6 minute read
Who Will You Push
Robert M. Lamb, DDS President of the American College of Dentists
President’s Forum
Who Will You Push?
Wow! If you weren’t in Houston, you missed a great meeting. It was so great to see Fellows in person. We welcomed 246 New Fellows at the Convocation where Dr. Larry Garetto presented the Convocation Address. I am so proud of the inclusiveness of the ACD. Over 400 fellows were in attendance, with 550 attending the luncheon. We were amazed at the mentalist abilities of John Pullum, although my wife says there is not much to read in my mind! Over 650 attended the Denim and Diamonds Gala! Seeing longtime friends was really special.
Our Fellows Forum panelists Drs. Scott Tomar, Francisco Ramos-Gomez, Lisa Simon, and Carlos Smith presented perspectives on the Oral Health in America Report and access to care. Their experiences and thoughts on these issues gave all of us much to discuss and think about. The panel was moderated by Dr. Keisha Ray, whose work in social determinants of health is well known.
The American Society for Dental Ethics program, led by Drs. Toni Roucka, Carlos Smith, and Pam Zarkowski, was excellent. The perusal of the ACD Ethics handbook and the identification of topics that stood out to attendees was a great way for attendees to gain more familiarity with one of the Foundations biggest, most long-term projects. This exercise emphasized the need for revision of the handbook, which will occur in 2023. The dentist’s role in identification of those trapped in human trafficking was eye-opening.
The Student Professionalism and Ethics Association held their annual meeting in Houston on October 14-15th and had 60 students in attendance. Student Professionalism and Ethics Association chapters have been formed at most dental schools in the US and Canada. SPEA is a student-run organization for those students interested in professionalism and ethics. Sections are encouraged to assist chapters with meetings, mentoring, and projects.
Start making plans to attend next year’s annual meeting, which will be October 4-5 in Orlando, Florida. Search your state’s association, state boards, and other organizations to identify candidates to nominate for Fellowship. The nomination form can be found at acd.org. The accomplishments of your nominees are not restricted to dentistry. Leadership in military, civic, or church organizations is also important. While the American College recognizes the value of American
Dental Association membership, we no longer require this membership for nomination. Dentists in like-minded organizations are just as interested in professionalism and ethics as ADA members. Please remember, this is a confidential nomination.
In my President-elect speech, I talked about two lifelong friends, Patrick Gray and Justin Skeesuck. As a teenager, Justin developed a foot drop and the paralysis progressed. It took many years to establish the diagnosis of multifocal acquired motor axonopathy. Justin became wheelchair bound.
Justin couldn’t do many things, but he could operate his television remote. He was channel surfing and stopped on a Rick Steves’ program about Northern Spain and the Camino de Santiago, a 500-mile journey over three mountain passes, steep, rocky, and muddy trails. Justin thought this was the perfect guy trip. He showed Patrick the recording and asked Patrick if he wanted to go on this journey and Patrick replied, “I’ll push you!”
Patrick and Justin had to order an $8,000 custom-built wheelchair before they started training. A fire-fighter paramedic friend accompanied them on the first ten days of their journey. Many strangers aided Justin and Patrick in their journey.
Most of us have had people in our lives who have encouraged or pushed us. My father was one. Dad was a meteorologist, stationed at a B-17 base in England during WWII. One of his best friends was the base dentist, Dr. Larry Kerr. Dad became interested in dentistry and, after the war, completed his dental school prerequisites under the GI bill. He was a 1949 graduate of Baylor College of Dentistry. After the war, Dr. Kerr became an oral surgeon and was President of the ADA from 1979-1980. He is also an ACD William John Gies Award recipient.
View of Camino de Santiago
I always wanted to be a dentist. When I was in college, Dad arranged jobs for me. Mostly manual labor in order to keep me studying. I graduated from Baylor College of Dentistry and my senior year was on an Air Force sponsored scholarship. I completed a General Practice Residency at March AFB, California. My Base Dental Surgeon and Program Director was Colonel Arthur J. Sachsel. Colonel Sachsel, ultimately, directed the USAF Dental Corps and retired as a Major General. General Sachsel was a great encourager and influence on my life and Air Force career.
I completed an Air Force sponsored Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery residency at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. Many staff attending pushed and encouraged me. Many are ACD Fellows: the late Bill Croom, Mike Duffy, Neil Glass, Ed Braly and Jim Baker.
Now, back to Patrick and Justin’s journey. Along the journey, they met Richard and Joe, who were from Boise, Idaho, about 10 miles from Justin and Patrick’s houses. Richard and Joe said that they had been following Justin and Patrick’s progress on the Camino. The last mountain pass is very steep, and Justin and Patrick had considered by-passing this portion of the journey. Richard and Joe said that they would wait for them at a village and help them in the last push to Santiago de Compostela.
Early in their journey, Patrick and Justin were reluctant to accept help from strangers. Justin realized if you deny a person the opportunity to help, you deny them the joy of helping, so they accepted the assistance.
When Justin and Patrick arrived at the village, Richard and Joe were waiting for them in a cafe. Justin and Patrick ate, rested, and then got up to start the climb over O Cebreiro. The whole cafe stood up and twelve people assisted Justin and Patrick over the last mountain pass.
After thirty-five days, 500 miles and three mountain passes, Justin and Patrick completed the Camino. They were welcomed at the Cathedral de Santiago de Compostela by a large group of journeyers.
How does Justin and Patrick’s story and my story relate to new ACD Fellows and really, all Fellows? At our convocation, candidates are welcomed into the American College of Dentists by a large group of Fellows in a very impressive ceremony.
We have all had those in our lives who have pushed or encouraged us: parents, family members, teachers, mentors. Think about those who have encouraged you. If you can, send them a note thanking them for how they have influenced you.
You have been recognized for your accomplishments in leadership, ethics, excellence, and professionalism. Fellowship does not come without responsibility. Look at colleagues who have not been recognized as a Fellow. Nominate those dentists. Encourage and assist younger dentists to be involved in leadership roles.
Who will you push?
