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I am grateful for the opportunity to serve with the great dental professionals of the Pierre Fauchard Academy. As an international honorary dental academy, we are at the vortex of exponential growth and fulfillment of our purpose and vision.
I have often felt that the essence of the Pierre Fauchard Academy is its intent to accomplish three major fundamental purposes. These are to Preserve, Promote, and Protect. We live in a world where much emphasis is being placed on, or attention is given to, the negative aspects of humanity and life in general. Much of the reporting done by the news media is directed toward the negative, sensational, even shocking. Perhaps their rationale comes from the fact that “it sells.” In contrast, I believe that the majority of humanity everywhere lives with a basic sense of goodness that pervades much of what people say and do. This is the basis for the energy generated by any organization whose intent is to create value and make a positive difference in the world around us. This is the power propelling the Pierre Fauchard Academy forward and which is common in its leadership and Fellows.
When the Academy was founded, it was with the intent to preserve the best in the profession of dentistry for learning, teaching, and service. Fauchard, in writing his text Le Chirurgien Dentiste au Traite des Dents was preserving for the future benefit to others in the science of dentistry the knowledge he had gained from his own research and practical experience. This first-ever compilation of dental learning earned for him the title of “Father of Modern Dentistry.” Today, the Academy continues to focus on excellence in teaching and sharing information by having as its flagship magazine Dental World/Dental Abstracts. This is one of the most widely read journals in our profession. Its abstracts make it possible for the busy practitioner, lecturer, or student to access the essential information from recent research, which is applicable to their current professional pursuits. Legacy, published by the Academy as a compilation of thinking by renowned dental professionals, both living and deceased, preserves many of their thoughts regarding our profession and its positive effects in our own lives and the lives of the patients we serve. The PFA International Dental Hall of Fame museums in Paris and Maryland honor dentistry’s finest worldwide. We tend to preserve what we value most. When we are honest with out values, what we preserve has the potential to benefit others.
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The Academy promotes excellence. Whether we are providing care to patients, learning from others, organizing caring projects in areas of dental need, or teaching, excellence is recognized through awards, which are presented on an annual basis by the many local sections and the international organization of the PFA. Every dental school in the United States and many throughout the world receive an annual scholarship, awarded by the Foundation of the PFA, to the outstanding senior dental student. Local sections also present financial awards to students and instructors who have shown excellence in their efforts to learn and serve. Financial grants from the Foundation support worthwhile dental service projects throughout the world. Promoting the values of the Academy is also demonstrated in the enrollment of new Fellows. New Fellows are nominated by their peers who are already Fellows and who desire to recognize them for their excellence in the profession of dentistry and the service they dedicate to their particular area of interest. Fellowship in the Pierre Fauchard Academy is a great honor, recognizing and promoting individual excellence and dedication.
The Academy protects the future of the dental profession. By preserving the excellence of the past and promoting excellence in the present and for the future, the dental profession is protected from deterioration of its ultimate purpose and intent to provide excellent dental health care. Growth in the Pierre Fauchard Academy signifies a healthy outlook for the profession. Fellowship in the Academy requires membership in the American Dental Association or its equivalent outside of the United States. Excellence preserved, promoted, and protected will continue to grow. In the PFA, “the value of the whole is greater than the sum of its individual parts.” We acknowledge and respect all other dental academies and colleges in our common goals for the continued growth of excellence in the profession of dentistry. We support all worthwhile efforts to provide valued dental service to all who desire and need it.
With gratitude, I accept the responsibility of leadership shared with others of the Academy and look forward to the growth and excellence intended by its organization.
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