Dental laser developer Biolase Inc. has appointed financial executive Mark J. Nelson as its senior vice president and chief financial officer. Nelson will report to Harold C. Flynn Jr., president and CEO of Biolase, and will replace David C. Dreyer, who resigned in December. “Mark has exactly the right mix of broad financial expertise and general management experience that Biolase needs at this pivotal time in our continued transformation,” Flynn said. “He has been both a chief financial officer and a chief executive officer and is highly analytical, with deep operational and manufacturing experience implementing robust business processes. He has effectively managed through turnaround and cash-constrained situations. We expect his contributions across finance, operations and corporate development to be crucial in executing our near- and long-term corporate objectives, and we’re happy to welcome him to the Biolase leadership team.” Nelson brings experience in corporate development within the health care, scientific instrument and consumer packaged goods industries. He has worked as the plant controller at C.R. Bard Inc.; finance director at Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.; and as chief accounting officer at Newport Corp. He holds an MBA from the Olin Graduate School of Business at Babson College and a bachelor’s degree from the Isenberg School of Management at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Biolase develops, manufactures, markets and sells laser systems in dentistry and medicine, and also distributes dental imaging equipment including digital x-rays and CAD/CAM scanners.