Dr. Randy Kluender serves as Chairman of the Georgia School of Orthodontics Board of Trustees. Dr. Kluender attended the University of Nebraska, Lincoln where he received his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree and Masters of Science degree in Pediatric Dentistry.

Dr. Kluender’s professional career has been that of a clinician, educator, and administrator.  Dr. Kluender previously was the Associate Dean for Admissions, Student Affairs, and Advanced Dental Education along with being the Director for Continuing Dental Education and Information Technology at the University of Colorado School of Dental Medicine.  His career in dentistry did not start in dental education but a solo pediatric dental practice in 1979.  He started his dental education career as a part-time clinical instructor in 1985 while maintaining his private practice.

During his tenure as a faculty member and administrator at the University of Colorado, he secured over $2.5 million in grant funding with the majority of those funds starting new programs to help people in need.  For three years he was the Regional Consultant for the American Academy of Pediatric Dentist’s Dental Home Initiative that linked Headstart children with dental homes.

Dr. Kluender participated in the American Dental Education Association’s Leadership Institute and was selected for ADEA’s Harry Bruce Legislative Fellowship in Washington, D.C He actively worked on legislative issues impacting oral health, informing legislators about the relationship of oral health and general health, diversity in the healthcare workforce, student indebtedness and financial aid, and funding for dental schools in the United States.   These issues also included advocating for additional funding for oral health care for the underserved, the continuation of Graduate Medical Education (GME) funding for dental schools, loan repayment strategies for students, dentists, and new dental faculty. Additionally, he advocated for increasing the National Institute of Health (NIH) and the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) funding that provides significant financial support for research grants to health science centers and dental schools in the U.S.

He has held many leadership roles in organized dentistry including the American College of Dentists and Omicron Kappa Upsilon.  Dr. Kluender initiated the White Coat Ceremony for dental students at Colorado that emphasizes ethics and professionalism in dentistry.

Dr. Ricky E. Harrell is a 1979 graduate of the University of Alabama School of Dentistry. After serving as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Public Health Service in the Navajo Area Indian Health Service for three years, he returned to the University of Alabama and completed his residency in orthodontics in 1984. He was in the private practice of orthodontics in Westminster, CO from 1984-2006. Upon leaving private practice in 2006, he became a commissioned officer in the US Army Reserves, 919th Medical CO (DS) in Aurora, CO and joined the faculty at the University of Colorado. He earned an MA in education from the University of the Pacific in 2014.Dr. Harrell most recently served as program director and professor in the Department of Orthodontics at the Medical University of South Carolina. His clinical teaching interests include temporary anchorage devices, diode laser treatment, the role of extractions in orthodontic treatment, and surgical orthodontics. Dr. Harrell de-commissioned from the US Army Reserves as a Lt. Colonel in the medical corps in August 2016 after 10 years of service in the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras and two deployments to Camp Bucca, Iraq, and Bagram Airbase, Afghanistan.

Dr. Harrell is a member of the American Association of Orthodontists (1984) and the Southern Association of Orthodontists (2015). He is also a certified Diplomate of the American Board of Orthodontics (2010).

When out of the office, he enjoys music, fishing, skiing, hiking, yard work, reading, and spending time with his wife, Melanie, and their family.

Dr. Deborah Borden brings more than 30 years of expertise to her Associate Professor role at GSO. Dr. Borden is a graduate of the University of Louisville, where she obtained her Bachelor of Science in Medical Technology, Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD), and her Master of Science in Oral Biology degrees. Dr. Borden is dual-trained and holds a Certificate in both Orthodontics from the University of Louisville and Pediatric Dentistry from Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. From 1981-1991, Dr. Borden was in private practice initially in Louisville and then Elizabethtown, Kentucky as a pediatric dentist. Following this experience, she returned to the University of Louisville to specialize in orthodontics and established a private practice in Elizabethtown, KY from 1993-2010. In 2010, she sold her private practice and became a Christian mission volunteer, providing dental services and support to at-need individuals both locally and in various countries around the world. She plans to continue her involvement with missions while working at GSO.

Before coming on-board with GSO, Dr. Borden served as an orthodontist and consultant with Taylor Orthodontics in Crestwood, Kentucky and Milliner Orthodontics in Mayfield, Kentucky.

Dr. Stockstill attended the University of Louisiana-Lafayette and received a Bachelor of Science (’73) in Pre-Dentistry. After completing his Doctorate in Dental Surgery (’75) from Louisiana State University Health Science Center School of Dentistry he served for two years in the U.S. Public Health Service/U.S. Coast Guard as a staff dentist (rank of Lieutenant) and received an honorable discharge in 1977.Dr. Stockstill attended the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine as a Neuromuscular Research in Clinical Dentistry Fellow and completed his M.S. in Oral Sciences and Certificate in Temporomandibular Disorders/Orofacial Pain in 1987. He served as Assistant Professor at the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Dentistry and was promoted to Associate professor in 1994. He entered the Orthodontic Residency at the UNMC College of Dentistry and received his Certificate in Orthodontics in 1996. Later he joined the faculty at Creighton University School of Dentistry where he served as an Associate professor until 2001 when he joined the Medical College of Georgia College of Dental Medicine as Director of Orthodontic Research and Director of the undergraduate orthodontic curriculum.

In 2012 he joined the faculty of the ECU School of Dental Medicine as Division Director of Orthodontics and as Director of Curricula in Orthodontics as well as TMD/Orofacial Pain. After successfully developing the orthodontic and TMD/Orofacial Pain curricula at ECU, Dr. Stockstill was recruited by Seton Hill University to serve as Professor of Orthodontics within the Center for Orthodontics residency program.

Dr. Stockstill also serves as the Associate Editor of the American Journal of Orthodontics & Dentofacial Orthopedics. He is a past Chairman of the American Dental Education Association (ADEA) Special Interest Group for Temporomandibular Disorders/Orofacial Pain and is a founding member of the Association of University Temporomandibular Disorder/Orofacial Pain Programs American Dental Education Association.

Dr. Stockstill has edited, authored and co-authored numerous scientific journals and textbooks, holds patents for orthodontic instruments and has presented orthodontic lectures at the local, regional, and international levels. He is a Fellow in the Academy of General Dentistry, American College of Dentists, International College of Dentists, and Omicron Kappa Upsilon (Alpha-Alpha chapter), and is a Diplomate (Board certified) in the American Board of Orthodontics.

Dr. M. Noam Green was born in Toronto, Ontario. He earned his DMD from the University of Pennsylvania with an Honors in Clinical Dentistry and induction into the OKU Dental Honor Society. He completed his orthodontics residency at the University of Detroit Mercy. There he earned his Masters of Science by developing a mid-sagittal plane definition for 3D cephalometric analyses and was inducted into the Alpha Sigma Nu Honor Society. Dr. Green now lives in Atlanta and provides orthodontic care for patients in Decatur, Georgia.

Dr. Asercion attended the University of New Orleans and received a Bachelor of Science (’73) and a Masters of Science (’77) in Biology. Completing his Doctorate in Dental Surgery (’79) from LSU School of Dentistry, he chose to enter LSU’s residency program and was awarded a certificate in orthodontics in 1981. During his professional career, Dr. Asercion practiced the specialty of orthodontics in Louisiana, Arizona, and Colorado for more than 30 years. He retired from private practice in January 2016 to participate in the development of the GSO orthodontic program. Dr. Asercion was a member of the LSUSD Curriculum Committee and the Director of Clinical Operations at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Department of Orthodontics.

Notable academic awards include Beta Beta Beta Biology Honor Society, C Edmund Kells Dental Honor Society, Mosby Scholarship Award, and the American Association of Orthodontics Oral Facial Development Scholarship Award. He has presented different research papers to the International Association of Dental Research, the American Association of Pediatric Dentistry, the American Dental Association, and the American Association of Orthodontics. He was Director of Clinical Advancement for Orthodontic Centers of America.

Dr. Asercion was a member of the New Orleans and Louisiana Dental Associations, the Metropolitan Denver and Colorado Dental Associations, the Rocky Mountain Association. He was awarded Life Active Membership of the American Association of Orthodontists.

His orthodontic philosophy is founded upon evidence-based outcomes and result-directed clinical efficiency.

Dr. Gabriela Herrera joins GSO with an extensive international background in orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics. Dr. Herrera began her dental education in Venezuela, where she graduated Universidad Santa Maria (USM) in 2004. She then completed her fellowship in endodontics through USM in 2005 and became a specialist in dentofacial functional orthopedics through the Venezuelan Society of Functional Orthopedics in 2006.

In 2008, Dr. Herrera continued her specialist education in orthodontics in the United States, where she attended New York University to become a specialist in orthodontics. She completed cleft lip and palate advanced training at New York University Medical Center in 2008.

After obtaining her masters in orthodontics with a three year post-graduate program at Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, she went on to open a private practice in orthodontics and craniofacial orthopedics in Caracas, Venezuela in 2011. Dr. Herrera also served as a faculty member at USM from 2011-2014 for their pre-doctoral pediatric/orthodontic dentistry program.

Dr. Herrera is a member of the American Association of Orthodontics (AAO) and the Sociedad Colombiana de Ortodoncia (SCO).

Dr. Lazzara is a Florida native and received his Doctor of Dental Surgery from Emory University in 1966. He received his Certificate in Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics from Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans in 1969.

Dr. Lazzara joins GSO with more than 40 years of experience in the field of orthodontics. His experience includes maintaining private orthodontic practices for 25 years and serving as Founder/CEO/Director/Chairman of the world’s largest orthodontic management company, Orthodontic Centers of America (OCA) from 1985-2001. Additionally, Dr. Lazzara has lectured on a variety of orthodontic and business-related topics at numerous professional conferences.

Dr. Lazzara retired as a Diplomat of the American Board of Orthodontics and a member of both the American Association of Orthodontists and the Southern Society of Orthodontists.

When out of the office, he enjoys traveling, golfing, fishing, and spending time with his family and friends.

A native of Caracas, Venezuela, Dr. Nunez graduated from Universidad Central de Venezuela Dental School in 2005. After five years in private practice, she attended a three-year orthodontic residency program at the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Bogota, Colombia. In 2013, Dr. Nunez relocated to Puerto Rico where she attended the University of Puerto Rico School of Dental Medicine Advanced Standings Program for international students and received her DMD degree in 2018. She enjoys Flamenco dancing and was even a Flamenco instructor in Puerto Rico.

Dr. David Pumphrey earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from the School of Dentistry at Emory University in Atlanta. He then went on to complete his specialized training and earn his postgraduate certificate in periodontics at Emory’s Department of Periodontics. He completed his hospital residency at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center. He has been in private practice specializing in the field of Periodontics and Dental Implants since 1987. Previously, he has also served as President of the Northern District Dental Society in Georgia and has served in various capacities with the Georgia Dental Association. He is a member of American Academy of Periodontology, Academy of Osseointegration, International College of Dentists. He has also lectured in the fields of implantology and regeneration techniques as well as being published locally and nationally. He was also honored to be elected to membership in the Pierre Fauchard Academy, an honor granted on the basis of his contributions to the profession. Married since 1987, Dr. Pumphrey has three children: Brock, Taylor, and Madison. He spends his free time playing with grandkids Little Brock, Pierce, and Dolly, along with golfing, traveling, and gardening.

Doctor Robert Pickron is a board-certified Orthodontist who earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery from Emory University and his Certificate in Orthodontics from the University of Alabama. He became board certified from the American Board of Orthodontics in 1972.

Dr. Pickron has over 45 years of orthodontic clinical experience in the private practice sector and has served as an adjunct professor at NOVA Southeastern School of Dental Medicine since 2012. His publications have been featured in Orthodontic Products, and he has presented at the World Congress on Facial Sculpting in Cosmetic Surgery, Jacksonville University, University of Southern Nevada, University of Tennessee, and Nova Southeastern.

He is a member of the American Association of Orthodontists, the American Dental Association, the Georgia Association of Orthodontists, and the World Federation of Orthodontists.

Dr. Potter graduated from Northwestern University School of Dentistry in 1979. After private practice in general dentistry in Colorado for ten years, he returned to The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio where he earned a Certificate and an M.S. in Dental Diagnostic Sciences. In 1991, he joined the faculty of the Medical College of Georgia School of Dentistry. There, Dr. Potter served in many roles including Interim Dean of the School of Dentistry from 2001 to 2003, and Vice Dean from 2003 to 2005. Dr. Potter returned to Colorado and served as Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at the University of Colorado Denver School of Dental Medicine for ten years.

His current appointment is Professor and Director of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology in the Department of Diagnostic and Biological Sciences. He is a diplomate of the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, and a fellow of the American College of Dentists, International College of Dentists, and the American Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology.

Dr. Sergio Real brings over 28 years of private practice experience to GSO. Dr. Real graduated from the dental program at the Colegio Odontologico Colombiano in his native country of Colombia in 1991. He then went on to attend the Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics Residency Program at the Pontificie Universidad Catolica Santa Maria de los Buenos Aires, where he graduated in 1995 with a strong background in orthopedic early treatment and the use of functional appliances. Shortly after graduation, Dr. Real moved to San Diego, CA to receive additional instruction in the MBT system of orthodontic training. He received his Certificate in Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics and Masters in Orthodontics at Nova Southeastern University in 2013.

In addition to his years in private practice, Dr. Real has served in the positions of Clinical Instructor, Associate Professor, and Clinical Director at NOVA Southeastern University’s Postdoctoral Program in Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics. He has lectured extensively and is a Member of the American Association of Orthodontists. Dr. Sergio Real is fluent in both English and Spanish.

In his spare time, Dr. Real enjoys working out, playing basketball, and spending time with his growing family.

Dr. Damon Wilkerson

In addition to a Doctor of Dental Surgery Degree and Certificate in Orthodontics, Dr. Damon Wilkerson holds an Associate’s Degree in Dental Laboratory Technology. He is a 1983 graduate of the University of Texas San Antonio School of Dentistry. After completing a one-year Pediatric Dental Hospital G.P.R. at Oklahoma Memorial Children’s Hospital, he returned to the University of Texas at Houston and completed his residency in orthodontics in 1986.

After two years of private practice, he attended the University of Michigan to pursue advanced training in Human Growth and Development. While attending the University of Michigan, Dr. Wilkerson was an Associate Orthodontist in the Private Practice of Dr. Robert Moyers. Upon leaving Michigan he went back into his private practice in Texas for ten years.

During the Early Development of Invisalign training, he was contributor and reviewer in 2003 of the first published Invisalign Clinical Monitoring Guide.

Before coming to the Georgia School of Orthodontics. Dr. Wilkerson’s Educational/Teaching experience included:

• Associate Professor, Assistant Director Graduate Clinical Care, Department of Orthodontics, University of Colorado
• Assistant Clinical Professor, Department of Restorative Sciences, University Colorado School of Dentistry, Denver, Colorado
• Assistant Clinical Professor, Department of Restorative Sciences Baylor College of Dentistry, Dallas, Texas

Dr. Wilkerson most recently served as the Director of Orthodontics at the South Texas Veterans Health Care System Advanced Education in General Dentistry. He is a member of the American Association of Orthodontists, Texas Dental Association and American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association.

Dr. Wilkerson presently enjoys a part-time private practice in Corpus Christi, Texas.