In 1977, Maxine Feinberg decided to make some tough and unpopular choices. Though only 5% of dentists were women, she applied to New York University Dental School. There, she became the first female class president. She finished her training in periodontics in 1984 and never looked back.
Maxine Feinberg, DDS
She opened a practice limited to periodontics in 1986 and became involved in organized dentistry. She became the first female president of the New Jersey Dental Association in 2002, served on the ADA Board of Trustees representing the Fourth District in 2009, and was elected the third women president of the ADA in 2015.
Dr. Feinberg’s love of dentistry has not diminished over the last 40 years, and she enjoys keeping up with the changes that improve patient care, diagnostic accuracy, and efficient practice management. She is proud to serve as the chief strategy officer of VELMENI, a company committed to improving oral health outcomes by using AI to analyze 2D and 3D dental images.
“Artificial intelligence is the future of dental practice,” Feinberg said. “Even the best dentists miss a third of pathologies when looking at x-rays—either because the problems are difficult to see or because they’re just too busy running from treatment room to treatment room. VELMENI’s AI offers a second set of eyes that can say, ‘Doctor, you might want to take a look over here.’”
There’s much more gender equity in today’s dental workforce, but women still need to find ways to innovate and grow their influence.
“We can do that,” Dr. Feinberg said, “by making sure we step up first. Artificial intelligence and CBCT/3D technologies are ready. Though they continue to advance, they’re out there and available. They’ll help you deliver better results, save time and money, and set you and your woman-owned practice apart.”
