Kids In Need of Dentistry (KIND) is a nonprofit organization that provides high-quality, affordable dental care to children in need throughout Colorado. Since 1912, KIND has helped thousands of children each year get the dental services they need at a cost their families can afford. KIND is committed to providing dental care that is respectful of and responsive to the specific cultural needs of the communities we serve.

KIND is a scrappy team of health-equity warriors most concerned with increasing access to judgment-free, positive oral health experiences, treatment, and education with kindness, regardless of a patients ability to pay.

'The folks at KIND are well qualified, caring and amazing with my kids. My kids love going to the dentist at KIND! The staff is obviously experienced at making kids feel comfortable and loved. KIND has been a lifesaver for my family! I cant tell you how grateful I am for this incredible organization and these incredible people.'

Dr. Patterson is a member of the Colorado Dental Association, American Dental Association, the American Medical Association, the Colorado Medical Association, the International Congress of Oral Implantologists, the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, the American College of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons, the American Dental Society of Anesthesiology and the Colorado Society of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons where is past president.

He received his degree in biology from the University of Colorado-Boulder in 1983 and continued his education at the University of Colorado School of Dentistry completing his Doctor of Dental Surgery Degree in 1989 and a General Practice Residency in 1990. From 1992-1998, he attended the Mayo Graduate School of Medicine, completing a six-year residency in oral and maxillofacial surgery. While completing his residency, Dr. Patterson received his Doctor of Medicine Degree in 1996 from Mayo Medical School.

After completing his residency program, Dr. Patterson returned to Colorado to begin practicing as an oral and maxillofacial surgeon as well as becoming an associate professor at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center in the Department of Surgical Dentistry and the General Practice Residency Program. Dr. Patterson is past-President of the Colorado Society of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons and is currently on the executive board of the Metropolitan Denver Dental Society and is a board member of the JP Opioid Interaction Awareness Alliance.

Dr. Patterson has been practicing oral and maxillofacial surgery in Colorado since 1998 and remains dedicated to the well-being and oral health of all his patients. He has a special interest in providing care for individuals who may not have the means to obtain care in regular clinics. He devotes a significant amount of time providing care for children and adults through organizations such as Kids in Need of Dentistry, Colorado Foundation of Dentistry for the Handicapped, The Metropolitan Denver Dental Foundation Smile Again Program and The Metropolitan Denver Domestic Violence Program.

Cindy has deep roots in the dental community with over 30 years of experience in the clinical, business management, and dental laboratory marketing roles. She and her husband Kevin own and operate 5280creations dental laboratory. Cindy is passionate about giving back to the community. As a mother and grandmother KIND holds a special place in her heart and she has volunteered her time with KIND for several years prior to joining the board. In addition, she is an active member of the MDDS Outreach Committee, MDDS RMDC Exhibits Committee, COMOM, and is a supporter of the Dental Lifeline Network.

Mr. Austin joined Mastin Bergstrom LLC in 2012. He received his Juris Doctor from the University of Denver Sturm College Of Law and was admitted to the Colorado Bar in 2011. Prior to beginning his legal career, Mr. Austin worked for over 15 years in the information technology field. This was the critical time frame when computers became such an integral aspect of how work is accomplished. He assisted companies to implement technologies that allowed for increased productivity which resulted in substantial reductions in costs and increased revenues. Professional Experience Mastin Bergstrom LLC, Associate, 2012 Present Arapahoe District Court, law clerk for the Honorable Charles M. Pratt 2011 2012 Colorado Court of Appeals, intern for the Honorable David Furman 2009 2009 Independence Institute, intern to Director of Research David Kopel 2008 2008 Regis University, Computer Field Technician 2005 2008 United Airlines, Computer Field Technician 2003 2005 Cub Foods, Retail Technology Field Specialist 1994 2003 Community Leadership Small group leader for Harvest Bible Chapel Intern with Project 1.27 (agency committed to finding forever homes for foster children) History Center Colorado Volunteer

Rosa Melendez-Nguyen is a product of Denver Public Schools where she graduated from Denvers North High School in 1988. Rosa feels honored to be able to serve the community and passionate about making the world a better place than the one she grew up in. Rosa gets her passion and perseverance from her parents.

Elliott Carson is the General Manager for the Denver Branch of Patterson Dental. In this role, he leads a team of 45 local dental professionals including sales, technical service, and inside staff to support dental customers in the Colorado and Southern Wyoming markets. Elliott started with Patterson in 2005 and has held several roles with the company including CEREC Specialist, Branch Manager, Director of Marketing, and his current role as General Manager. Patterson Dental is a full service, value-added distributor offering more than 100,000 products and a wide range of innovative equipment, software, technology solutions, and services.

With over 14 years of business lending experience in the Colorado market, Paul Jerezs primary focus is strengthening relationships in the dental market with current customers and prospective clients. Paul provides a holistic approach in meeting the needs of businesses, including loans, lines of credit, deposit solutions, and money management. Paul understands that dentists are passionate about helping patients, so his goal is to make that mission as effortless as possible.

Since Clarisa moved to Denver from Phoenix, Arizona in 2012 to start a branch of her financial planning practice, she has been involved in the community and has been dedicated to giving back. She almost immediately became a partner for Social Venture Partners, had her office participate in charity work for Ronald McDonald House, Clothes to Kids, Extreme Community Makeover, etc. and most recently joined the board for Westwood Unidos. Clarisa is motivated by and committed to KINDs mission of increasing the health and happiness of Colorados children because she herself was once a child who benefited from non-profit dental care. Clarisa graduated from Arizona State University with a B.S. in Business Management as well as a minor in Spanish and a Certificate in International Business. She earned her CFP designation in 2012 and her CHFC in 2016. Well-known facts about Clarisa include that Spanish was her first language and she is an avid skier, with the goal of 30 days a year on the mountain. A lesser-known fact about Clarisa is that she is a has been a black belt in karate.

Pam Sletten has been in the Dental Practice Transition business for the last eighteen years, helping dentists from all over the United States and Canada plan and implement successful practice transitions. Pam works directly with the dentists and their teams on all details of the transition to accomplish successful results, whether the transition includes a practice purchase or sale, adding an associate to the practice that will eventually become an owner/partner, or any practice management details that may arise pre and post-closing. Along with her father Paul Sletten (founder and owner of The Sletten Group, Inc.), she helps facilitate team retreats, workshops and seminars for training purposes.

Prior to joining The Sletten Group in 2001, Pam was a manager for Mortons Steakhouse restaurants opening different locations throughout the country. These skills of working with large teams, planning and implementing successful grand openings for the restaurant group, and working to assure an excellent experience for all guests has translated extremely well into her current career helping dentists and their teams create excellent results through successful practice transitions.

Pam graduated from Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, Minnesota in 1990 with a dual degree in Organizational Management Fine Arts and has remained a student at heart since that time. After graduation, Pam moved to the mountains of Colorado and began working in the restaurant industry opening restaurants throughout the Keystone Resort ski area. Her last job, prior being hired by Mortons Steakhouse was Food and Beverage Director at the Arapahoe Basin Ski Area.

Pam is a board member of KIDS IN NEED OF DENTISTRY (KIND) and volunteers annually for COLORADO MISSION OF MERCY (COMOM). She is also a member of the American Academy of Dental Practice Administration (AADPA) and she spends a great deal of her free time volunteering throughout the Denver area for causes that are important to her. She is former President and currently sits on the board of the Denver Center Alliance (DCA) which is the fundraising arm for the childrens programs at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts (DCPA). She is also a current Board Member and the Executive Director of Development for the Rocky Mountain Multiple Sclerosis Center (RMMSC).

Jason Langley is the Vice President, General Counsel at ClearChoice Management Services, which supports ClearChoice Dental Implant Centers, a national network of dental implant practices. Jason leads the legal and compliance department, which is responsible for managing the legal and regulatory issues facing the company and providing general legal support and risk management services throughout the ClearChoice network.

Jason has been a member of the ClearChoice team since 2012, serving as a trusted adviser on a broad array of legal, regulatory, and strategic business matters. Before joining ClearChoice, Jason worked in private practice for a healthcare-focused law firm in Denver and served as a law clerk to Hon. Nathan B. Coats of the Colorado Supreme Court and Hon. Steven L. Bernard of the Colorado Court of Appeals.

Dr. Isaac Chung is an orthodontist at i-Orthodontics. He was born and raised in Fort Smith, Arkansas. He obtained his B.A. in Human Biology from Stanford University. He then attended the University of Pennsylvania as a Deans Scholar, where he received his Doctorate of Medicine in Dentistry with multiple honors. He continued his training and completed his orthodontic residency at the University of Pennsylvania. This specialized training provided Dr. Isaac with the knowledge and clinical skills needed to provide his patients with beautiful smiles that last a lifetime.

Dr. Isaac is proud to call Colorado his home, where he continues to enjoy the beautiful mountains, some of the greatest snowboarding conditions in the world, and most importantly, proximity to his family. Dr. Isaac enjoys staying active playing basketball, snowboarding, and running marathons. He is also an avid Stanford football fan. Dr. Isaac and his wife have a daughter and an energetic dog. They enjoy cooking, baking, and going on outdoor adventures as a family.

Growing up as the youngest in an immigrant family, Dr. Isaac and his family have firsthand experience of the life-changing impact that comes from the work of numerous organizations. Having been the recipient of the generosity of so many individuals, Dr. Isaac has made it one of his life missions to always give back to others in his community. In addition to serving on the KIND board, Dr. Isaac also serves on the Dental Advisory Board for Project Worthmore, a Colorado-based non-profit organization, whose mission is to provide empowering programs and services to Denver-area refugees.

She received her DDS degree at Meharry Medical College, School of Dentistry in Nashville, Tennessee. She graduated with honors in 2006 and was inducted into the Omicron Kappa Upsilon National Dental Honor Society. After dental school, Dr. Lisa was accepted into the Advanced Education for General Dentistry program at Bay Pines Veterans Administration Hospital in Bay Pines, Florida. After her residency at Bay Pines, Dr. Lisa then practiced in a general dentistry office in Florida, where she mainly treated children. Realizing how much she loved working with children, she returned to school and specialized in pediatric dentistry in 2008 at Childrens Hospital Colorado Pediatric Dental Residency Program. She completed CHCs two-year Advanced Specialty Training in Pediatric Dentistry in 2010 and received her board certification in Pediatric Dentistry in 2012.

Dr. Lisa and her husband, Cody, have two children, Jaren and Isla. She enjoys spending time with her friends and family, visiting the mountain towns of Colorado (always trying the towns best ice cream shops), traveling, singing with her husband in their church band, doing all things crafty, and planning and hosting events. In addition to serving on the KIND board, she serves as an elder for The Northwest Vineyard Church, classroom parent at her childrens school, and her daughters girl scout troop leader. Prior to the pandemic, Dr. Lisa traveled to Jamaica and Haiti for dental mission trips. Dr. Lisa has a heart to serve and jumps in at any opportunity to help.

Dr. Lisa is a member of the American Dental Association, Colorado Dental Association, Metro Denver Dental Society, American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, Colorado Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, and The American Board of Pediatric Dentistry.

Doug Lazures career has allowed him to learn and contribute to the success of Fortune 500 companies, higher education in Colorado, and now further the mission of the City and County of Denver. Doug has helped improve the health of employees, clients, stakeholders and communities at each of the organizations in which he has been affiliated.

Prior to CSU-Global, Doug worked for several Fortune 500 Companies, including Xcel Energy, PepsiCo, Ernst & Young, and ConAgra Foods in Denver, Chicago, and Omaha. Doug is a licensed CPA and has a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Colorado at Denver, with a specialization in Business Strategy. Doug also holds dual Accounting and Finance degrees from Creighton University.

Doug moved to Denver in 2009 and is very active in the Denver community. Doug has always believed in collaborating with organizations which provide a product or service that contributes to the people in his community. He was chosen by the Denver Metro Chamber Leadership Foundation to participate in the Spring 2018 Impact Denver Leadership program. In this program, Doug obtained valuable leadership skills while partnering with a local non-profit to develop a writing anthology series for Veterans returning from combat. This anthology series allows Veterans to write about their experience in military conflict and the challenges they face re-integrating into society upon their return. This writing series was also extended to refugees to write about their experiences and the hardships they have endured in the journey for a better life.

He currently serves on the Associate Board of Big Green, where he is passionate about the work of this organization, whose primary functions is to build learning gardens in elementary and high schools to educate children on the benefits of growing real food while providing tools to sustain each schools Learning Garden. Prior to joining Big Green, Doug was a Board Member on the Mile High United Way Emerging Leaders Council (ELC) for several years, and through the ELC was able to learn about and engage in civic leadership, give back to the Denver community, and network with other professionals and active volunteers.

Dear Friends of KIND, In life we often find our paths leading in directions we dont expect; many times those paths lead us to a better place than we could have imagined. July of 2017 marked my 4th year volunteering for Kids in Need of Dentistry. As their new Executive Director, I reflect on the full-circle journey that has brought me here and feel immensely grateful. While unpredictable, it has uniquely prepared me for the challenge of finding ways to grow a dental-focused organization, while still holding fast to its 100-year-old charitable legacy of serving Colorados children in need. It is both a privilege to work alongside the fiercely passionate KIND staff and board, as well as an honor to be entrusted by them with leading the charge to serve thousands of children. These children have often never seen a dentist before and may not again, meaning that our opportunity to make an impact may only be the few unfamiliar moments they spend in our dental chairs with us, as strangers. Yet they demonstrate such bravery, as they place their trust in us to help them. These children are often not sure where their next meal might come from, or where they will call home next week, but somehow have found their way into our clinics, and into our hearts. It is our first and most valued responsibility to fulfill our missions promise to increase their health and happiness. To those in our community who continue to volunteer, donate, and support KIND, you are truly heroes to these children. I take your commitment seriously and look forward to sharing more of our vision for growth with you over the next few months and ask for your advice as we strategize how to get there. In the meantime, feel free to reach out to me and the rest of the team at KIND. We look forward to seeing you in the community very soon. With gratitude, Ellie Burbee Executive Director

Strokes of KINDness Golf offers the ultimate exclusive: a members-only golf experience at CCCP! On July 18 the course will be opened up to KIND supporters for just this one day. We do expect it to sell out quickly!

Guests & sponsors will enjoy stunning mountain views at the newly renovated Clubhouse over a full breakfast, all before heading out for an afternoon on the course or morning of putt-putt! This will include an open bar, Olympic chef-prepared meals, goody bags, pro-shop credits, and moreall while swinging those sticks for KIND kiddos!

New location this year! We are happy to have secured Wings Over The Rockies Exploration of Flight at the Centennial Airport. Go to explorationofflight.org/about to learn about this unique-to-the-nation campus, home to future-focused aviation and space galleries offering experiences and exhibits found nowhere else in the world.

Join us to help Colorados children in need receive quality dental care! Smiles are possible because of YOU! This years tournament will be Topgolf style at the Centennial location! See you at the range!

Your support helps KIND maintain and strengthen our bonds within the community, and provide direct support and resources to families through programs like our KIND Cares Kits. Thank you for helping us #spreadKINDness Not Germs!