Board of Directors
Board Members
Click to view more information:- Dr. D. Walter Cohen- Honorary Chairman
- Dr. Allen R. Helfer, BA, DDS, MScD- President
- Dr. Michael Goldberg, DMD- Vice President
- Dr. Robert N. Lipner, DMD- Treasurer
- Dr. P. Deborah Weisfuse, DMD- Secretary
- Dr. Eric S. Cantor, DDS
- Rabbi Gary Charlestein
- Mr. Keith Drayer
- Dr. Scott Dubowsky
- Mr. Jack Kaplan
- Dr. Fred Margolis
- Dr. Mark Schachman, DMD
- Mr. Arthur H. Sheer, MBA
- Dr. Don Simkin, DDS
- Dr. Ken Simckes
- Dr. David Weinstein
- Dr. Alan Wender
Dr. D. Walter Cohen- Honorary Chairman
Dr. D. Walter Cohen is a native of Philadelphia. He attended the University of Pennsylvania undergraduate school and earned his D.D.S. from their school of Dental Medicine at University of Pennsylvania Dental School. He established the school's department of periodontics and served as it's first chairman. Not long after he was given the title of Dean. During his tenure as Dean he was responsible for introducing new courses, recruiting new faculty, and establishing a residency program for dental students. Dr. Cohen has written over twenty-two books and published more than 125 articles. He became the President of the Medical College of Pennsylvania in 1986 and opened up a new educational campus. Dr. Cohen's many accomplishments include a Gold Medal from the American Academy of Periodontology, an honorary membership in the British Society of Periodontology, and Legion of Merit Award from the French government. Currently, Dr. Cohen serves as the Honorary Chairman of American Friends of DVI.
Dr. Allen R. Helfer, BA, DDS, MScD- President
Dr. Allen Helfer has been the Chairman of American Friends of DVI for nearly a decade. He is a graduate of the Columbia University Dental School and Boston University, School of Graduate Dentistry. Dr. Helfer has taught as a Clinical Professor of Endodontics at Columbia Dental School and acted as the Endodontic Director of AEGD and GPR Residency Program at Columbia Dental School. He continues to teach at both Columbia University School of Dentistry in New York and Nova University Dental School in Florida. He is a member of many influential organizations including the William Jarvie Honor Society, Connecticut Dental Society, Diplomat of American Board of Endodontics among many others. Dr. Helfer has traveled the world giving lectures and seminars on general dentistry and endodontics. He has been involved with DVI and Trudi Birger for many years and has contributed much of his time, energy, and gracious leadership to ensuring that the DVI clinic in Jerusalem runs successfully.
Dr. Michael Goldberg, DMD- Vice President
Dr. Michael Goldberg has been active in DVI since he first volunteered in 1984 and has made yearly visits to the Trudi Birger Dental Clinic in Jerusalem since the mid 90's. He has served as the Director of Columbia Presbyterian Dental Faculty Practice, and Director of Emergency/Triage at Columbia University of Dental and Oral Surgery. He has also been the Director of the General Practice Residency Program at Presbyterian Medical Center. He has directed a course at Columbia Dental School in Practice Management and has lectured there on many other topics. He is currently in private practice in New York City. Among his honors are membership in the OKU Honor Society and Academy of General Dentistry as a Fellow.
Dr. Robert N. Lipner, DMD- Treasurer
Dr. Robert Lipner is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine. He has practiced general dentistry at his private practice for thirty years and counting. Some of his many honors include fellowships in the American College of Dentists, the Academy of General Dentistry, the International Academy for Dental Facial Esthetics, and the New York Academy of Dentistry. Aside from his professional accomplishments, Dr. Lipner is also involved in many community endeavors including Ice Hockey for Harlem where he fitted night guards for inner city children for several years. He has been a charter member of DVI since the 90's and has donated his time by volunteering at the Trudi Birger Dental Clinic and assisting in many fundraising initiatives. He has been Treasurer of American Friends of DVI since 2006.
Dr. P. Deborah Weisfuse, DMD- Secretary
Dr. P. Deborah Weisfuse is the Secretary and Administrator of American Friends of DVI. She has been dedicated to making AFDVI a dynamic organization. Dr. Weisfuse attended University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine. She has taught as an Assistant Professor at Columbia University School of Dental and Oral Surgery, and Assistant Clinical Professor at Fairleigh Dickinson University School of Dentistry. She has been an Attending at Long Island College Hospital. Some of her many honors include fellowships in the American College of Dentists, the Academy of General Dentistry, the International Academy for Dental Facial Esthetics, and the New York Academy of Dentistry. Dr. Weisfuse has spent many years on the Board of Directors for the New York County Dental Society and the Council on Government Affairs for the New York State Dental Association.
Dr. Eric S. Cantor, DDS
Dr. Eric S. Cantor received a B.A. in Psychology from Temple University and D.D.S. from Georgetown University School of Dentistry. He maintains a private practice in advanced general dentistry in Philadelphia and is a Clinical Associate Professor at Temple University School of Dentistry. As a board member of DVI he has worked as a volunteer dentist at the Trudi Birger Dental Clinic many times. Dr. Cantor is also an executive board member of the Philadelphia Chapter of the American Jewish Committee. He is the President of the Philadelphia Chapter of the Alpha Omega International Dental Fraternity. He has participated in the 3rd Young Jewish Leadership Diplomatic Seminar in Jerusalem as well as the AJC Forum for Dialogue Among Nations exchange program in Poland. Dr. Cantor chairs our yearly fundraiser in the Philadelphia region.
Rabbi Gary Charlestein
Rabbi Gary Charlestein has been a member of DVI since the 1980's. He graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He served for six years as the pulpit rabbi before entering into the family business, Premier Products Company. Rabbi Charlestein currently serves as the CEO and Chariman of Premier Products Company. Premier Dental has consistently donated much needed dental supplies to our clinic in Jerusalem.
Mr. Keith Drayer
Keith D. Drayer is Vice President of Henry Schein Financial Services at Henry Schein, Inc., which is the largest provider of healthcare products, and services to office-based practitioners in the combined North American and European markets. Mr. Drayer is responsible for Henry Schein Financial Services and Henry Schein Professional Practice Transitions, which help healthcare practitioners operate successful practices. A leader in the field of professional dentistry, Mr. Drayer is active with the Dental Trade Alliance, serves on the board of Dr. Edward B. Shils Entrepreneurial Education Fund and is a member of the Alpha Omega Corporate Roundtable. He also works with the National Dental Association and Hispanic Dental Association on matters of dental diversity and practice ownership. He is our liaison to Henry Schein, which consistently and generously participates in supplying our dental clinic and other general support of our organization.
Dr. Scott Dubowsky
Dr. Scott Dubowsky is a 1975 graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, School of Dental Medicine. He received a teaching fellowship in periodontics from the University of Pennsylvania and completed his hospital residency training at Metropolitan Hospital Center in New York City in 1976. Dr. Dubowsky has received fellowships from the Academy of General Dentistry (FAGD) and The Pierre Fauchard Academy. He has held national positions in both the American Dental Association and the Academy of General Dentistry at the council and taskforce level and has been Chairman of the AGD's Council on Dental Care. He is a past president of the New Jersey Academy of General Dentistry and has also served as a reviewer for the US Surgeon General's Report on Oral Health in America. Dr. Dubowsky was a clinical assistant professor at the NYU College of Dentistry for over 25 years, is currently an attending dentist at Bayonne Medical Center, and is an evaluator for "Clinician's Report," an independent dental research and evaluation organization. Dr. Dubowsky has received recommendations from the New York City Medical Examiner's office for his work as a member of the dental ID team following the World Trade Center tragedy.
Mr. Jack Kaplan
Mr. Jack Kaplan is a graduate of Alfred University. He has been a past board member of Alfred University and past member of Alfred University Investment Board. He has been a member of The Friars Club of New York for thirty years. Mr. Kaplan is currently the President of Arc Technologies Incorporated.
Dr. Fred Margolis
Dr. Fred Margolis received his B.S. and D.D.S. from The Ohio State University and his certificate in pediatric dentistry from the University of Illinois College of Dentistry. Dr. Margolis is a Clinical Instructor at Loyola University's Oral Health Center and an Adjunct Assistant Clinical Professor at the University of Illinois College of Dentistry.
He is a fellow of the Pierre Fauchard Academy, International College of Dentists, American College of Dentists, Academy of Dentistry International, and the Odontographic Society. Dr. Margolis is the chairperson of our Chicago fundraising meeting, and enjoys treating the patients at DVI while volunteering. He is the International Editor of the Alpha Omega Dental Fraternity and has served on its Board for seven years. He is most proud of the Distinguished Member of 2005 awarded by the Illinois State Dental Society. Dr. Margolis is in full-time private practice of pediatric dentistry in Buffalo Grove, Illinois.
Dr. Mark Schachman, DMD
Dr. Mark Schachman is a graduate of the New York University of Dentistry. He is a former Clinical Assistant Professor of Surgical Sciences at the New York University College of Dentistry. Dr. Schachman has managed his own private practice for twenty years now. He is a member of many distinguished societies including the New York Academy of Dentistry, the Alpha Omega Fraternity, American Dental Association among others. Some of Dr. Schachman's honors include fellowships in the New York Academy of Dentistry and the Academy of General Dentistry. He is also a recipient of the Research and Education Foundation award by the American Association of Endodontists.
Mr. Arthur H. Sheer, MBA
Mr. Arthur Sheer is the founder and Chief Executive officer of Sheer Asset Management Inc. and currently chairman and CEO of The Roosevelt Investment Group. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from the University of Rhode Island and an MBA from Babson College. He began his career as a Securities Analyst at First National Bank of Chicago. While there, he held various positions including bank officer and Research Group Leader. Mr. Sheer moved on to work as research and portfolio management positions at Keystone Custodian Funds and Fidelity Management. His success caught the attention of Jacob Rothschild he was personally recruited him to manage the portfolios of House of Rothschild. Mr. Sheer served as Chief Investment Officer at J. Rothschild and Rothschild affiliated for six years. Not long after he formed Sheer Asset Management, Inc.
Dr. Don Simkin, DDS
Dr. Don Simkin is a graduate of NYU College of Dentistry. He has managed his own private practice in Livingston Manor for over three decades. He is a member of the American Dental Association and Academy of General Dentistry. Dr. Simkin has served as the director of Dentistry at Catskill Regional Medical Center for over a decade. He also assists as a Dental Consultant for the United States Luge Association. Some of his many community endeavors include Board Member of the United Way of Sullivan County, past President of the Sullivan County Health Advisory Council, founding member and past president of the Livingston Manor Community Center. Dr. Simkin is an avid traveler and Olympic enthusiast. He has attended all Olympic Games since 1980. He has been an active volunteer in American Friends of DVI for eleven years and counting.
Dr. Ken Simckes
A graduate of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey Dental School, Dr. Simckes went on to receive a certificate in Pediatric Dentistry at the Brookdale University Medical Center where he also served as the chief dental resident. Since his first trip to the Trudi Birger DVI clinic in May of 2003, Dr. Simckes has been back at least twice each year. Dr. Simckes has an active private pediatric dental practice in Monsey, NY where he lives with his wife and seven children. He also has an appointment as an attending at Good Samaritan Hospital in Suffern, NY. In addition to serving on the board of American Friends of DVI, Dr. Simckes serves as president of his synagogue, The Young Israel of Monsey and Wesley Hills; vice-president of the Adolph Schreiber Hebrew Academy of Rockland; and as the co-chair of the Rockland County Young Leadership Division of Israel Bonds.
Dr. David Weinstein
Dr. Weinstein specializes in periodontics and the placement of dental implants with offices in Manhattan and New Jersey. He received his doctorate in Dental Medicine from the University of Pennsylvania and completed a general practice residency at the Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. Dr. Weinstein is a former Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Implant Dentistry at Columbia University School of Dental and Oral Surgery where he instructed students on dental implantology. He is a member of the American Dental Association, the American Academy of Periodontology and the Northeast Society of Periodontist. Dr. Weinstein first volunteered at the Trudi Birger clinic in 1992. Since then, he has returned to the clinic over ten times. Dr. Weinstein has served as the Chairman of the New York annual fundraising meeting several times.
Dr. Alan Wender
Dr. Alan Wender graduated from NYU Dental School in 1955. He served for two years in the United States Army. He practiced general dentistry in Mount Holly, New Jersey for forty-seven years. In 1992, Dr. Wender read about the DVI Clinic in his Jewish Community Center newspaper and decided to volunteer that same year. He has been volunteering at the clinic since then. By 2007 Dr. Wender had volunteered at the Trudi Birger Dental Clinic for sixteen consecutive years. Dr. Wender has been quoted as saying, "Meeting Trudi Birger was one of the greatest experiences of my life. When you look into a patient's open mouth, their ethnicity seems to have faded away."
