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All Over Belgium

8–13 June 2005

Professor Dahan and his gracious wife Mariethe escorted our entourage all through his country. Due to airline scheduling, Editor Brophy and photographer Shirley Brophy came in Wednesday, 8 June 2005. Mariethe picked them up at the airport and brought them to Dr. Dahan’s dental office, where they stayed in a hotel across the street.

That evening, Drs. Dahan and Brophy and their wives went over the program Professor Dahan had arranged for his Section and our visit (after discussing several unique dental cases in Dr. Dahan’s office).

The next day, Dr Howard and Sheila Mark arrived and we moved to our usual headquarters at the Hotel Conrad. That day, we toured Brussels and had a quiet evening dinner, meeting with all the guests to discuss the itinerary and events scheduled.

Friday we were up early to take the train to a Brussels suburb to meet with Mariethe (to avoid the congested city traffic). Dr. Mark led us through the maze as though he had lived there all his life. We toured Professor Dahan’s University where he teaches and then off to the old, beautiful city of Leuven.

Dr. Dahan had scheduled a tour of the Belgium Parliament with Belgium Senator Olivier de Clippelle and his wife. After the government tour, Senator Clippelle, a third-generation Belgian official, took us to lunch for further discussion about their government workings. Too often we forget that other cultures have different types of government restraints on our profession. Belgium is a multi-cultural country speaking Flemish, French, and German—in a few provinces. The move to unify the country with one language was answered by a compromise with some dental schools speaking Flemish and others French. (But everyone seems to understand English.)

For the evening, we dined with the Belgium Section officers and leaders at Maison du Cygne on the Grand Plaza. There Dr. Mark addressed their Section members on the use of the Foundation grants and scholarships.

We all left Saturday for the University of Liege (a few kilometers from the German border) at their Dental School Policliniques Universitaires, Lucien Brull School, Quai Godefoid Kurth, located along the river. There Drs. Howard Mark, Jose Dahan, and Professor Michael Limme presented the 2000 Foundation Scholarship award to Dr. Sylviane Raskin.

Professor Dahan and Editor Brophy stayed for the symposium on “Sleep Disorders and Apnea,” while the rest of our entourage toured Liege. The seminar was given by Professor Dr. R. Poirrier of Liege, Professor Dr. J. Krieger of Strasbourg, Professor W. Bacon of Strasbourg, and Dr. Sylviane Raskin.

The evening brought us all together at a local restaurant on the river for the “Official Supper” of the Belgian/Luxembourg Section.

L-R, Chairman Jose Dahan, recipient Sylviane Raskin, and President-elect Howard Mark



The new Fellows singing the Initiation Chorus

Dr. Mark inducted new Fellows into membership during their ceremony, which includes a choral arrangement after the initiation by the new members. Our new Fellows are Drs. Odile Hutereau, Sylviana Raskin, Sabine Geerts, Jean-Claude Dabee, and Professor Michael Limme.

Dr. Mark then presented the PFA’s Honorary Membership of Merit Award to Dr. Bernard Henin. Dr. Henin is particularly revered for his work in accomplishing finalizing orthodontics as a specialty in Belgium, where it had not been before.

Our President-elect addressed the crowd of Fellows and guests on “Aims and Commitments of the Pierre Fauchard Academy and its Foundation.” He particularly stressed the importance to us all about getting involved.

On Sunday, Dr. & Mrs. Mark accepted the offer of a couple of Fellows to tour Mechelen. Chair Jose and Mariethe left for his orthodontic practice in Switzerland, and Editor Brophy and Shirley left to interview Pierre Marois in Paris.

Section Chair Jose Dahan had beautifully crafted an excellent program that involved Fellows all around his country by hosting two meetings with them in different locales, helped sponsor a continuing education symposium with more than 100 in attendance, enlightened us all on the Belgian government by a Senator, and introduced us to the beauty that is his country.

L-R, Chair Jose Dahan, Honored Fellow Bernard Henin, and President-elect Howard Mark

“One of the distinct pleasures associated with being a guest in another country is that of being asked to perform the pleasurable duty of formally installing new Fellow of the Academy into their respective Sections and Regions, and, at times such as these, participating in the bestowing Honorary Fellowship in the Academy upon individuals recognized by their peers within the Academy for this prestigious distinction.

“There is no question that being selected by your peers for any honor is wonderful, in my mind. However, being singled out for the awarding of an Honorary Fellowship in one of the most prestigious organizations in the professional dental community, the Pierre Fauchard International Honor Academy, is among the highest accolades of all. It is my honor and pleasure at having been asked by your Chairperson, Professor Dr. Jose Dahan, to present this wonderful recognition to Dr. Bernard Henin.

“I would like to read the curriculum vitae that has enabled your peers to mark you as most worthy, and then bestow the citation on the Plaque of Fellowship that will be bestowed upon you. On behalf of the Officers and Board of Trustees of the Academy, let me congratulate you and welcome you into our Fellowship! We hope you will be as honored to receive this as we are to recognize you!

“In the same vein, I ask the following new Fellows to come forward and accept the duties and responsibilities of becoming Fellows of the Belgian Section of the Pierre Fauchard Academy. It is incumbent upon you to accept the duties and responsibilities of Fellowship as these carry with them the obligation of ethical behavior, professional integrity, and continuing educational learning so necessary to maintaining the high standards of conduct associated with the Academy. After taking the oath, let me be the first to congratulate you and welcome you into the Academy fellowship!”

PFA President-elect
Howard Mark