ABOUT US
Our Story
Who we are
Convergent Dental, Inc. is a privately owned dental equipment and technology company. The Company’s flagship product, Solea®, is the only CO2 laser to be cleared by the FDA for all-tissue indications and delivers an anesthesia-free, blood-free, suture-free experience that you can count on. Solea is a true breakthrough in dental laser technology that offers a completely different experience for both dentists and patients when compared to traditional instruments or any earlier laser treatment. Solea enables increased new patient flow, better clinical outcomes, significant efficiency gains, and new procedures.
Management Team
Public and private company medical device CEO with over 30 years of experience developing and executing successful growth strategies for leading healthcare and medical technology companies. Most recent CEO appointments included Mauna Kea Technologies and Bovie Medical (now Apyx Medical). Earlier experience included senior leadership positions with Henry Schein and Covidien (now Medtronic).
Education: American University, BSBA (finance) and J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University, MBA.
Rob Gershon
Chief Executive Officer
Over 20 years in healthcare and healthcare information technology with a strong record in leading, managing, and positioning companies for growth. Co-founded, grew, and sold MedVentive to McKesson Corp in 2012.
Education: Bentley College, BS in Accountancy; Suffolk University, MBA.
Mark Collins
Chief Financial Officer
Over 10 years of strategic and operational experience across a range of industries. Previously worked in management consulting at Oliver Wyman.
Education: Amherst College, BA; Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, MBA
John Kneeland
VP of Marketing
More than 15 years of sales and sales leadership experience within the medical device sector. Specific experience and expertise with more than a decade dedicated to dental laser technologies.
Education: Bowling Green State University, BS in Applied Health Science
Aaron Shumaker
VP of Sales, North America
Technical leader with business acumen and over 15 years of experience in scientific innovation and transitioning of technical development into game-changing solutions in medical devices, life sciences, and photonics industries.
Education: Columbia University, PhD in Applied Physics; Boston University, MBA.
Charles Kerbage
VP of Research and Development
Operations leader with over 25 years of experience in the healthcare industry. Highly skilled in managing and optimizing cross-functional teams, with proven ability to establish and implement strategic direction, driving key performance indicators and achieving revenue and profit targets.
Education: University of Waterloo, BASc; University of Toronto, Canada, MHSc
Soma Templeton
VP of Operations
William Cowen (Chair)
General Partner, LRV Health
Investor and operator with decades of experience building successful digital health and medtech companies. Co-founded LRVHealth in 2000. Led firm’s investments in prominent companies including Convergent Dental, GetWellNetwork, LifeImage, MedVentive (now part of NASDQ: CHNG), Phreesia (NASDAQ: PHR) and SilverCloud. Previous co-founder and CEO of NaviNet (sold to Highmark and other BCBS plans), CEO of Pegasus Medical (sold to McKesson), and VP of Thermocell (sold to the Hunter Douglas Company). B.A. from the University of Colorado and M.B.A. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Rob Gershon
CEO, Convergent Dental
Public and private company medical device CEO with over 30 years of experience developing and executing successful growth strategies for leading healthcare and medical technology companies. Most recent CEO appointments included Mauna Kea Technologies and Bovie Medical (now Apyx Medical). Earlier experience included senior leadership positions with Henry Schein and Covidien (now Medtronic). American University, BSBA (finance) and J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University, MBA.
Bart Doedens
Managing Partner, Delta G Ventures LLC
Bart Doedens brings over 30 years of leadership experience in the medical and dental device fields, including over 2 decades in the dental industry. After starting his career in nuclear medicine with Mallinckrodt Medical, he moved into the dental space, joining dental implant maker Biomet3i (formerly Implant Innovations Inc) as vice president International and later president. Moving from Biomet 3i, he spent five years with Dentsply Sirona (formerly Sirona Dental Systems) as president of the CAD/CAM division and later was CEO of DDS Lab, LLC. Following his retirement from DDS Lab, Bart transitioned to a Board Member role with the company. He also currently serves as a Managing Partner at Delta G Ventures (DGV), a strategic advisory services firm focused on the life sciences industry. DGV has helped introduce landmark technologies in the dental, cardiovascular, neuromuscular, end-vascular, orthopedic, ophthalmology, transport chairs, and wound management sectors.
Grant Gund
Managing Partner, Coppermine Capital
As investors of private capital, Coppermine Capital tailors their strategy to meet the unique objectives of each individual opportunity. They can move quickly and be flexible in solving capital requirements without managing toward a fixed return threshold or hold period. BA in History from the University of Vermont and MBA from Northwestern University - Kellogg School of Management.
Peter J. Valenti III
Member of the Board of Directors, Convergent Dental
Peter J. Valenti III is an active board member in the private equity space and has also served in advisory roles. He currently is a member of two charitable boards and is an executive coach. Prior to this, he retired from a corporate business career where he was focused on business turnarounds and revenue accelerations. These were accomplished through strategy, product pipeline innovation, commercial excellence and new business models, along with attracting and retaining great talent. Mr. Valenti, earned an MBA from the Johnson School of Management at Cornell University, and a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Connecticut. He lives in Connecticut and Florida.
Tim Petersen
Founder & Managing Partner, Arboretum Ventures
Tim Petersen co-founded Arboretum Ventures in 2002 and focused his investments on transformative opportunities that disrupt healthcare sectors starved of technology or business model innovation. His investments have spanned various healthcare sectors, including healthcare information technology, medical device, and research instrumentation companies. BA in Economics from Williams College, an MS in Economics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and an MBA from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan.
Lisa Garrett
Lisa Garrett brings over 20 years of executive experience in finance and human resources, primarily within the pharmaceutical and medical technology sectors. Ms. Garrett has served as Chief Financial Officer for a variety of privately funded research and commercial organizations. Her tenure was marked by significant achievements, including the successful raising of over $150 million in equity and debt financings. Additionally, she has been instrumental in the preparation of SEC filings for an initial public offering and oversaw two successful acquisitions.
Dave Jones (Observer)
Managing Director, Coppermine Capital
As investors of private capital, Coppermine Capital tailors their strategy to meet the unique objectives of each individual opportunity. They can move quickly and be flexible in solving capital requirements without managing toward a fixed return threshold or hold period. BA in History from Dartmouth College and MBA in Strategy and Finance from Princeton University Graduate School of Business.
Meet Us
Upcoming Events
Solea Summit
October 9-11, 2025
Solea Summit (formerly known as the Solea User Group Meeting) is the premier laser dentistry event of the year! Designed specifically for Solea Dentists and Team, the meeting represents a gathering of dental professionals dedicated to elevating their skills, sharing knowledge, and fostering a community of excellence.