This year the 2008 Elmer S. Best Memorial Award was presented to its third Swiss recipient, Carlo Marinello. Dr. Louis A. Baume was bestowed with this honor in 1971, and Dr. Hans Freihofer was the second Swiss recipient in 1975.
Dr. Roland Soellner presided over the ceremony on a lovely summer day on 5 July in the beautiful setting of FIFA Headquarters (seat of the International Football Association) overlooking the city of Zurich attended by some 120 guests. PFA President James Englander gave opening remarks concerning the PFA Foundation and the Mentorship Program. European Trustee Hubert Ouvrard discussed an overview of the European Region.
Dr. Roland Soellner introduced the Best recipient in glowing terms: "His personal integrity has made him a classic role model for others. Among other distinctions, he has recently been elected Teacher of the Year by his students in Basel, and Lecturer of the Year by the Society of Periodontology." Many dentists in the audience have had first-hand experience of his gentle teaching qualities.
In his acceptance speech, Dr. Carlo Marinello described his visit to the dentist at the age of 9. He was fascinated by the character of the dentist and his ability to manage several different dental instruments. The dentist noticed this concentration and presented him with a dental mirror and an explorer as a parting gift. From that moment on Dr. Marinello wanted to become a dentist. Dr. Marinello had other great mentors in his dental career--Drs. Peter Schaerer, Bo Bergman, Jan Lindhe, and George Zarb. Their philanthropic bearing and positive influence on many professionals were the foundations of Carlo Marinello's own development. Milestones have been his sojourns in dental colleges in Goteburg and recently New York.
Professor Marinello pointed out that the concepts of "mentorship" and "behaviour as a member of a real profession" embodies the basic qualities sought by the Pierre Fauchard Academy. He described our profession as a collective of expert service providers who have committed themselves mutually and publicly to consistently give priority to the existential needs and interests of the public they serve above their own interests and who are, in turn, trusted by the public to do this. To have a profession and to be a professional thus means to fulfill the terms of an unwritten social contract between society and the individual; but in the profession as a whole, Carlo Marinello felt that competence, lifelong learning, service to the public, prophylaxis, a high level of personal responsibility, a real professional attitude and an adequate, liberal billing system are the factors required in high-quality dentistry today.
The Ceremony concluded with the Induction of 14 new Fellows into the Academy. These included university lecturers, dental society officials, and private practitioners. A fine buffet was then provided.
Professor Carlo P. Marinello
Best Award Recipient Dr. Carlo P. Marinello
Dr. Marinello passed his Board Examination from the University of Zurich in 1976. From 1977 to 1981, he served as Assistant Professor and Acting Head of the Dental Public Health Clinic in Zurich. From 1981 to 1989, he was Assistant Professor for the Department of Fixed and Removable Prosthodontic and Dental Materials Sciences at the University of Zurich. In 1989, he completed his thesis and became Associate Professor. From 1989 to 1990, he was a Visiting Research Professor in the Department of Periodontology at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, where he received his Master's degree in 1995. From 1991 to 1992, he was Associate Professor and Head of Periodontology in the Department of Preventive Dentistry, Periodontology and Cariology at the University of Zurich. In 1992, he was promoted to full Professorship Extraordinarius ad Personam for Periodontology at Zurich. Since 1995, he has been a full-time Professor and Chairman of the Department of Reconstructive Dentistry and Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Disorders at the Dental School at the University of Basel. He also was an Adjunct Assistant Professor at the North Carolina School of Dentistry at Chapel Hill (2001 to 2004). He is a Scientific Member of the Swiss Society of Periodontology; since 2002, a Consultant and Examiner at the Dental Hygiene School in Zurich; and since 2002, President of the Examining Commission in prosthodontics for the Swiss Society of Reconstructive Dentistry (SSDR) as well as a Board Member of that society. Dr. Marinello has headed the Peter Schaerer Study Club since 1999. He is a Fellow of numerous national and international prosthetic prosthodontic groups such as the SSDR, the Swiss Society of Oral Implantology (SGI), the American Academy of Restorative Dentistry (AARD), the American Academy of Prosthodontics (AAP), the American Prosthodontic Society (APS), the International College of Prosthodontics (ICP), and the European Academy of Esthetic Dentistry (EAED). He has authored over 140 referred papers, book chapters, and overviews.
In 2003, he was presented the Distinguished Lecturer Award from the American College of Prosthodontics; and in 2006 he was Teacher of the Year.