ACD 2024: Rooted in History, Advancing the Mission
Our mission, and our dedicated Fellows who work every day to fulfill it, expanded last month with the addition of 270 new Fellows. This was one of the largest classes of new Fellows in the last decade. The ACD tent is a big one, and we look forward to welcoming many more Fellows each year.
Working together to advance excellence, ethics, professionalism, and leadership in oral healthcare takes many of the ideals stated in our founding documents, in the Convocation ceremony, and in our
newly updated Ethics Handbook for Dentistry—integrity, leadership and followership, excellence, and truth. Those ideals are knit together with generosity and community. Our Fellows are unique individuals from all walks of life who share and leverage those values to elevate the lives of those we serve.
In this issue of the ACD News, highlights from the annual meeting, the fall Board of Regents meeting, and our Sections, SPEA, and ASDE are featured. It also
features news from the ACD Foundation, and information about an opportunity for all Fellows to contribute to our cause.
The ACD was founded to serve the highest ideals in oral healthcare and that sentiment was reaffirmed in 1972 when the ACD Foundation was chartered by generous Fellows with the foresight and vision to seed a dynamic future. You are their legacy, and our enduring mission will continue to light our way into the future.
Iam grateful for such engaged and active board members, Section leaders, and for each Fellow’s commitment to the vision and mission of the American College of Dentists. We are all volunteer leaders. Thank you for the generous donation of your time, talent, and treasure!
As the year comes to a close and we approach the season of gratitude and giving, I am especially energized by our Annual Meeting and Convocation in New Orleans. Our time together was filled with fellowship, fun, and celebration. We had the opportunity to learn, network and welcome a very talented group of new Fellows into the American College of Dentists, as well as honor colleagues for their contributions to the dental profession.
It’s a pleasure to highlight some recent important accomplishments.
• We are actively implementing the strategic working plan under the leadership of our new Executive Director, Mike Graham.
• The Fellowship overwhelmingly approved our new bylaws. The Bylaws Committee, with Tom Raimann as chair, found inconsistencies and redundancies in our previous version, and rewrote this essential document to reflect current practice and to better serve the future of our organization.
Gratitude
Teresa A. Dolan, DDS, MPH Outgoing President, American College of Dentists
• The updated Ethics Handbook for Dentistry has already been distributed to almost 7,000 Fellows, oral healthcare professionals, and dental students. This cornerstone publication will continue to instill our strong and deeply rooted values for generations to come.
• Based on exceptionally high reviews, a second SHIFT/ACD Leadership Program will be held in Rockville in April 2025.
• The ACD Ethics Summit, titled Breaking Down the Silos: Dentistry’s Ethical Responsibility as a Partner in Healthcare, was held on September 12-13, 2024. The work on the strategies created by the participants will continue into 2025.
• The ACD’s commitment to the Student Professionalism and Ethics Association in Dentistry (SPEA) is obvious at every level of our organization. The ACD and SPEA have shared a collegial and successful friendship and collaboration for more than a decade, and we are proud to support the work of this student-led organization.
At the heart of all we believe is that Fellowship is the key to our next generation of leadership. Our strength lies in our commitment to our mission and in moving it forward, together.
In Fellowship, Terri Dolan President, American College of Dentists
ACD 2024 Annual Meeting and Convocation Highlights
This year’s Business Meeting featured reports from Dr. Teresa Dolan, 2024 President of the ACD, Dr. Robert Lamb, 2024 President of the ACD Foundation, and Dr. Carole Hanes, 2023-2024 Treasurer of the ACD and ACDF. Along with Executive Director, Mike Graham, they reported on the creation of a work plan to drive accomplishing the goals of the strategic plan, the successful completion of the first Ethics Summit in more than two decades, and the implementation of the Shaping the Future (SHIFT) Leadership program.
The 2025 Officers and Regents were installed with the addition of Dr. Daniel Carney as the incoming SPEA Liaison to the Board, and Dr. Teresa Dolan transitioning to the President of the ACD Foundation.
At the end of the Business Meeting, an updated Fellow Orientation video was shared.
During the Regency Breakout Sessions this year, Fellows received updates regarding College and Regency activities and worked through a collaborative exercise to help inform the Board and Staff on local perspectives on the strategic plan.
On Thursday, Dr. Robert Faiella, incoming President of the ACD, delivered his President Elect’s address.
This year’s Fellows Forum highlighted the Dark Side of Leadership. Led by Drs. Sree Koka, Stephen Pachuta, Carlos Smith, and Janet Southerland, it was described by several participants as “life changing.”
A recording of the session can be found on the College’s YouTube channel, and Dr. Jean Creasey, Editor for the Northern California Section’s award winning newsletter shares a summary of a longer review of the Fellows Forum on page 7.
New Officers & Regents for 2025
Dr. Robert A. Faiella, President Dr. Terry L. Norris, President Elect
Dr. Sean C. Meehan, Regent, Regency 2
Dr. Nancy Y. Larson, Regent, Regency 5
Dr. Peter H. Guevara, Vice President
Dr. Joseph P. Crowley, Treasurer
Dr. Sreenivas Koka, At Large Regent
Dr. Daniel Carney SPEA Liason
ACD 2024 Annual Meeting and Convocation Highlights
(continued)
The Annual Meeting was also fun! The energy and excitement of the Convocation and reception were palpable. Dr. Natalia Chalmers gave an intriguing talk on the need for access to oral healthcare, and a Second Line met the Board at the end of the ceremony and entertained the Fellowship at the reception that followed.
We hope to see you next year at ACD 2025 in Washington, D.C. Save the date for October 22-23, 2025!
CONTACT
ACD Awards
ACD awards are some of the most prestigious awards in oral healthcare. Our awards program recognizes the special efforts and contributions of fellows and other individuals in areas aligned with the ACD mission.
ACD News is published by: American College of Dentists 103 North Adams Street, Rockville, MD 20850 301-977-3223 | office@acd.org | acd.org
Michael A. Graham, Executive Director
Suzan Pitman, Program Director
Matthew Sheriff, Communications Director
Nominations for national awards should be submitted electronically or by email no later than March 1st of each year. Nominations received after that date will be deferred for review the following year.
All award nominations should contain the following documents:
• A letter of nomination by a Fellow or group of Fellows in good standing.
• Two, and no more than four, letters of support from Fellows in good standing.
• C.V., resume, or narrative biography.
To learn more and make a nomination, please see the ACD website at www.acd. org/fellowship/awards/.
Periodicals postage paid at Frederick, Maryland Send address changes to: ACD News 103 North Adams Street, Rockville, MD 20850 or e-mail office@acd.org
The ACD Foundation Smiled Big in the Big Easy
The American College of Dentists Foundation contributed to a great meeting in New Orleans. The Foundation funds the Fellows Forum. This year’s Fellows Forum was entitled “The Dark Side of Leadership” and was led by Dr. Sree Koka. Dr. Koka is a newly installed ACD Regent-At-Large. Other contributors were Drs. Stephen Pachuta, Janet Southerland, and Carlos Smith. The audience was very engaged, and many questions about the difficulties and pitfalls of leadership were addressed by the panel. Leadership is one of the ACD’s mission pillars, and the strategic plan includes an increase in attention to this essential part of the College’s identity.
At the Convocation luncheon, Dr. Elizabeth Carr presented a program on “Courage.” Dr. Carr is Chair of the Dental Hygiene Department at the University of Mississippi School of Dentistry and was awarded Honorary Fellowship in the College.
This was my last meeting as an active member of the ACD and ACDF Boards. Thank you for allowing me to serve as a Regent and Officer for the ACD. During my eleven years of involvement, I have met great dentists from across the United States and Canada. Please contact me if I can help you in the future.
The Foundation hosted its first Donor Luncheon, attended by more than 60 Fellows. I reviewed the programs and activities the Foundation supports. The National Office in Rockville, Maryland is owned by the Foundation. If you are ever in the Washington, DC area, please consider visiting the office, where you will be warmly greeted by the ACD staff.
This past spring, the new Ethics Handbook for Dentistry was published and almost 7,000 copies have been distributed so far. At this annual session, the American Society for Dental Ethics presented a course “Unpacking the Ethics Handbook.” Drs. Pamela Zarkowski, Carlos Smith, and Josh Bussard reviewed the entire handbook.
Drs. Toni Roucka and Scott Tomar led our 5th Ethics Summit in September entitled “Breaking Down the Silos: Dentistry’s Ethical Responsibility as a Partner in Healthcare.” Over 30 partic-
ipants spent two days creating purpose statements and strategies to enhance medical-dental integration. The Spring edition of the Journal of the ACD will focus on this summit, and work on the strategies generated will continue through 2025.
ACD Executive Director, Mike Graham, discussed the future of Foundation support. The Foundation supports the programs of the College. Your contributions to the Foundation have made all these important activities possible and we thank you, thank you, and again thank you for your generous contributions.
This was my last meeting as an active member of the ACD and ACDF Boards. Thank you for allowing me to serve as a Regent and Officer for the ACD. During my eleven years of involvement, I have met great dentists from across the United States and Canada. Please contact me if I can help you in the future.
Dr. Robert Lamb Outgoing ACDF President
Dates to Remember
Giving Tuesday
December 3, 2024
Fellowship
Nominations Due for ACD 2025
January 15, 2025
National Award
Nominations Due March 1, 2025
Section Awards and Model Section Designation
Applications Due March 1, 2025
Nominations for Board of Regents Due March 1, 2025
News of Fellows and Section News for the Spring Issue of the
ACD News Due April 1, 2025
Approved Fellowship Candidates Notified Mid-May, 2025
Registration Opens for ACD 2025
June 2025
ACD 2025 Annual Meeting and Convocation
October 22-23, 2025
Washington, D.C.
Fall Board of Regents Meeting Highlights
The Board of Regents meets twice a year in person, and at least twice a year electronically. Additionally, Board committees meet multiple times a year to work on mission-centered projects related to the strategic plan.
At their fall meeting in October, the Board of Regents reviewed and moved forward with the 2025 focus programs from the strategic plan.
Refreshing the CODE courses on dentalethics.org. The Education and Professional Development Committee of the Board will work with ASDE and staff to review and refresh the online courses. More than 100,000 courses are completed each year, and this invaluable resource will be updated to reflect trends in state ethics requirements and current best practices. Dr. Ned Nix is Chair of the Education and Professional Development Committee, and will lead this effort with Professor Pamela Zarkowski, ASDE Liaison to the Board.
Providing more support and development opportunities for Sections and Section Leaders. In 2025, the College will launch a Section Leadership Development Program, highlighting ten Sections each year for the next five years in order to strengthen our local leader-
ship and increase opportunities at the Section level. A new position has been created at the national office to work directly with the Sections. The Sections Coordinator hiring process has begun and should have a start date of January 2nd. Dr. Julie Connolly will lead the Sections Committee.
Additionally, the ACD Foundation Board of Directors accomplished several notable actions.
• Approved updated bylaws. The original bylaws from 1972 were still in effect, and the Foundation bylaws were updated to reflect current 501(c)3 regulations and best practices.
• Fundraising Initiative for 2025. The Board engaged in planning for a giving campaign with multiple opportunities for Fellows and Friends of the College to be part of advancing our mission over the next few years.
• Support for Undaunted Trailblazers: Minority Leaders for Oral Health was approved. Authors and Fellows Leo Rouse and Keith Mays are coauthoring this companion book to Drs. Shelia Price, Jeanne Sinkford, Marilyn Woolfolk’s original book about women trailblazers in oral health.
• Commitment to SPEA and also to continuously improving financial and operational best practices was also reaffirmed by both the ACD and ACDF.
2024 Fellows Forum
At this year’s ACD Fellows Forum, the theme “The Dark Side of Leadership” prompted a candid and thought-provoking discussion about the challenges leaders face. Moderated with vulnerability and insight, the panelists—Drs. Janet Southerland, Carlos Smith, and Stephen Pachuta—shared personal experiences and strategies for navigating the pitfalls of leadership, such as mistrust, misuse of influence, and moral distress. They emphasized the value of self-awareness, adaptable
leadership styles, and self-care in maintaining ethical and effective leadership. Practical advice, including recommended readings and tips for introspection, made the session especially impactful for attendees, who eagerly engaged by capturing insights and posing their own challenging questions.
The audience’s engagement highlighted the relevance of this discussion, as attendees shared their struggles, such as confronting workplace bullying or grappling with
forgiveness after leadership breaches. Incoming ACD President Dr. Bob Faiella facilitated a robust exchange of ideas, fostering an atmosphere of mutual learning. The session underscored that personal transformation and ethical leadership require ongoing reflection and courage. By creating a space for open dialogue about leadership’s less luminous side, the ACD reaffirmed its commitment to fostering authenticity, resilience, and accountability among its members— an achievement worth applauding.
Dr. Jean Creasey, the Editor of the 2024 Section Newsletter award winner, summarized the Fellows Forum from the 2024 Annual Meeting. Dr. Creasey’s longer article will be published in their Section Newsletter.
2024 Fellows Forum
Promoting Our Highest Ideals
Michael A. Graham, Executive Director
“Engagement
and excitement are key as we carry out our strategic plan that focuses on refreshing dentalethics.org, continuing to build stronger relationships with our SPEA students, expanding our leadership programs, and getting more Fellows involved at the local level.”
Congratulations to all the New Fellows who were inducted into the College in New Orleans in October! You are an extremely talented and impressive group of servant leaders who stand on the shoulders of those ACD Fellows who have gone before you to build an organization whose mission is to promote the very highest ideals of our great profession.
We had the third largest class of inductees over the last 12 years. We also achieved a high level of engagement from our attendees as we sold out nearly all our CE and social activities in a classic hotel venue that did not disappoint – even the New Orleans weather cooperated as we had sunny skies and moderate temperatures. We also created opportunities for the Fellows to interact with other Fellows within their Regency.
Engagement and excitement are key as we carry out our strategic plan that focuses on refreshing dentalethics.org, continuing to build stronger relationships with our SPEA students, expanding our leadership programs, and getting more Fellows involved at the local level.
As we bring this year to a close, we hope you will consider contributing to the ACD Foundation so we may continue to carry out the mission of the College in a meaningful way. Tax deductible donations for 2024 can be made any time before January 1, 2025, and we will be hosting an ACD Foundation Day of Giving on December 3 – “Giving Tuesday.” We will continue to communicate with you about this opportunity throughout the month.
We look forward to a very successful and busy 2025 and hope to see many of you at next year’s Annual Meeting and Convocation, which will be held in Washington, DC from October 22-23.
END OF YEAR GIVING
DECEMBER 3, 2024
One thing concerning dentistry remains constant: the need for our profession to uphold the highest ethical and professional standards. This commitment defines the American College of Dentists. Our mission “Advancing excellence, ethics, professionalism, and leadership in oral healthcare” guides everything we do.
Over the past year, we have strengthened our community within the College by fostering engagement and enthusiasm in support of our mission. Our recent Annual Meeting, which celebrated the induction of one of our largest classes in the last 12 years, exemplifies this momentum. We are also implementing our new strategic plan, aimed at propelling the College forward in service to our profession, our peers, our patients, and the public.
Here are just a few of the initiatives we’re working on to shape the future of dentistry:
• Updating dentalethics.org with new CE courses, striving to make it the “Best in Class” resource for dental ethics
• Developing facilitator guides for video dilemmas in partnership with ASDE
• Collaborating with other organizations to produce engaging ethics podcasts
• Developing and expanding leadership training with specific offerings for Sections
• Hosting our New Spring Continuing Education and Leadership Meeting to help develop Section leaders for generations to come
• Strengthening strategic partnerships with dental organizations, including SPEA and dental schools
• Convening focused ethics summits on critical issues
These initiatives are made possible by the ACD Foundation, which relies on the generosity of our Fellows. To continue providing this impactful programming that reaches tens of thousands of dentists and students each year, we need your support.
As we approach the end of 2024, we’re launching an end-of-year giving campaign to ensure we can build upon these efforts. Mark your calendar for December 3 “Giving Tuesday”, a day when we encourage every ACD Fellow to make a contribution to the Foundation!
Together, let’s continue to elevate our profession and fulfill the vision of a thriving, ethical, and forward-thinking dental community.
News of Fellows and Sections
Dr. Feeney is a retired oral and maxillofacial surgeon who regularly contributes an opening essay to the News of Fellows, highlighting philosophy and history and putting the Fellows’ unique contributions to the professional and society in a broader perspective.
Barbara Mousel (Illinois) is the new chair-elect of the 2024-2025 Dental Assisting National Board (DANB). DANB is the national certification board for dental assistants. Mousel is one of DANB’s Board directors, elected from dental professionals from across the country.
Beatitudo est vestra vita pendent quails est vestra cogiatones
The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts.
Let us transcend time together to 138 AD. The beneficent and much-loved Roman Emperor is the dutiful Antonius Pius. He had proclaimed “beatitudo est vestra vita pendent quails est vestra cogiatones“ which translates “the happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts.” He was renowned for no wars waged (Pax Romana), terminating the persecution of Christians and forged a national prosperity for all of Rome. Upon his death bed in 155 AD, he summed up his life philosophy with one word, mensaequa —Latin for “balanced mind.” Fundamentally, a psychological stability of composure and kindness.
May we as ACD Fellows return to our respective communities and recall the comfort of KINDNESS from the past. Because it’s never wrong to do the right thing by doing things right for the right reason at the right time with the right knowledge for those we serve, our patients (with kindness).
Army Represents: Three Pete’s Roosevelt Hotel, NOLA
Fellow, COL Pete Guevara, Regent 2, Fellow, Civilian Aide to the Secretary of the Army Dr. Pete Tan, and newly inducted Fellow MAJ Peter M. Tan, Jr..
Submitted by Dr. Peter M. Tan, Civilian Aide to the Secretary of the Army–Florida (North)
SPEA member Jackson Bickford collects thoughts for Third Party Payers Workgroup at the Ethics Summit in September. The Summit was held in Rockville, Maryland with assistance from SPEA.
The WI-ACD Sectional Meeting was held at The Lismore Hotel in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. It was well attended and had input from the SPEA representatives of Marquette University School of Dentistry, John Kerns and Zoe Burczyk. The meeting was followed by the annual ACD-ICD dinner event.
John Feeney, New Jersey
Section Spotlight: Ontario
The Ontario Section recently held its annual Section meeting.
The Ontario Section (OS), chaired by Dr. Sunita Joshi, recently held its annual general Section meeting. The two-venue hybrid ABM utilized remote meeting technology so that Fellows could join from two different cities in the province- one in London, the other in the Greater Toronto area. Holding a hybrid meeting allows more Fellows, and SPEA students to attend.
ACD President, Robert Faiella (New England), made a presentation on AI. SPEA students from the University of Toronto and Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry each gave a chapter update. The section was also pleased to have in the audience, our first section chair, Dr. Emmanuel Rajczak. The OS was also honored to have in attendance members from our governing body, the Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario. The Ontario Section has been fruitfully engaged with the RCDSO for some time in an effort to spotlight and elevate the importance of ethics in our profession. They have now expressed an interest in collaborating with the OS in areas of mutual interest, not just CE.
The Section also recognized two of their Fellows for their leadership contributions. Drs. Paul Romanson and Sonia Slawuta with the Ontario Section’s Outstanding Service Awards. Ontario also recognized its 14 new fellows! Bravo Ontario!!
Two 15-year pin recipients: Carolyn Poon Woo and Peter DeGiacomo, and 25-year pin recipient–Anne Dale were acknowledged.
It was a wonderful event from across the province, high-lighting collegiality of fellows, SPEA students’ achievements, cooperation with different dental organizations, all coming together for an evening of learning and networking.
News of Fellows and Sections
Section Spotlight: Northern California
The 4th annual mentorship mixer which the ACD Northern California Section and SPEA held on November 14 with students from the three dental schools in Northern California—UCSF, UOP, and Northstate was a great success. The formula for success was a highly organized event with delicious food, a comfortable environment, and lots of exposure to enthusiastic dentists and motivated students. Students seized the opportunity to exchange contact information, to the delight of the dentists, for future networking and mentoring. Drs. Pamela Alston and Jean Creasey were among the ACD Fellows who participated.
In September, Regent Ned Nix (Northern California) visited the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) and met with the UNLV SPEA chapter and the Faculty Fellows of the College. Nix gave a brief Regency report and shared his lecture on dental ethics with the cohort. It was an excellent meeting for fellowship, collaboration and learning!
Regent Pamela Alston (Northern California) represented the ACD Board of Regents at a special induction ceremony for George Blue Spruce (Arizona). Dr. Blue Spruce, the first Native American dentist in the United States, is the founder of the Society of American Indian Dentists in which Alston is also an affiliate.
Dr. Blue Spruce is a veteran of the US Navy, serving as a dentist on the USS Nautilus. He was also the first American Indian to hold the position of Assistant Surgeon General.
David Hancock (Arizona) led the ceremony, which was held at the Heard Museum. During the ceremony, Alston spoke about the significance of Spruce’s induction, and how gratified the ACD is to have him as a Fellow.
The American Society for Dental Ethics continues to work on various ethicsbased projects and actively contributes to the American College of Dentists (ACD) initiatives. Professor Catherine Sarkis and Dr. Regina Messer are finalizing the ACD Ethics Modules for dental educators. The D1 and D2 modules are now complete and available upon request from the College.
Drs. Joshua Bussard, Carlos Smith, Toni Roucka, and Professor Pamela Zarkowski recently presented Unpacking the ACD Ethics Handbook for Dentistry to an audience of over 90 participants. This session introduced attendees to the updated handbook and offered strategies for integrating it into dental practice and education.
Additionally, Dr. Carlos Smith, current president of ASDE, was one of four speakers at the Fellows Forum titled The Dark Side of Leadership.
The Executive Board is delighted to announce the appointment of Nanette Elster, JD, MPH, as the new Executive Director of ASDE.
Professor Elster, an educator in the Bioethics Graduate Program at Loyola University Chicago, brings a wealth of experience to her new role. The Board thanks the outgoing Executive Director, Fred More, for his outstanding dedication and service to the Society.
The Society looks forward to another productive year of advancing ethics in dental education, practice, and leadership.
ASDE EXECUTIVE BOARD 2024-2025
President
Carlos Smith
President-elect
Catherine Sarkis
Immediate Past President
Kathryn Ragalis
At-Large Members
Regina Messer, Drew Smith, Terry Hoffeld, Robert Stevenson
Secretary-Treasurer
Phyllis Beemsterboer
ACD Liaison
Pamela Zarkowski
Executive Director
Nanette Elster
Special Committee on Leadership: ASDE also maintains a Special Committee on Leadership, whose members frequently transition to Executive Board roles. The 2024-2025 committee includes:
Drs. Mary Baechle, Toni Roucka, and Tim Wong
Professor Pamela Zarkowski, ASDE Liaison to the Board of Regents
SPEA Update
At the 2024 SPEA Annual Session, participants enjoyed talks from both the ADA and ACD 2024 Presidents Elect, Dr. Brett Kessler and Dr. Robert Faiella. Other notable speakers included Professor Pamela Zarkowski, and Drs. Sreenivas Koka and Erik Klintmalm. Topics ranged from leadership to conflict resolution to combating imposter syndrome.
The annual election for National Board members was also held, with Nicholas Seago of University of Colorado elected National Executive Chair. All members of the newly elected Board are posted on the SPEA website at speadental.org.
In Their Own Words: A Students Perspective on the SPEA Annual Session
Attending the SPEA National Meeting in New Orleans, hosted by the American College of Dentists Northern California Section Leadership, was an extraordinary experience filled with insightful discussions, engaging activities, and opportunities to grow as a leader in the dental profession.
One of the highlights of the conference was the breakout discussions on imposter syndrome. These conversations were incredibly reflective and empowering, providing a safe space to acknowledge shared struggles and develop strategies for building confidence and resilience. The session on implicit bias was equally impactful, offering valuable insights into addressing biases in healthcare and fostering inclusivity in our profession—an essential component of patient care and teamwork.
The discussions on growing and strengthening SPEA chapters were
incredibly useful. I left with new ideas and actionable strategies to enhance my chapter’s outreach, engagement, and impact. Additionally, the patient case studies presented were fascinating, showcasing the complexities of clinical decision-making and underscoring the importance of ethical considerations in dentistry.
The Ignite presentations were particularly inspiring, as they vividly demonstrated SPEA’s dedication to fostering leadership in dental students. It was a privilege to witness my peers give develop their leadership and speaking skills through these presentations.
Overall, the meeting was an invaluable opportunity to learn, reflect, and connect with peers and mentors who share a commitment to excellence in dentistry. I am deeply grateful to all who were involved for their continued efforts to inspire the next generation of dental leaders.
Dr. Daniel Carney, SPEA Liason to the ACD Board of Regents
Emily Yang UCSF SPEA Co-Mentorship Chair
Celebrate Your Fellowship with a Gift from the ACD Gallery!
The ACD Gallery has special items for Fellows such as ties, rosettes, and our popular Yeti insulated tumblers, which make great gifts for special colleagues, mentors, mentees, or yourself.
Contact Jan Remissong in the National Office for more information at jan@acd.org.
To truly honor someone who has touched your life, contribute a brick in their name to the Legacy Walkway at the ACD national headquarters building in Rockville, Maryland.
Proceeds benefit the ACD Foundation.
Nominate Outstanding Colleagues for Fellowship!
Many Fellows describe their ACD induction as one of the proudest moments of their professional lives. Share that experience with your outstanding colleagues.
The nomination forms have been consolidated onto one comprehensive form, which is available online and as a fillable PDF. The online form can be accessed at acd.org/nominations and you can request a fillable form by contacting the staff at office@acd.org. Nominations received by January 15 will be considered for 2025 and those received after that date for 2026.
To Our Fellows
As 2024 comes to a close, we wish our Fellows the happiest of holidays. May we cherish those whose lives touch ours and remember those no longer with us. May 2025 be a year of peace, unity, and respect for our shared humanity. May we all find purpose in our mission as we work together for the greater good.
A #hashtag @who?
We hope all Fellows are following at least one ACD social media account! You can find us on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. When you post something related to the ACD, please use @americancollegeofdentists and/or #americancollegeofdentists.
This December 3rd, as we come together as a community supporting the ACD Foundation, please use #ACDFGivingTuesday to show your support.
Board of Regents Election
In 2026, the Board of Regents will require nominations for the following roles:
President Elect | Vice President Regent, Regency 6 | Regent, Regency 7
Regent and Officer Guidelines have been shared with the Board and with Section leaders and can also be obtained from the staff by emailing office@acd.org.
Nominations for all Board positions are due March 1, 2025.
2025 Fellowship Dues
ACD Fellowship dues will remain $275 for Active Fellows, $75 for Retired Fellows, and voluntary for Life Fellows. Active Fellows are 70 or under and work more than 40 hours a month, and Retired Fellows are 70 or under and work less than 40 hours a month. Life Fellows have passed their 70th birthday and are offered an opportunity to pay voluntary dues to the national organization and their Sections. We encourage all Fellows to contribute to the ACD Foundation, which sustains our programming.