2012 PFA Region 5 Trustee Report

This is my first year serving as PFA Region 5 International Trustee, and it isn’t over yet. I started my term by contacting all my Section Chairs by letter; introducing myself and offering any help or backup that they may need. My Region includes Alaska; Arizona; Northern California; Southern California, Hawaii; Washington; Oregon; Idaho; Montana; Nevada; Wyoming; Utah and the Pacific Islands.

We had a fair amount of activity in my Region. The high point was re-establishing a Section in Idaho. Along with Section Chair Greg Bengston and Co-Chairs Steve Bruce and Jim Robson; PFA Vice President Dan Castanga and I initiated 17 new Fellows on 18 July.

In addition, I also attended the Oregon Section Meeting along with Dan as well. In June, my Section (Washington) held their meeting and both Dr Joe Harris (PFA International President) and Dr Dan Castagna attended. We brought in a new Section Chair, Dr John Carbery, from Yakima to replace me.

I am about half way through my first year as trustee. So far, it has been rewarding. Membership and activity in PFA Region 5 are both up. My Section Chairs have been contacted and Section Heads for the most part have been responsive. Section Chair report forms were sent out.

Problem sections (those with no activity or response to my attempts to contact them) are Alaska (three members) and the Pacific Islands (no members). I have a contact in Alaska and am working on getting an active section there. I would be happy to do a Section visit to the Pacific Islands and am working on that one as well.

I am looking forward to the Pierre Fauchard Academy Annual Meeting in San Francisco and have encouraged my Section Chairs to attend as well. As the summer ends I will send out another letter to them reminding them about our meeting and the Section Chair Caucus Meeting as well. As always, I have reinforced the idea of increased membership and activities for each Section. Toward the end of the year, I plan to send out a letter encouraging Section Chairs to apply for Foundation Section Grants.

— Barry A Feder DDS, PFA Region 5 Trustee

2011 Washington Section News

The Washington Section of the Pierre Fauchard Academy held its Annual Meeting on June 16, 2011, in downtown Seattle. Ninety-five Fellows and guests attended. We celebrated the induction of nine new Fellows into the Academy. The Master of Ceremonies for the evening was Dr. Barry Feder of Issaquah, the Washington Section Chair. Guests included Chuck Eller, a past president of the Academy and a Foundation board member. They also had a video greeting from our International President, Hubert Ouvrard, who was presiding at the International meeting in Paris the very same evening. He recognized each new Fellow by name. It was really quite impressive.

Congratulations to the Washington Section newly inducted Fellows in 2011. The new Fellows are Drs. Patrick Taylor, Bellevue; Audrey Tatt, Bellevue; Jim Valentine, Spokane; Chris Dorrow, Othello; Bart Johnson, Seattle; Jeff Pruiett, Yakima; Chris Herzog, Spokane; Lou Ann Mercier, Chehalis; and William (Bill) Hooe, Shoreline. Dr. Eller charged our new Fellows with their continuation of service and helped with the Initiation Ceremony.

The Washington student award winners also were present and were recognized for their achievements at our meeting. the Washington Section also recognized two PFA Foundation Grant Award winners. A $4000 grant was awarded to Smiles Forever, a Washington-based organization that trains native Bolivian girls to become recognized dental hygienists. The second grant recipient was a $5000 grant to the 45th Street Homeless Teen Clinic.

The past year has been another great one for the Washington Section of the Pierre Fauchard Academy, and they look forward to another active year in 2012. The Washington Section Annual Meeting for 2012 will be on June 14 at 6 PM at the Washington Athletic Club in downtown Seattle. Please see the Washington Section News Page for more information: read more..

2011 Annual Meeting in Las Vegas

I am proud to have been named as PFA Region 5 Trustee replacing Dr. Dan Castagna. My goal is to support all of the Section heads in my region, support membership and support the programs all our Fellows participate in. I look forward to maintaining a strong and active Academy.

— Region 5 Trustee Barry A Feder

New Region 5 Trustee for 2012

Welcome to Dr. Barry Feder as he steps into the role of Region 5 Trustee for the Pierre Fauchard Academy. Dr. Feder was elected to the Board of Trustees on October 9, 2011 during the annual meeting in Las Vegas, NV

REGION 5 WESTERN US UPDATE 9/21/2011

2010-2011 was my 4th year as Region 5 Western United States Trustee. I can report much activity and energy showing our Academy’s growth in the Region 5 Sections: Arizona, Northern California, Southern California, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Montana, Utah, Washington, Wyoming.

During the year, I represented the Academy Officers & Trustees at two Region 5 meetings. I was invited & hosted by Oregon Section Chair Weston Heringer (11/6/11) and my own N. CA Section meeting (9/24/11). At these meetings, I presented a PFA overview (history & current status) and the Foundation’s current projects. Also, I presided over the New Fellows installations. Note: at the N CA event President-Elect Joe Harris participated with New Fellows installation.

In addition this past June, I attended a PFA 75th year celebration in Paris. Good attendance by PFA Officers, Trustees, Section Chairs and many guests provided excellent representation at such a memorable event.

During the year, all Region 5 Section Chairs were contacted multiple times by written letter, emails, and telephone. Most recent contact was to submit their Section activity reports.

PFA Region 5 Fellowship membership is up; showing current recruitment and retention sectional activities are working. However, many members are aging and attrition occurs due to deaths combined with a growing number who are converting to Life Fellowship status. PFA needs continued recruitment and retention strategies to increase membership.

Note: for many years on our Web page, N CA and S CA Section Fellows Leadership Directory were combined into 1 California directory. Since there are 2 separate Sections--Northern California and Southern California Section directories are now online.

I presented at the Sonrisas Community Dental Center (Half Moon Bay, CA) celebration for the staff/volunteers that helped with the 2010 PFA N CA Section grant received from the PFA Foundation. This $5,000 grant provided preventive instruction/dental care to the underserved patients of San Mateo County, CA.

It is my last year as N CA Section Chair person. At the N CA Section Annual New Fellow & Awards Luncheon in September, Dr. Wai Chan (Sacramento, CA) will assume the Chairperson position.

I do look forward to the PFA Board of Trustees meeting in Las Vegas this October. Many important issues/activities need discussion, resolution and implementation.

I thank all the Region 5 Western Section Chairpersons for their dedication to our PFA Academy. This is my lat year as Trustee. Dr. Barry Feder (WA) will begin as our new PFA Region 5 Western United States Trustee. Please support him as you have supported me.

Warmest Regards!

Daniel Castagna, DDS, FPFA 2011 Region 5 Western United States Trustee