From the Foundation President 2012-April

Dear Fellows,

In my editorial in the January/February issue of Dental World, I wrote about the loss of Past President Dr. Larry Barrett and his generosity toward so many causes that were dear to him, including our Foundation, and how he “walked the talk.” Shortly before that issue went to print, I received word of his $15,000 Legacy Gift to the Foundation. Well done, my friend, and thank you for continuing to raise the bar for the rest of us! My wish for 2012 is that more Fellows would consider the tax implications of settling their estates and include a Legacy Gift to the Foundation of the Pierre Fauchard Academy in their wills. For more information on contributing a Foundation Legacy Gift, contact Jennifer Teale, Executive Director at teale@fauchard.org

Earlier in the year, the Foundation Student Scholarship letters were sent to the deans of U.S. dental schools to request their 2012 nominees. These students must be in the junior year of their program and be sound academically but, more importantly, they must show leadership capabilities through their class/school involvement. Because of the increasing number of worthy grant applications and the recent parallel drop in the return on our investments, the Foundation trustees have lowered the 2012 student scholarship amount to $1,000 from $1,500. This move was deemed prudent in today’s uncertain financial climate. In spite of this reality, the trustees decided to consider additional international scholarships and asked the Grants and Scholarships Committee to develop a rationale for awarding of this group of scholarships based on the currency value in most of these countries as related to the U.S. dollar. A decision on this issue will be made at our Annual Board Meeting this October in San Francisco for implementation in calendar year 2013.

Our Foundation Executive Director’s report in the March-April Dental World issue details the successful grant applicants for 2011. I am proud of the diverse and international flavor found in Mrs. Teale’s compilation. Space does not allow me to elaborate, but I want to stress that all the successful grantees are required to file a report to the Foundation by the end of 2012 that details the use of the awarded funds and provides a financial statement and any photos that can be used in future issues of Dental World.

One such report summarizes the 2010 Chilean Section grant. As a young philatelist, I developed a love of geography and a passion for visiting later in life the many fascinating countries whose stamps I was collecting. Thus I was enthralled with the Chilean grant to treat the indigenous population of Easter Island. Although I have traveled to Cusco, Machu Pichu, the Galapagos Islands, and many other South American locales, Easter Island was not one of my destinations, perhaps because it is a 5-hour flight from Santiago. Easter Island, of course, is home to hundreds of “Moai” monolithic human figures carved from rock by Polynesian ancestors between 1,250 and 1,500.

Almost all Moai have overly large heads that are three fifths the size of their bodies. The tallest stood 33 feet in height and weighed 82 tons. These Moai are chiefly the living faces of deified ancestors. I give my joyous congratulations to Chilean Section Chair Dr. Guillermo M. Zarate and PFA Region 7 Trustee Dr. Francisco O. Campos for arranging a team of endodontists, oral surgeons, and general practitioners, all PFA fellows, to travel to this remote locale and treat the very needy population of 5,000 people. Modern comprehensive dentistry in a setting frozen in time speaks volumes to the diversity of Foundation Grants.

—Dr. Kevin L. Roach

President of the Foundation of the Pierre Fauchard Academy

From the Foundation President 2012-January

Dear Fellows,

As I sit down to pen this my first editorial as Foundation President winter has begun to settle into my beloved Ottawa Valley. I am cognizant of the huge responsibilities placed on my shoulders by virtue of my recent election and humbled to be the first international PFA Fellow to assume the Foundation Chair. With this in mind my comfort level is vastly improved by the incoming members of our 'executive committee'; Gary Lowder assumes the Vice-president position , Howard Mark becomes Grants committee chair and Mike Perpich remains as Treasurer for another three years. All four of us served on the same management team during my tenure as President of the Pierre Fauchard Academy. In addition I have the expertise of Foundation Past President James Long to draw upon as he serves a final year on the executive committee.

It was with great sadness that shortly before our annual meeting the Foundation Board received news of Dr. Larry Barrett's passing . Larry was President of the Academy in 1996-97 and it was my pleasure as Canadian trustee to host Larry and his wife Lois at the Canadian Dental Association meeting held that year in Calgary, Alberta. My youngest daughter Meghan was with me at the time and she still recalls line dancing with the Barrett's at the mini stampede show put on by the CDA. While we shared the same faith it was not until reading Larry's obituary that I realized that like my father he had been awarded one of the highest Papal honors a 'Knight of St. Gregory'. This gentle giant of a man was a very generous supporter of his alma mater through various bursaries/scholarships and naturally of our PFA Foundation. Larry Barrett did indeed 'walk the talk'. We have lost an extraordinary member of our profession and our prayers and thoughts are with Lois and their lovely family.

Your Foundation this year was the recipient of several generous gifts; the most notable the $50,000 legacy gift from the estate Dr. Thomas Grams. Earlier in this issue you will find a write-up on the Foundation Humanitarian Award announced at our Las Vegas board meeting and recently sent to the parents of Dr. Thomas Grams, the 2011 award recipient ( see page ___) . In true Aussie style trustee Mark Sinclair presented me with a cheque for $10,000. from the Australasian Section; a first for them and a very welcome gift from one of our most active International sections. At that same formal dinner evening trustee Tom Breneman continued the annual tradition of donating $2,500 from the Canadian Section. PFA Canada Chairman Barry Dolman continues to be the glue binding the most active International PFA section. Earlier in our meetings the Belgium section donated $1,000 in honor of their outstanding countryman, serving as PFA European Region 1 Trustee, Prof. José Dahan, thereby granting him Shira Fellow status for 2011. As Foundation President it behooves me to challenge other International sections to step up and support your PFA Foundation. In her editorial this month our Foundation Executive Director Jennifer Teale lists the successful grant applications for 2011, many of which are from around the world. While many Foundation and PFA Trustees and Section Chairs are donating to your Foundation I believe it is time for all of these individuals to come to the table with annual donations. While we do not all have to achieve the Shira Fellow status; every dollar helps us reach our goal of supporting more of the increasing number of outstanding grant applications received each year. Lastly a note of thanks to Dr. Nick Saccone, PFA president 1995-96, who has graciously agreed to remain as a consultant to the Budget and Finance committee for continuing to allow us access to his valuable financial acumen. Also to Dr. M. David Campbell and Dr. James Brophy III for their enduring friendship and sage advice. To Mrs. Jennifer Teale for her tireless service as Foundation Executive Director in what can best be described as a part-time full time position; my heartfelt thanks. And finally my pledge to support PFA president Joseph C. Harris and his team as they move the Pierre Fauchard Academy forward into a new and exciting era.

Dr. Kevin L. Roach

President of the Foundation of the Pierre Fauchard Academy.

Special Presentation in Las Vegas

The Foundation honoured the memory of Dr. Thomas Grams with the presentation of a plaque at our October 10 Awards Luncheon in Las Vegas. Dr. Hubert Ouvrard and Dr. Jim Long accepted the award for the family of the late Dr. Thomas Grams. There was a standing ovation to Dr. Grams as the plaque was presented..

Dr. Kevin L. Roach, Foundation President 2011-2012