Spring approaches and the warm sun will begin to shine with the promise of an awakening world—at least, in the Northern Hemisphere! It also heralds the more intense planning activities of many Sections and Regions as they prepare for inductions and award ceremonies. To me, the importance of these events needs to be stressed, not because of the pomp and circumstance dictated by the occasion, but because inducting Fellows and presenting PFA awards of recognition and service need to be appreciated as integral to a premier international honor dental organization. While caps and gowns are not essential to these happenings, a certain gravity should be expected at these times that will make them memorable and inspire the attendees to realize what being a Fellow of the Academy truly means.

While on this topic, I would again urge the Section Chairs to extend an invitation, not only to their respective Trustees, but also to the PFA Management Team, to be present. The Management Team wants to do this as a way of connecting personally with the Fellowship, giving them an opportunity to discuss the Academy and its aims and goals directly with the leadership. This interaction can only strengthen the Academy and enable it to become stronger and healthier in the future. PLEASE, PLEASE, let our Secretary-General, Richard Kozal, know the dates of these events as soon as you can, so that we can be there with you!

The interim meeting of the Management Team will be late this year. It falls in the latter part of April and the beginning of May to correspond to the annual session of the California Dental Association. The reason for this is to make it easier for our first truly International President-Elect, Dr. William Winspear of Australia, to attend. While there have been two others serving as International Presidents, they came from Canada, which enabled them to attend more easily and at less cost to the Academy. There is no question that the timing is correct for a President to come from other Regions of the body, because the desire of the leadership is to

encourage expansion overseas and to increase the Fellowship representation from other countries. We have long been served capably and well by Trustees from these other Regions—it is appropriate to allow them to serve on the Management team as well!

As I have stated earlier, it is at this meeting of the Management Team that we will review the reports of the Board Committees and act upon their ideas and recommendations. In the subsequent Dental World, you will have a reprise of our deliberations and actions to consider before the annual session in Las Vegas in October. We will welcome any suggestions you as the Fellowship may have in reaction to them, so that we can make pertinent adjustments or secondary changes to our findings prior to the annual session of the Academy. Do not hesitate—we want to hear from you!

I cannot stress too much the need for increasing the Fellowship numbers. There are enough good reasons for this that I have no compunction in continuing to ask the present Fellows to identify among their peers worthy candidates. Among these reasons are: the type of organization that PFA is; its aims and goals; its dedication to service and education; and its ability, when coupled with the Foundation, to help in the financing of grants for projects worldwide that can bring better oral health to underserved areas. To be a Fellow is not to flaunt this honor and do nothing; to be a Fellow carries with it an obligation to serve and educate peoples everywhere as to good oral health. All of us need to be proactive, not reactive, and. certainly, not idle! A number of you have already indicated your support of PFA by sending in suggested names on the cards that came with your dues statements—the Board thanks you for this vote of confidence in the organization! These names have been forwarded to the Section Chairs for consideration in their next induction classes.

The Academy is alive and well—the Board and I look forward to a healthy and strong 2006!

Howard Mark, DMD

The time is upon us now to consider the upcoming awards for the October Annual Meeting’s Awards Banquet to be held on Tuesday, 17 October, 11:30 AM to 2 PM at the Four Seasons Hotel in Las Vegas during the 145th annual ADA Annual Session. Please note this change. Because of the shift in the ADA Meeting schedule, the PFA Annual Awards Banquet will be on Tuesday afternoon, rather than the usual Saturday noon.

Per our PFA ByLaws, President Howard Mark has named our PFA Vice President James Englander (and previous Chair) as head of the Awards Committee, along with Drs. Barry Dolman, Charles Eller, Hubert Ouvrard, Nicholas Saccone, Frank Braun, Pierre Marois, Mamoru Sakuda, and Richard Kozal. That committee will consider and make recommendations to the PFA Board of Trustees for candidates to receive the Pierre Fauchard Gold Medal, the Elmer S. Best Memorial Award, the Dental Industry Award of Recognition, the Distinguished Service Certificate, and any International Honorary Fellowships.

The Fauchard Gold Medal nominee may be recommended by a committee of past recipients, as well as individual Trustees. The Awards Committee must approve the recommendation for submission to the PFA Board of Trustees, which must adopt the recommendation by a two thirds vote. This award is designated for outstanding contributions made to the progress and standing of the dental profession. Its recipient must hold a dental degree or its equivalent and reside in the United States.

The Elmer S. Best Memorial Award is presented annually to a member of the dental profession residing outside the United States who is engaged in the practice of dentistry and/or dental education and /or dental research. The recipient shall have made outstanding contributions to the art and science of dentistry, and shall be a member in good standing of the official dental organization of his or her respective country. The recipient must have a unanimous vote of the Awards Committee, and be approved by a two thirds vote of the PFA Board of Trustees.

The Distinguished Service Citation may be presented to a Fellow of the Academy in appreciation of loyal and dedicated service to the Academy. Such a nominee must be recommended by the Awards Committee and have unanimous approval by the PFA Board of Trustees.

The PFA Board of Trustees may occasionally honor Fellows for “loyal and dedicated service” to the Academy with the PFA Bronze Service Citation awarded in the form of a bronze plaque.

The Dental Trade and Industry Award of Recognition may be presented to honor an outstanding leader in the field of dentistry for the company’s outstanding contributions to our profession. Only one plaque per year will be presented. The PFA President, or his designee, shall present the plaque at a place and time mutually agreeable to the recipient and the PFA President. The recipient must be nominated by the Awards Committee and have the approval of the Board of Trustees.

Recommendations for these awards may come from any Fellow, or highly regarded member of our profession, through the Regional PFA Trustee. Such forms for submission of such recommendations may be downloaded from our Web site or procured from the Central Office, filled out, and returned to the Central Office with a current CV for the nominee. Award recommendations are always in order but will be considered in a time frame to accommodate the next Awards Committee Report for a specific event. Such recommendations will be kept on file for reconsideration if not selected immediately.

Remember that when you take the time to join in honoring another in your profession, you do honor to yourself. For no one could think to recognize another without first sharing the knowledge it takes to do so.

Management Team
Interim Meeting
29 April–1 May
Anaheim Hilton Hotel

FDI’s 94th Annual
World Congress

The Management Team Interim Meeting will be held in conjunction with the California Dental Association’s annual Spring Scientific Session in Anaheim, California. Their Scientific Session will run from Thursday, 27 April, through Sunday, 30 April. The Management Team Interim Meeting will begin with a dinner meeting on Saturday, 29 April, to coordinate the weekend’s activities and to assemble the overseas dignitaries attending.

Sunday, 30 April, the California, Southern Section will host their annual PFA Luncheon at the Sheraton Park Hotel. International Trustee Charles Eller will coordinate our participation at this huge event.

Monday, 1 May, the Management Team will meet at the Anaheim Hilton to hold their annual interim meeting. The agenda will be sent to those participating.

The FDI has announced their dates for hosting the World Congress in Shenzhen, China, starting with their Open Forum 1 on Tuesday, 19 September 2006. Their General Assembly A will be held on Wednesday, 20 September, with the General Assembly B on Sunday, 24 September. The Scientific Programme and Exhibits will run from 22 to 25 September. All meetings—business, scientific programs and exhibits—will be held in the new “state of the art” Shenzhen Congress and Exhibition Centre (SZCEC). For further information and inquiries, visit their Web site at:

http://FDIWorldental.org/microsites/Shenzhen/congress1.html

PFA is in the process of planning a Region 9 Meeting during the FDI Congress. More information can be found on our Web site when the final plans are completed and will be published in your Dental World when available.

The Las Vegas annual PFA Board Meetings and the Foundation Meetings will be held from Monday, 16 October, through Wednesday, 19 October. It is important that you note these dates and be prepared ahead of time as this marks a change in the usual pattern.

The ADA’s 145th annual Session has changed its meeting days to open on Monday at 8 AM, not the usual Saturday opening. PFA has accommodated that schedule.

We will be housed at the Four Seasons Hotel in Las Vegas, which is located within the Mandalay Hotel. Mark your calendars early to be ready for this change. The following is the schedule of our activities:

All Section Chairs are invited to attend the Board Meetings of the Academy and to attend the President’s Reception. This also includes the Awards Luncheon and the PFA Dinner Party,

but reservations and payment MUST be made in advance. In the past few years, our Awards Luncheons have been well attended.

It is no longer a matter of adding another chair, as the rooms have been filled to capacity. Make your paid reservations for either or both events in the envelope contained in the next issue of Dental World to insure that you have place.

All reports for the Board Meeting packet must be received in the Central Office no later than 8 September 2006 to be included in the Meeting packet. Those reports received after 8 September will NOT be part of the official Meeting packet.

As always, spontaneous oral reports during the meeting will not be allowed. If you wish to give an oral report, please inform the Central Office BEFORE 8 September 2006 in order to be placed on the meeting agenda. NO exceptions! Sturgis Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure governs all procedures of the Board.

MONDAY
16 October

8–9:30 AM ADA Opening Session TBA

9:30–11 AM Section Chair Caucus Mesquite Room 1

10 AM–noon Academy Board Meeting Desert Willow Room

Noon working lunch Desert Willow Room

1:30–2:30 PM Executive Session Desert Willow Room

2:30–5 PM Academy Board Meeting Desert Willow Room

TUESDAY
17 October

7:30–11:30 AM Foundation Board Meeting Desert Willow Room

11:30 AM–2 PM Awards Luncheon Four Seasons Ballroom 3

2:30–5 PM Foundation Board Meeting Desert Willow Room

6:30–8 PM President’s Reception Four Seasons Ball Room 4

WEDNESDAY
18 October

8 AM–noon Foundation Board Meeting Desert Willow Room

Noon working lunch with the Academy/Foundation Boards

1–5 PM Academy Board Meeting Desert Willow Room

6:30-10:30 PM PFA Dinner Party Mesquite Room 1

Through the far-seeing insights of past PFA President Shig Ryan Kishi and our Executive Director Richard A. Kozal, PFA and the Foundation launched its own global visitors’ center for the Pierre Fauchard Academy on the Internet. With the assistance of our professional Webmaster Mark Stanley of Minneapolis, PFA entered the new century on top of the technological revolution. Recent PFA Presidents Michael Perpich and Howard Mark have concentrated on updating the site and making some outstanding improvements. They are constantly working with the latest in modern developments to bring this site directly into your homes and offices. The only thing you need to do to know anything about the Academy and the Foundation is to turn on your computer and enter the Web site title into your search engine. Simple enough! But not so.

Our studies of the Fellowship ranks have indicated that this enormous improvement to the way PFA interacts with its members, and with the world as a whole (and it is an enormous leap forward), is in a state of transition. This is not because the PFA leadership and Webmaster are improving our site almost daily, but because the technology that makes it so impacting for us as an organization has raced past many of our Fellows.

As recent dental technology has turned dental performance on its ear, so has computerization. We find that our Fellows from so many different generations and cultures fall into three categories.

First, there are many of the older generation who do not see, or have, the need to use a computer. They are retired, have spent their successful careers using charts and files with hand-entry notations, and used a typewriter for their letters. They do not see the need to invest in a computer to do what they have done by hand all their lives, let along get hooked into the Internet, when a phone call or letter will do. Note that our profession has been, and still pretty much is, a “hands-on” one. Teeth are still teeth over millions of years. Dentists have used their hands in handling dental situations since 4000 B.C. While we have adapted new technology into our practice, like high-speed drills, most older dentists are experienced and educated enough to walk into a jungle with a few dental instruments and adapt some of form of dental treatment. Our Web site is several steps beyond their capability of using even if they knew how computers worked—and the special language of the computer age. This group is growing smaller, and many of them are adapting into the rudiments of the computer age.

The second category is composed of older and baby boomers who have adapted to the computer age, but not expertly so. They have some inhibited learning from former methods—typewriter, copy machines, faxes, and phones. They understand that computers have put all that into one operation, but heaven forbid if they push the wrong button and try to retrieve the lost data. It is there somewhere, but they do not have the time to read the phone book instructions to find how to get it back.

They eventually get proficient in the limited areas that are required in their daily lives and business, but they have little knowledge about the power that they control with the modern computers. They can find our Web site and, by stumbling around a bit, can secure the information they need. For this group, Mark Stanley has produced a CD that can be put into your computer and literally walk you through our site. Most of the Section Chairs have these available.

The third category is those younger dentists and those who adapted to the program configurations intuitively. You see them keyboard in a quick few things on TV shows and break into the computer and save the day. My 4-year-old daughter taught me years ago when I could not get the “string” to get into my DOS. Now we are so far beyond all that. All the kids have been working with computers in grammar schools for over 20 years. Some have never even seen a typewriter. They are the ones that find our site fascinating and full of information as well as links to other sites to follow for more knowledge. That group is currently filling the dental ranks. Computers have become a necessary dental instrument now in all offices.

As one group gets smaller, another increases in learning more, and as the new adept Fellows grow, we run into a friction of interfacing. Many are just trying to catch up with their knowledge and expertise, while the advanced group is in the forefront demanding greater changes and infusing the system with new ideas.

That is what our Webmaster and the recent PFA Officers have been doing. They are on the cutting edge of the most recent developments, while those behind in the pack are just trying to get to know how the system works. As soon as they do, the system improves with changes.

Last month, the United States launched an information probe to visit and analyze the planet Pluto. The data it will be sending back during its nine-year voyage to the outer planet will take 20 years for us to analyze. One commentator noted that with the development of computer and space technology, we might already have a manned space ship there to meet it when it finally arrives.

“WWW” means “World Wide Web.” That is the address your computer recognizes to go look for our site. “Fauchard.org.” That is the “post office box” where our site is stored, waiting for your visit.

In some cases you can put mail in, just read it there, or take a copy out.

I hope you all have had a chance to see the new simplified home page. There will be many more changes as we reorganize the Web site pages for easier access to what you are looking for. If you do not immediately see what you are looking for, you can try the “sitemap” link to view a complete index of all the pages. This is a good overview or the entire site. If you are looking for something very specific, you can use the “search” field to have the Web server look for items that match your query. Use as many words as you can to narrow the search results. The Worldwide Directory will also let you search by “last name,” or scroll down by Section to the list of Fellows in your area.

As of last June, we have added Officers’ pages. All the current officers now have access to special “From the desk of…” news pages that they can edit and update anytime and from any computer. This was done for your convenience to speed up communications to the members from their officers.

The Web site has seen steady growth in number of pages served. Traffic to the site has grown more than 30% above last year at this time. In November of 2004, there were 23,587 pages served, in other words visited, by the same person or different people. In December of 2004, the pages served were 26,588. In January 2005, the pages served dropped a little to 25,205; and again in February 2005, to 23,349 pages. But by April and again in May 2005, the numbers went well above 29,000 for each month. So the Web site is being used regularly.

Areas visited most often were in Publications, followed by Foundation, then Inquiries, and Awards. The Foundation pages have received a great deal of interest. Articles most popular have been the Doc Holliday article and the Titanic article, as well as the Fauchard article. The Journal of the History of Dentistry has allowed us to post some of their articles online. The Membership Directory and the Catalogue receive a fair amount of visitors.

We are currently going over past data on the usage of various areas of the Web site so that we can reorganize and create a new look for the Web site that better fits the needs of the Fellowship and the visiting dental profession.

Improvements are being made in a variety of other areas as well. The individual Officers pages are one example. PFA-related video clips can be found there. We are trying out various language programs that may be able to translate the different pages into languages spoken by a majority of the members. We have “News” pages for immediate updates; articles can be added and deleted. Calendar dates can be placed on line in advance for greater attendance. Additional “links” (like passageways) are added where the visitor can leave the site for another site to get that information.

The new look is simpler, less cluttered, and has a focus on the worldwide reach of PFA. The new logo is there along with a clear PFA mission statement. You can find the most recent issue of Dental World as well. Eventually, we are planning for each Trustee to have a page. You can contact the Central Office, the Foundation, or any Officer. We are providing a downloadable PDF file that is optimized to print out on your own computer. And different forms for use by the membership are being added.

I realize that some of this new language may be confusing. And it is difficult to describe all that our site contains without illustrations, but it is user-friendly. The best way to get to know how to use the site to serve your needs is just to go there and explore it, maybe a couple of times. Then send us your ideas for improving it, or what you might want to see added. Only with your feedback can we know where you want us to go with this tool.

Many of you have received letters from the ADA about their Foundation’s activities to provide some assistance in the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. In that letter, they noted that over 200,000 people are now displaced and have the monumental task of rebuilding their lives, among them some estimated 1000 dentists. This is a two-fold problem. Dentists not only have no homes but no dental offices either, thus no income and no patients. The 200,000 people displaced may be able to get dental service from where they are now, but what will be the situation when they return?

The Dental School at LSU sustained heavy damage. The headquarters of the Louisiana and the Mississippi Dental Associations have some digging out to do as well. The ADA determined that their priority rested in getting the dentists back in business to serve their other priority—the needing public.

But even getting re-established again, will the dentists have patients who can afford dental treatment in place of establishing a home and getting a job?

The ADA Foundation established the ADA Disaster Response Fund to raise $1.2 million and to make sure it gets to where it is needed the most. So far, grants totaling $830,000 have been made to 332 dentists in the savaged area; $60,000 in grants have been made to LSU’s School of Dentistry Recovery Fund to support student services during their four-month transition period to a temporary dental school location in Baton Rouge; a $56,610 grant has been awarded to Baylor University’s School of Dentistry, which is providing care to the evacuees who moved to Texas.

Now many of our members and patients have responded already to the Red Cross and the Salvation Army. But within our own profession, the ADA Foundation Disaster Response Fund is also accepting donations and pledges. These may be made directly to the ADA Fund at 211 E. Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611. Credit card contributions can be faxed to the ADA Foundation at 312/440-3526.

In their January news release, the Louisiana Dental Association announced that their 2006 Annual Session will focus on “Self-Help Recovery Initiative.” Their three-day event was held 23-25 March in Baton Rouge. Their speakers were Drs. Peter Dawson, Jon Suzuki, Mark Hyman, Del Webb, and Charles Blair. LDA’s Executive Director, Ward Blackwell, expressed thanks to everyone for their contributions toward relieving this disaster and went on to say, “While optimism for the future is strong, the bottom line is that perhaps 30% to 40% of LDA member dentists will receive dues waivers, thus

motivating LDA to expand its Annual Session as the lynchpin of its self-help recovery initiative.”

Founded in 1878, LDA has 1800 members that are active, retired, and student dentists.

Our past PFA President Jim Long of Starkville, Mississippi, has reported that the dental associations of Louisiana, Texas, and Mississippi have all waived their dues for 2006. They also all have established relief funds and are issuing checks for about $1500 apiece.

Dr. Long was a major force in establishing the PFA Foundation’s Emergency Disaster Relief Fund. Academy dues for 2006 were waived for any Fellows involved in the disaster. Unlike other organizations, however, the PFA Foundation had the desire to be there on the spot to help but had no guidelines from which to operate. As this Foundation Fund is founded to be able to service other such disasters that arise, they must craft a

Fund within the Foundation that conforms to the Foundation’s established charter. And there is the concern that all their funds might not be enough to be of any significant assistance. The thought, though, is that working in concert with other funding organizations, the cumulative effect would be able to establish dental service to the public while aiding those dentists caught up in the situation.

An Ongoing Disaster for Years

The problem is not simply that dental service offices were wiped out or severely damaged, nor that the public they had served are no longer in the area, nor that the areas they have evacuated to are overburdened with patients who have no immediate funds available, but that the banks that held all their accounts—dentists and patients—are not up and running, or open to issue payments. The lost records of Accounts Receivable are gone as well. Then there is the problem of workers to rebuild the dental offices, suppliers to get the equipment to them, evacuees who would be starting over again simply starting over elsewhere.

Think of the situation in your own terms. You are a dentist whose capital is tied up in a dental facility, equipment, patients of record, accounts receivable, a good reputation, and a steady cash flow.

Now take all that away, including your bank account, in a matter of a few hours. Now a major concern is whether your patients, or any patients, will return at all or start anew somewhere else with what insurance they may have.

Dentists have the same options! Retire, start somewhere else to build a new practice all over again, or go back to rebuild while waiting for patients to return and new ones to come in to create a cash flow to live on and raise a family. Tough decision. That is the whole disaster beyond Katrina and Rita.

A FOUNDATION-SUPPORTED PROJECT…

South along El Camino Real:
Amigos de Los Californios Mobile Clinic

A FOUNDATION-SUPPORTED PROJECT...

The Student-run Free Dental Clinic Project
by Dr. Irwin B. Silverstein and Brock Lorenz

The grant from the PFA Foundation has aided us much in continuing to operate and grow.

You may learn more at our Web site at http://acs.ucsd.edu/ucsdfdc/

Many cities across America do not have dental schools, but most of them have colleges and universities, a contingency of dental professionals, and an underserved dental population. These three components can be successfully merged to create much the same program for their areas. Many organizations have taken note of the success of our project, including the ADA, which has awarded several of our faculty leaders the prestigious Access to Dental Care Award. The ADA Foundation, the California Dental Association Foundation, the San Diego County Dental Health Foundation, and the Pierre Fauchard Academy Foundation have seen fit to recognize our success by providing funds. For this we thank them all.

This project has generated success in our community, and it can do the same for other communities. The first step would be to view our Web site, then contact me for how you can begin such a program in your area. You will be amazed at the response and the value of self-worth you get from serving those who so terribly need your help.

A FOUNDATION-SUPPORTED PROJECT...

Generations Family Health Center (GFHC)

Dr. Margaret Ann Smith has written a report on GFHC that was published in the Winter 2005 issue of the newsletter Oral Health Matters for the Connecticut Department of Public Health, Office of Oral Public Health entitled "Smiles for the Quiet Corner." She notes that GFHC is the only community health center in Windham County, Connecticut. The PFA Foundation grant was an investment in a program to partner community dentists and hygienists to provide dental treatment to underserved children and their parents in the professional volunteers' own private offices at no cost.

A pilot program began in Autumn of 2003 between GFHC and several dentists in Windham County who were alarmed by the disease prevalence in their communities. The DMF rate was 35% to 40% with additional long-term serious implications from the untreated dental disease for the children's overall health. The plan was to address the significant oral health needs in northeastern Connecticut called "the Quiet Corner."

The first goal of their grant was to provide access to dental care to some 200 underserved children and their families. Using the success of their pilot program, GFHC has partnered private practitioners to provide some 120 dental visits and close to 400 treatment procedures at no cost during last year. The original intention was to refer patients during a donated session for short visits where one or two procedures would be provided. But the dentists and hygienists preferred to provide as much dentistry as was comfortable for the patient during the one visit. This resulted in ore treatment being provided during longer visits.

Volunteers also preferred to accept one child at a time for comprehensive treatment, instead of periodically donating a block of time.

The Foundation grant of $5000 was to encourage the development of a partnership between the private dental providers and the not-for-profit community health center to address the significant access barriers the medically underserved (Medicaid and uninsured) patients face in their attempts to seek oral health care. As a community health center, the capacity of the Generations Willimantic Dental Clinic to provide comprehensive oral health care to all medically underserved is limited, given the high poverty and low socioeconomic status in this distressed area. Often, lateral referrals to private dentists were necessary to handle the overload or specialty care. GFHC would identify these patients in need and schedule them into private dental offices in their community coordinating the paperwork.

Thus, the clinic has sought to expand the network of services available to their patients through innovative partnerships.

So the initial goal of per patient visits was lower, but the number of procedures provided was greater. The final result was fewer patients received more treatment. The Generations Willimantic Clinic has a waiting list of some 550 patients, 25% of them children, so "follow-up" visits were difficult. Thus, the dental volunteers providing comprehensive treatment was in the best interests of the patients. In addition, the volunteers willingly provided more complex procedures, like root canals, extractions, and space maintainers, when indicated.

The second goal of the grant was to partner with at least three local dentists to provide the necessary space for preventive and restorative care for children and their families, and to provide at least seven "Smiles for the Quiet Corner" sessions to the target population. Six dentists and two hygienists volunteered their time to provide 12 separate "Smiles for the Quiet Corner" sessions. Volunteering were Drs. Jeniffer Bear of Hebron, Walter McGinn of Putnam, Jeff Simpson of Putnam, Jack Mooney of Putnam, Bernice Szafarek and her hygienist of Columbia, Gary Weller and his hygienist of Putnam, and Jamie Roach-Decker of Colchester. Drs. Michael Goodman and Ron Albert, both pediatric dentists, have provided treatment for three children in the hospital.

The third goal was to eliminate transportation, cultural, and language barriers to oral health care by providing a coordination of services. The GFHC's receptionist would ask about these matters and, with the help of a GFHC Health Support Worker, would address the identified need to aid the family in keeping their appointments.

Nurturing Families, a part of the Generations Family Health Center, coordinated patient visits from the Windham Hospital prenatal clinic to several of the volunteer offices by arranging transportation and interpreters. The relationship between periodontal disease in mothers and preterm births make it essential that pregnant women have access to oral health care.

The fourth goal was to educate parents and care givers on the importance of regular oral health care. All patients were given oral hygiene instructions, a toothbrush, floss, and educational pamphlets.

Thus, the grant went to offset the costs for logistical and care coordination, for dental supplies and materials, for oral hygiene pamphlets, for transportation vouchers, and for medical record supplies. By coordinating the patient referrals so effectively, as one example of its success, the "no-show" rate was only 10% among the referred patients compared with 30% for the clinic. This value alone insured that appointments made to private dental volunteers were not a waste of their office time and staff.

Certainly, this program will not close the gap in needed care, but it is making a significant difference in the lives of the patients it reaches. Small incremental steps over time by committed individuals bring significant change, which may result in broader reforms in the health care system. Community health centers need to be integrated into the greater dental community, which has a vested interest in the health of their neighborhoods, and understand the consequences that result without such services.

As a result of this project, focus has brought legislative attention on the area's health care needs. And several of the volunteer dentists are in the process of being credentialed to work in the GFHC clinic.

A FOUNDATION-SUPPORTED PROJECT...

The Thousand Smiles Foundation
by James P. Vernetti

The Thousand Smiles Foundation officers and members are deeply indebted to the PFA Foundation Board members for their ongoing financial assistance to this most worthy humanitarian project. Over the years, we have restored not only several thousand smiles, but in addition, tens of thousands carious lesions, hundreds of orthodontic procedures, and an equal number of audiological needs.

The magnitude of this project is difficult to explain adequately by the written word.

Those of us who are deeply involved in the actual operations obtain our rewards from seeing the patients' parents shed actual tears of joy, especially when they see their child's face restored to a normal stature. On the dental mouth operations, the relief from pain and restored tooth aesthetics brings equal appreciation.

A FOUNDATION-SUPPORTED PROJECT...

The Children's Dental Center

This clinic in Inglewood, California, located in the Los Angeles area, is run by Dr. Cherilyn Sheets, who addressed the PFA California, Southern Section's annual Luncheon on the progress of its activities upon receiving a $10,000 grant from the Foundation. The clinic has increased access to oral health care, with treatment services and prevention education for the dentally uninsured children from an economically depressed area. With estimates of some half a million children in Los Angeles County without any dental coverage, the magnitude of the need is daunting unless we confront the problem one child at a time. And that is the same for undertaking any huge task--one step at a time.

During the first nine months of the grant year, the Foundation funds supported 20 uninsured children for 66 visits to reach a level of covering their entire basic dental needs.

On the first visit, the children start at the Shannon Kelly Tooth Fairy Cottage with oral hygiene instructions and a review of their nutrition. These visits were not a one-shot episode. They were repeated until the child understood what was being explained. Thus, over 90% of the children have improved their brushing and flossing to demonstrate a reduction in plaque.

During this process, a majority of the parents and siblings of the scheduled patient were present and participated in the prevention education process.

Dr. Sheets notes, "Even though our children have a lot of cavities because they could not be taken to a dentist when they were small, they now enjoy coming here. The dental assistants sing when the children get nervous and that makes them both feel better. There is no other place in the area like the Children's Dental Center."

UNITED STATES

California, Southern Section

Fellow Harriet Seldin is now serving as President of the American Association of Dental Editors (AADE).

Fellow Edward B. Cowan was named Distinguished Deputy Regent of the ICD-USA Section. He was also the 2004 recipient of the Deputy Regent of the Year Award, called the "Sparkplug Award" from the USA Section of the ICD.

Fellows Naomi Bement, Doug Cassat, George Stratigopolis, and Tom Stewart are serving on their Board of Directors for the TDIC.

Fellow Robert Barrett was recipient of the 2005 Dr. Deon Carrico Spirit of Leadership Award from the California Academy of Dentistry.

Fellow Mike Bromberg is President of the California Academy of General Dentistry.

Fellows Robert Emigh and Nita Largosa were inducted into Fellowship in the ICD during their annual Convocation in Philadelphia last Autumn.

Fellow Jack Conley is retiring as Editor of the California Dental Association's Journal after serving for 22 years in that position. He has been named Editor-emeritus.

Fellow Jeffrey Moses received UOP's university-wide Distinguished Alumni Award for his over 23 years of continuous volunteer service to providing cleft lip/cleft palate surgeries in Latin America.

USC Dean Harold Slavkin received the PFA California, Southern Section's 2004 Distinguished Honor Award.

Foundation Treasurer-emeritus, and past PFA President George Higue was recipient of the 2004 PFA Distinguished Service Award.

Fellow Bob Ibsen, founder of the Den-Mat Corporation received PFA's 2004 Award of Merit.

Fellow Luke Iwata received the ADA's Outstanding Leadership in Mentoring Award. He also was recipient of one of the two ADA's Committee on New Dentists Golden Apple Awards for his outstanding work with the Loma Linda dental students.

Fellow Roseann Mulligan was presented the 2004 Harold Berk Award from Special Care Dentistry and the Academy of Dentistry for Persons with Disabilities for her exemplary leadership in this area of dental care.

Fellow Lynette Kagihara is the new Director of USC's Advanced Education in General Dentistry Program.

The Section's Teachers of the Year Awards were presented to USC's Dr. Eddie Sheh, to UCLA's Dr. Russell D. Nishimura, and to Loma Linda's Dr. Robert Allan Handysides.

At their annual Luncheon Awards Meeting, PFA President Michael Perpich attended to assist in making the presentations and initiating seven new Fellows into membership at their annual Awards Luncheon. Our new Fellows are Drs. Stephen M. Lodeski of Arcadia, Barbara Yound of San Diego, Philip B. Potter of San Clemente, Ronald Maloof of Cypress, James Klusmier of Fullerton, Lilia Larin of National City, and Clelan G. Ehrler of Rialto.

Past ADA President Eugene Sekiguichi, a dental practitioner in Monterey Park who has served as Interim Executive Director of the California Dental Association, was the recipient of the Section's PFA Honor Award. Dr. Sekiguichi is also a clinical professor and Associate Dean for International Professional and Legislative Affairs for USC.

Florida

Past PFA President (1992-93) Marty Naimark, originally from Michigan, has been retired now for some time. Recently, he has entered a skilled nursing facility due to some adverse effects of hydrocephalus, making it difficult for him to talk and write. He is 93 years old and has certainly made a difference in the many lives he has touched over nearly a century, particularly as President of the Academy. During his leadership, our last printed Membership Directory was published, thanks to his securing a sponsor to pick up the cost. After that time, all membership directories have been put on the Web site for immediate referral.

Georgia

Chair Karyn Stockwell hosted their annual PFA Meeting Weekend at the Ritz-Carleton Lodge, Reynolds Plantation in Greensboro last February 2-5. President Howard and Sheila Mark attended.

J. David Allen

Fellow J. David Allen, an oral and maxillofacial surgeon in Athens, accepted the position as the 2007 Chair-elect for the Georgia Chamber of Commerce. Dr. Allen is a graduate of Emory University School of Dentistry. He served two years in the U.S. Navy, where he completed his Internship and Residency in oral surgery at Grady Memorial Hospital (Emory) in 1975. Dr. Allen is past President of the Georgia Dental Association, the DeKalb Unit of the American Cancer Society, the Southeastern Society of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, and the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. In 2004, he was presented the "Mr. DeKalb Award" for exemplary citizenship. As Vice Chair of the Chamber of Commerce Membership Committee, he recruited more than 200 new members.

He also serves on the Boards of Emory University, The Emory Children's Center, Woodruff Health Sciences Center, Yerkes Primate Center, and the Emory Clinic. He is a member of the Atlanta Rotary Club. He and his wife Beverly live in Stone Mountain with their three daughters.

Illinois

The Illinois PFA Section co-hosted their annual Luncheon Meeting with ICD and ACD last February at Chicago's McCormack Place during the Chicago Dental Society's MidWinter Meeting.

The University of Illinois at Chicago College of Dentistry Dean Bruce Graham, a PFA Fellow, thanked the U of I Board of Trustees for recognizing the unselfish activities of the dental students in their dedication, commitment, leadership, and volunteerism as demonstrated by the Dental Student Council and nine other organizations on campus. Dean Graham noted that this was the first time that the Board of Trustees had so honored the dental students.

Lieutenant Governor Patrick Quinn gave the official State of Illinois Recognition to the students' efforts in a similar resolution last October.