| Table of Contents - September/October • 2003 | |||||||||||||||
| Association Bus Social Dentaire | Central Office Report | ||||||||||||||
| Our Foundation Makes a Difference | |||||||||||||||
| The Elmer S. Best Award Ceremony | Desk of the Executive Director | ||||||||||||||
| Best Award Recipient Address | Foundation News | ||||||||||||||
| PFA Annual Meeting Schedule | Section News- International |
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| Annual PFA Awards Luncheon | Section News- United States |
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Dental World
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Association Bus Social Dentaire
Attending the 18 June outing to see the mobile dental clinic were PFA President Gary Lowder, PFA International Trustee Pierre Marois, Conseil President Pierre-Yves Mahe, immediate past Conseil President Andrè Robert, PFA Section Chair Hubert Ouvrard, PFA Editor Brophy, PFA photographer Shirley Brophy, Conseil General Secretary Dr. Agnes Veille-Finet, Adjoint General Secretary Dr. Michael Lubin, Bus Coordinator Dr. Daniel Kuntz, bus scheduler Katia Saidi, and dental assistant Christelle Cleret.  L-R, PFA President Gary Lowder, past Conseil President Andrè Robert, General Secretary Dr. Agnes Veille-Finet, PFA Chair Hubert Ouvrard, Adjunct Secretary Michael Lubin, Trustee Pierre Marois, and Conseil President Pierre-Yves Mahe The dignitaries were taken on a tour of this new bus, which was an exceptional example of a touring dental facility. It is one of the finest examples, in fact, of the Foundation’s grant to an ongoing project that has demonstrated our international professional support for the general public. We have our International Trustee Pierre Marois to thank for getting the Foundation involved. We thank then Conseil President Andrè Robert for permitting us to become involved with their project several years ago. And further thanks to the entire staff and PFA Fellows for supporting this genuine effort of the Academy.  L-R, Conseil President Mahe, PFA President Lowder, past Conseil President Robert, General Secretary Veille-Finet, and Trustee Pierre Marois inside the clinic Recognition of our contribution is displayed prominently on the sides of the mobile dental clinic. Staff Interviews Editor Brophy then spent the rest of the afternoon with the bus to interview Dr. Daniel Kuntz and learn the history of the clinic and its current activities. This was not easy to do with both knowing only a little of each other’s languages.  L-R Dr. Dan Kuntz, Assistant Christelle Cleret, President Lowder, Conseil past President Robert, coordinator Katia Saidi However, photographer Shirley Brophy had better success with English-speaking Dr. Agnes Veille-Finet back at the National Conseil Central Office. |
The Social Bus
The concept for this project was initiated in 1995 by the Conseil National de l’Ordre des Chirurgiens-Dentistes through Xavier Emmanuelli. In 1996, a reconditioned truck had dental equipment installed and hit the streets of Paris with 110 dentists participating in servicing the poor of Paris. Later that year, de l’Association Bus Social Dentaire (ABSD) was created to operate the scheduling of volunteers, sites, patients, and treatments. At that time, the chief sponsors of this pilot project were l’Ordre National des Chirurgien-Dentistes, la Drass, Hopital sans Frontieres, and in 1997 the Pierre Fauchard Academy. The demand and use of the bus became so great, along with the general wear and tear on it, that the Conseil needed to outfit a replacement for their first mobile dental clinic. So in 2000, a former medical mobile clinic was purchased and outfitted with dental equipment. With the financial aid of several organizations, including the City of Paris and the Pierre Fauchard Foundation, the clinic began to serve a wider area and a greater number of patients.  Conseil President Andrè Robert with Bus II in 2001 With the advancement of dental technology and with the experience of using these “made-over” trucks for dental needs, the Conseil determined it needed an actual dental clinic on wheels. Since the Conseil’s project was firmly established in the community, was well-accepted by everyone, and was serving dental needs far beyond their current resources, the Conseil sought out funding for constructing a mobile dental clinic from the ground up. This was not an easy task. The streets of Paris are often very small and difficult to negotiate, if even possible, for such a large vehicle. So a standard Paris commercial delivery truck was adopted for the framework of the clinic. This opened larger areas of the city and suburbs up for possible locations. Disability access was insured. Stationary struts were included to stabilize the clinic when parked. The most modern technology was adapted to fit the room and needs of the volunteer dentists. But the mission was accomplished. The new dental clinic is truly equal to the most up-to-date modern dental office. The National Conseil has a right to be proud of their achievement. In 2003, they accepted delivery of their new mobile dental clinic that actually was designed with every square inch in mind for dental procedures. The new dental bus represents the state-of-the art concepts in dentistry and has expanded its ability to serve the Paris environs. Due to their ongoing tremendous response to the dental needs of the public, and their established record of service, many organizations helped with financing the newer, sleeker mobile clinic. Along with the original supporters, l’Ordre National des Chirurgien-Dentistes was joined by le Conseil General des Hauts-se-Seine, la DRASS 75, le Conseil Regional d’Ile de France, la Ville de Paris, la Fondation Abbe Pierre, la Federation Mutualiste Parisienne, and several banks, dental labs and supply houses. Dental Clinic Statistics In 1999, the mobile clinic served 2119 patients at 286 locations with 761 personnel hours donated. In 2000, the clinic served 2235 patients at 301 locations with 847 hours donated. In 2001, 2336 patients were seen at 326 locations with 795 hours donated. And by September of 2002, 1873 patients were treated at 340 locations with 879 donated hours. Eighty percent of the patients are male. Fifty-four percent of the patients are between the ages of 25 and 39; 24% are age 40 to 65; 20% are 16 to 24 years of age; and only 1% are over age 65, with another 1% under the age of 16. Seventy-five percent are indigents, 7% are on social security, and 11% are on medical aid. The cultural breakdown is even more astounding as the bus serves the world at the Paris doorstep. Only 9% are French, 27% are European, 36% are Arab, 21% are African, 5% are Asian, 1% are from South America, and 1% are from North America. The bus attends nine various sites in Paris and its suburbs on a rotating basis. It arrives at 8:15 a.m. and departs at 1:15 p.m. under normal circumstances. In 2002 (up to September), 11% of the treatment were examinations, 17.4% radiographs, 11.2% amalgams; 15.9% composite fillings, 9.2% root canals, 14% extractions, 6.6% periodontal treatment, 0.3% prostheses, and 14.4% cleanings. Nota bene: The report was in French and your Editor may have missed some idiomatic details. But regardless, the statistics are impressive as is the facility itself. The PFA Foundation can be justly proud of the part we have played in this ongoing public dental service. |
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Germany |
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Flying to Berlin was actually cheaper, faster, and more convenient than taking a train. We stayed at the Hotel Kempimski where Herr Horst-Wolfgang Haase, publisher for Quintessence and 1992 Elmer Best Award recipient, subsidized most of the expenses. That evening, President Lowder and Trustee Pierre Marois met with German Section Chair Frank Braun and Elmer Best Award recipient Gunnar Carlsson of Sweden to discuss the next day’s events. Fortunately, everyone from four different countries, spoke excellent and fluent English. So the evening went quickly, covering a variety of topics from the state of PFA affairs in the world and in Europe, to Dr. Carlsson’s dental research and anthropological studies on hominid teeth, to Dr. Braun’s book on the best wines of Germany. |
 L-R, Loreli and Gary Lowder, Anita Carlsson, Pierre Marois, Shirley and Jim Brophy, Seba Marois, Gunnar Carlsson, Rosemary and Frank Braun |
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| Table of Contents - September/October • 2003 | |||||||||||||||
| Association Bus Social Dentaire | Central Office Report | ||||||||||||||
| Our Foundation Makes a Difference | |||||||||||||||
| The Elmer S. Best Award Ceremony | Desk of the Executive Director | ||||||||||||||
| Best Award Recipient Address | Foundation News | ||||||||||||||
| PFA Annual Meeting Schedule | Section News- International |
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| Annual PFA Awards Luncheon | Section News- United States |
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Dental World
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1-800-232-0099, Fax (702) 651-5537; E-mail RKOZAL@aol.comFoundation office: 30 Spruce Ridge, Fairport, N.Y., 14450-4278;
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