3

President Michael Perpich called the assembly to order for the Awards Luncheon and asked for a moment of silence for our dear departed Trustee Bernardo Levit. Trustee Barry Dolman gave the Invocation. The President then introduced the dignitaries attending the sold out PFA event. Lunch was served.

Awards Chairman James Englander announced the recipients of each award as the time came. Secretary General Richard Kozal prepared the videotape sent by Dr. Kleinman for viewing by the luncheon guests.

PFA Gold Medal

This year’s PFA Gold Medal recipient was selected and approved by the Board to be presented to Dr. Dushanka V. Kleinman, Deputy Director of the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research.

The Awards Banquet was the venue, but Dr. Kleinman could not attend.

Dr. Kleinman addressed the attendees by way of videotape for the luncheon guests to view. In her statements, she thanked the Pierre Fauchard Academy for this tremendous honor. “Dentistry is the only professional group with a conscience.” She went on, “There is controversy and contentment.” Our profession is facing many challenges all the time. We can’t wait for them to fall on us. I have found that the best way to predict the future is to invent it ourselves.”

Her statements echoed what the late past ADA President Richard Muscola said last year at the Awards banquet. We must unite, all of us, and attack the problems facing dentistry. As we face many here in our own country, there are far more in the third-world countries.

Dr. Dushanka V. Kleinman

Dr. Kleinman is the newly named Assistant Director for Roadmap Coordination in the Office of the Director of NIH, the Deputy Director of the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) at the National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, and the Chief Dental Officer of the United States Public Health Service. She graduated with her B.S. degree from the University of Wisconsin in 1969 and earned her D.D.S. degree from the University of Illinois College of Dentistry in 1973. Upon completing her dental degree, Dr. Kleinman did a Rotating Internship at the University of Chicago Hospitals and Clinics in 1974. She then went on to receive her Master’s Degree in the Science of Dentistry in Dental Public Health from the Boston University Henry Goldman School of Dental Medicine in 1976.

Dr. Kleinman has served as an Assistant Professor for two years at the University of Maryland at the Baltimore School of Dentistry before receiving her commission in the United States Public Health Service in June of 1978. Service Medal. Most recently, Dr. Kleinman has received the APHA’s John Knutson Distinguished Service Award in Dental Public Health and also the Carl Schlack Award from the Association of Military Surgeons of the United States (AMSUS).

PFA Distinguished Service Award

This year’s PFA Distinguished Service Award was presented to Dr. Jeremiah J. Lowney, Jr. of Norwich, Connecticut.

Dr. Lowney accepted the Distinguished Service Award from President Michael Perpich and addressed the luncheon guests about his foundation, the Haitian Health Organization that

spends a quarter of a million dollars to serve the dental needs of the very poor people of Haiti. No island paradise here, just want and need. But he noted, “Individuals can make a difference. The resources of the world are not evenly distributed. When we use our gifts and talents, we leave our footprint behind. Our return is the spiritual and personal reward from what we do.”

Dr. Jeremiah Lowney, Jr.

Dr. Lowney is a graduate of Tufts University for his B.S. degree and Temple University School of Dental Medicine for his professional degree. He also holds an M.S. degree in growth and development, a Certificate of Proficiency in Orthodontics from SUNY in Buffalo, and another Masters degree in Public Health from the University of Connecticut (1966). He was honored by being awarded a Doctor of Humane Letters degree (honorary) from the University of Bridgeport (1989) and another from Quinnipiac University (1995).

Dr. Lowney served as Lt. Commander in the U.S. Navy. As a Rotarian, he earned the 1984 Paul Harris Fellow for Rotary District #7980. He is also a former member and chairman of the City of Norwich Personnel and Pension Board, and served a six-year term on the Board of Finance for the town of Lebanon. He currently sits on the Board of St. Joseph Living Center, the Eastern Connecticut A.H.E.C., and the Ray & Pauline Sullivan Foundation. He has served past Directorships for the Norwich Saving Society, Norwich Quinnebaug Unit of the American Cancer Society with two terms as their President, the Norwich YMCA,

Dental Trade & Industry Award

The annual Dental Trade & Industry Award of Recognition was approved for the G. C. Corporation, whose President and CEO is Makoto Nakao of Tokyo. The company was nominated for this high honor by International Trustee Mamoru Sakuda of Japan. Awards Chairman James Englander announced the honor, which was presented by President Michael Perpich.

G. C. Corporation President Makoto Nakao thanked the Academy for this stellar honor. His company is celebrating its 86th Anniversary this year and is honored to be the only dental company in the top 20 PQM listings. They are a top quality, high customer satisfaction based company doing business worldwide. But they are not content with that status quo. They are striving to make new footsteps with future dental innovations.

G. C. Corporation CEO Makoto Nakao receiving Award Certificate from President Michael Perpich

Mr. Nakao is a diligent gentleman who has made many various contributions to the development of modern dentistry worldwide. His company received the 2004 Japan Quality Medal for the recognized excellence of his products. This is not an easy award to earn. His company must demonstrate total quality management-focused activity for at least three years after winning the Deming Prize. Since 1970, only 18 companies in Japan have achieved this award.

Born in 1948, Makoto Nakao finished his doctorate in the Department of Studies of Science and Technology at the Graduate School of Waseda University in 1976. In 1974, he had joined G. C. Dental Industrial Corporation rising to become President and CEO of the now G. C. Corporation in 1983.

PFA International
Honorary Fellowship

The Awards Committee and the PFA board have approved this International Fellowship to be presented to Dr. Malvin E. Ring. He was nominated by past PFA President and current Foundation Executive Director Fred Halik for this honor. President Michael Perpich presented Dr. Ring with a Certificate of Fellowship and the ribbon PFA Key of Honor.

Dr. Ring also thanked the Academy for this honor. He went on to marvel that we are assembling a dental museum as well, like the $6 million Museum of Dentistry in Baltimore that is now affiliated with the Smithsonian. “Young people have very little knowledge on the background of dentistry’s founding in Europe. Even the Encyclopaedia Britannica is not up-to-date on their description of dentistry.”

President Perpich inducts Dr. Ring into Fellowship

Dr. Ring graduated with a B.A. from Brooklyn College of the City University of New York in 1939. He then served in WWII before receiving his dental degree from St. Louis University School of Dentistry in 1946. He then served in the Korean Conflict and started a dental practice in Batavia, New York, before he went on to obtain a Masters of Library Science in 1970.