as an executive committee member on the American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Oral Health, and still write policies and give workshops for them. I am honored to be asked to write and speak nationally and internationally on my work.

Drawing from my clinic practice, I also have a deep desire to understand immunizations so I can help parents and providers make educated decisions about their preventive care. One skiIlset I have developed is in informatics, to use systems to improve the quality of care provided; I am boarded by the American College of Preventive Medicine, as well as the American Board of Pediatrics.