Why She Was Nominated:

Dr. Lascari formerly found herself in a high-volume, quick-in, quick-out practice, burned out and unsatisfied. Wishing for true connections with her patients, she opened Cornerstone, now a thriving practice. A supporter of the underserved, she gives back by donating a pair of ballet slippers to a girl in the local foster system every time she acquires a new patient. She also makes an annual mission trip to Guatemala.

Exciting New Trend:

“I love the universal composites that match every patient’s tooth with a single shade. I wish I had this at the beginning of my career!”

Inspiration:

“My mom. She paved the way for women in dentistry, being one of two women in her dental-school class and becoming the first lady dentist in the history of [Baton Rouge], the capital of Louisiana. I wouldn’t be the woman I am without her prayers and encouragement. I found a letter she wrote me as a teenager. Some words of wisdom: ‘Don’t let anyone or anything put out the fire that burns in your heart.’“