Branam Foundation

about us

From Vision to Action: Reforming Dental Care for Every Child

The Foundation is built upon the life’s work of Dr. Stephen R. Branam, a pioneer in pediatric dentistry who has dedicated more than five decades to improving children’s oral health. Dr. Branam was born in Rushville, Indiana, completed his BS, DDS, and pediatric specialty degrees in 1974. He served two years as a U.S. Army dental surgeon, and has since treated over 500,000 patients in his Oregon, Ohio practice—many of them with special needs. Through thousands of interviews with parents and extensive research, Dr. Branam concluded that traditional fluoride-based approaches harden enamel but fail to address the bacterial causes of tooth decay. In response, He developed a safe and effective all natural toothpaste formulated with Xylitol. Xylitol, shown to be three times more effective than fluoride in reducing cavities. Despite clinical success, widespread adoption of this innovation has been slow, largely due to industry indifference. Determined to shift the dental care model from treatment to prevention, Dr. Branam established The Foundation to spark meaningful change in oral health practices and transform the way communities everywhere care for their children’s smiles.

Dr. Stephen Branam, DDS

Board Of Directors

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Dr. Stephen Branam, DDS

Chairman Of THE Board

Steve Branam is a bona fide national expert in the dental care of children. He has conducted over 500,000 in-office treatments and hundreds of in-hospital surgeries. Steve’s practice includes many patients affected by Autism Spectrum Disorder and Down Syndrome. For over 20 years Steve has developed a passion for preventing tooth decay as contrasted with the expensive and wasteful cycle of treatment! Dr. Branam will advocate the mission of the Foundation with full dedication to producing highly favorable results.

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Veronica Guerra

Director

Veronica Guerra is a registered nurse at Mercy St. Annes Hospital in Toledo, Ohio. Veronica is a certified dental assistant and has worked for over 17 years in pediatrics, general dentistry, and orthodontics.

Veronica is the mother of 3 boys, one of whom is on the Autism Spectrum. She combines a high degree of technical knowledge in pediatric dental care with a strong compassion for individuals who need help caring for themselves.

Ms. Guerra will help the Foundation design and guide its programs to provide dental care education and products at no cost to the families who need them the most.

 

 

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Catina Harding

Director

Catina Harding has a master’s degree in social work and worked for 15 years as a nonprofit executive specializing in the needs of families affected by Autism Spectrum Disorder. Catina has a passion for the mission of this Foundation and will assist in establishing relationships across the country with organizations that share our mission.

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Lauren Stout

Director

Lauren unexpectedly found herself welcomed into the Down Syndrome community in 2023 when her son Miles was born with Down Syndrome. Since then, she has become a trusted friend of many other moms and in April of 2024, joined the Down Syndrome of Greater Toledo (Ohio) team as the Early Matters Coordinator, where she oversees programming from new and expectant families all the way through early school age. Lauren understands the importance of reducing tooth decay, and will guide the Foundation’s contacts with Down Syndrome support organizations across America.

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Scott Swan

Director

Scott M. Swan is the Senior Vice President of Lending for Directions Credit Union located in Northwest Ohio. With almost 30 years of experience in the credit union movement, Scott has developed a passion for helping people. Scott is a seasoned financial executive and will advise regarding financial policies and procedures. Scott will also help oversee the Foundation’s outside accountants.
Scott and his wife, Nicole, have raised 5 children; 4 of whom are now successful young adults. Their youngest son is 14 years old and was born with Down Syndrome. As parents of a child with special needs, Scott and Nicole understand the challenges parents face, including oral health. They are advocates for wanting to prevent cavities to the greatest extent possible. They want to help other parents through the Foundation.

Advisors

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Michael Nedley, D.D.S.

Senior Advisor

Michael Nedley, D.D.S. is the Director of the Pediatric Dentistry Residency Program at The University of Toledo Medical Center. Michael understands the importance of children brushing with clinically effective xylitol toothpaste as compared to products containing fluoride. He will be an advocate for the Foundation within the dental profession. He is certified by the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry.

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Barry Hopper

Advisor

Dr. Hopper is a Fellow of the Academy of General Dentistry, and a Past President of the Tennessee Academy of General Dentistry. He is also Adjunct Faculty, Department of Bioscience Research, University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis. Dr. Hopper knows firsthand the resulting effects of dental disease: compromised health, pain, absences from work or school, and unnecessary loss of teeth and self-esteem. Dr. Hopper is passionate about prevention of cavities, xylitol, and development of brushing routines in children. Dr. Hopper will assist Dr. Branam in development of the Foundation’s educational materials to inform and encourage brushing routines that reduce the incidence of tooth decay.

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Jeffrey C. Burnham, Ph.D.

Advisor

Dr. Burnham is a creative scientist and entrepreneur. His expertise is primarily in environmental microbiology and public health. Jeff holds over 30 U.S. patents. Prior to his business career, Dr. Burnham was a Professor of Microbiology at the University of Toledo Medical Center and is presently a Professor Emeritus. He understands the chemistry of xylitol and gut health and can be an important liaison between the Foundation and the science community..

Administrator

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R. Chris Felix

Administrator

Chris Felix is the Administrator who operates the Foundation. He is an experienced entrepreneur and logistics expert. Chris manages the Foundation’s website, communications and partner and vendor relationships. He is regularly available by both telephone and Email to respond to questions and facilitate Foundation matters.