Why She Was Nominated

At a young age, Dr. D’Alesio became program director for the pediatric dental-residency program at the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. She also invented the “Lily Method,” a five-step pacifier system to wean toddlers in as few as five days. The product won a gold medal at this year’s Edison Awards.

Inspiration

Her four daughters. “I wanted to teach them at a young age to be independent, and I always hear all four of my girls say, ‘I do it myself, Mommy!’ ” she says. “I love hearing that they want to do things on their own.”

Exciting New Trend

The Edison Awards, which honor innovators (like Dr. D’Alesio) who have developed and launched groundbreaking products and services. “This is the first year that dentistry was part of the Edison Awards, and I believe this is a wonderful opportunity for dentists to be at the forefront of innovation,” Dr. D’Alesio says.