by Dr. Robert B. Shira

In 1985 the Board of Trustees for the PFA authorized the establishment of a Foundation that would support the programs of the Academy and develop funds to support a Grant/Scholarship Program that would benefit the dental profession.

These funds were to come from donations of PFA Fellows, bequests, and planned giving, memorials, and honor contributions, as well as grants from other professional and private sources. Dr. Clifford Loader (past PFA President), with legal assistance, developed the Constitution on May 23, 1986. This established the Foundation as a separate corporation governed by a Board of Trustees consisting of past PFA Presidents who were willing and able to serve. This subsequently was revised to make the Academy President and the President-elect voting members and to provide for a Board of 14 Trustees. An Executive Director was authorized and a Committee structure consisting of an Executive Committee, Budget & Finance, a Grants Committee, and a Constitution & Bylaws Committee was formed.

A detailed protocol for the submission of the Grant Project requests and a method to ensure a detailed and complete evaluation of each request with the development of a recommendation for approval, deferment, or rejection that in turn would require final action by the full Board of Directors were developed. Goals and guidelines for the grant application were developed, which would cover the types of grants the Foundation would and would not fund. An informational brochure covering this information was developed for distribution to individuals and groups seeking funds for their projects.

A publication in various dental publications describing these programs was obtained and, in time, applications for support began to arrive.

During WWII, General Shira was stationed at Gorgas Hospital in Canal Zone. While there, he assisted the dentists in adjoining areas in Central America and the Caribbean to form a dental association known as the Federation Odonotologia Central America and Panama (FOCAP). Through this group Dr. Shira became acquainted with Dr. Fernando Brenes-Espinach of Costa Rica. This became a long-lasting friendship.

Dr. Clifford Loader in his many travels through Latin America representing the Academy also established a friendship with Dr. Brenes-Espinach. The two would stay at each other's homes when they traveled. Dr. Brenes-Espinach was very impressed with the Pierre Fauchard Academy and its members, so he left nearly his entire estate to the Academy Foundation to do good work in dentistry. A large inheritance of about $5 million was received after settling claims with other inheritors. Currently the inheritance has grown to more than $6 million, which is invested and earns about $425,000 annually. Prior to the receipt of this legacy, PFA Fellows had contributed sufficient funds to initiate a small dental student scholarship program. Five $1,000 scholarships were established for U.S. dental schools. Of the 54 schools contacted, only 25 participated in submitting a name for one of these five awards. A Foundation Committee selected the winners for the five scholarships. This program ran from 1987 to 1992, when it was discontinued to allow the Foundation to develop a Capital Fund of $100,000.

The Foundation Participates In Three Programs

The Dental Student Scholarship Program, which grants $1,200 (now $1,500) in scholarships to all dental schools in the United States and Canada, with 28 scholarships going to other international dental schools having PFA Sections of more than 10 members on a rotating basis. This program was instituted in 1996.

The second program is the Grant/Project Program. The first award authorized by the Foundation was to Connecticut PFA Section, which provided mouthguards for the participants in the 1995 Special Olympics. Dr. Robert E. Friedman developed and operated this event.

As word of the Foundation's Grants Programs spread, requests began to pour in. This quickly exceeded the funds available. Priorities were established for the available funds. They were

• Awards to support PFA programs; Awards to support PFA Section programs.
• Awards to support service projects that provide dental care to the public.
• Awards to support educational programs, continuing education courses, and faculty development.
• Awards to support clinical research.
• Awards to support miscellaneous programs that have merit but do not fall into any of the above categories.

In 1998, the Grants Committee approved the Humanitarian Award, a special award of $5000. The first Award in this Category was presented in 1999 to the M.E.N.D. Program (Meet Every Need with Dignity), which is an ongoing project in California's San Fernando Valley.

The third basic program developed by the Foundation is support of projects in Costa Rica. Since the majority of the funds came from this country, it was felt that substantial programs in Costa Rica should be funded.

The Costa Rica PFA Section and the Rotary Club in San Jose submitted a request for $100,000 to build a dental clinic providing dental services for poor children to be named in honor of Dr. Brenes-Espinach. The foundation agreed, even obtaining three operatories of dental equipment that were sent down there. Foundation President Dr. Robert Shira and Academy Secretary/ Treasurer Richard Kozal attended the dedication ceremony with Costa Rica's first lady in December 1993. However, there was a great deal of delay in getting the clinic started, and the San Jose Rotary Club pulled out its support. The PFA Foundation followed. The operatory equipment was donated to Fundacion Piedad, which operated several health clinics in Costa Rica. The equipment is currently being used in the clinics they operate.

Next the Foundation contacted the University of Costa Rica School of Dentistry to assist in developing a modern multimedia and computer teaching center. The foundation made a commitment of $104,500. The commitment was met, the monies contributed, and the Brenes-Espinach Multimedia Center was dedicated. Additional money has been granted to supply the needed computer equipment for the Center.

Another provision of the Espinach will was to establish and administer certain awards to outstanding leaders in dentistry. Past PFA President Shigeo Ryan Kishi of California was the first Executive Director, followed by past PFA President Fred Halik of New York upon Dr. Kishi's passing.

Because over one third of the Foundation Funds are from private money, the Foundation does not qualify as a Public Foundation. It is a Private Foundation and must pay taxes every year. The Foundation had been meeting twice a year at the same time and site as the Academy. But then they only met once during the Annual Academy Meeting, went back to holding another meeting in Chicago the last 2 years, and then skipped this year again.

The Foundation has kept its expenses to the bare minimum to permit more funds for allocation to grants, but there are necessary expenses, such as for an Executive Director, legal counsel, insurance, and office expenses.

In 2006 Foundation Vice President Larry Barrett initiated a fund raising program to raise money from the PFA Fellows. The first phase of the program was very successful. A second phase is being planned for next year. Besides the individual contributions that go to enlarge the principal, this organizational funding helps to lower our taxes.

The Foundation has always stressed more PFA Section involvement. They even set up a ''fast track'' for the PFA Sections to be able to submit their own grant applications quickly with minimal paperwork. Sections also are asked to disseminate Foundation information. Publicity is important to inform the dental profession of our work, get more PFA recognition, encourage more grant requests, and initiate some from our Sections.

Individual Sections are encouraged to help fund scholarships at their own schools and create local contact between the dental schools and the PFA Fellows.

The Foundation wants to do everything within our power to reach our full potential, and the involvement of the Sections will assist us in reaching those goals. The Foundation realizes that it cannot solve all the world's dental problems, but it will keep trying, one step at a time.

The Foundation Presidents began with the past PFA Presidents C. Robert Breckenridge (1986), General Robert B. Shira (1984) three terms, Carl G. Lundgren (1993-94), and currently M. David Campbell (2000-2001).

Foundation Fund Raising

The Foundation Fund Raising Chairman, Foundation Vice President, and past PFA President (1996-1997) is commencing another phase of the program designed to extend donations from Fellows and from corporations. You can be a part of acting on the Foundation's behalf by soliciting company tax-free donations. Den Mat has already done so - as usual.

Another way members can help is by including the PFA Foundation in their wills. Help keep your legacy alive by extending your commitment to our profession to help those in need who are left behind. Besides the satisfaction of knowing that your efforts will continue the work you have done in your practice, your name will be listed in the Foundations records and in Dental World. All the Foundation Officers have made contributions of at least $1,000.

Alternatively, a Fellow can underwrite a scholarship for $1,000, as your editor has for the last 3 years at the University of Iowa in memory of his grandfather and mentor. Or honor some important individual in your life with a scholarship to the school, with your name in the title if you wish.