The mission of the American College of Dentists is to advance excellence, ethics, professionalism, and leadership in dentistry.
• UT Health White Coats
• TACD Luncheon at Star of the South. Page 3
• New Fellows Page 4 &5
• TACD Officer 2024-2025 Page 7
• ACD,ICD,PFA @TDA P.8
Editors thoughts. Is there such thing as Gratitude and Respect anymore?
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Texas Section to meet with ICD and PFA at Joint breakfast Friday May 9th. See back page for details!
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UT Health Dental Houston Sophomores received their white coats on Saturday January 11. 2025 at the University of Houston
The UT Health Dental School Houston class of 2027 sophomores made it one step closer to the entrance into the profession by receiving their white coats. “We used to present their white coats in their first year, but we decided that by the time they enter their sophomore year, they have gotten to know each other and can better celebrate this great accomplishment” said Dr. John Valenza, Dean of the Dental School.
Dr. Roger Macias, Editor of the Texas Section of the American College of Dentists gave the Key Note address. The focus of his address was “ETHICS, HARDWORK, AND GRATITUDE.” The address was warmly accepted by the students and their families as he stressed that Ethics steers us towards making choices that resonate with fairness, honesty and integrity. To quote Dr. Macias, “To be more precise, ethics is how you behave when someone is observing you, but most importantly, how you behave when NO ONE is observing you.”
“Hardwork is dedication, commitment, the will to improve, and to persevere. It is the catalyst to transform dreams into reality, ambitions into achievements, and through a little perspiration, aspirations into insprirations.”
“Gratitude is the profound acknowledgment of the kindness and support extended to each of us!”
Please take some time to go to www.ACD.org and make sure all your information, especially your email address is correct!
By Dr. C. Roger Macias
The legendary comedian Rodney Dangerfield famously used the catch line…”I get no respect!”
So what has happened to gratitude and respect? Originally, gratitude and respect were probably included in the manners that our parents taught us when we were children. The phrases, Yes sir, No sir, Yes M’am, No M’am, Thank you, No thank you, all seem to be part of a distant past. It is sad.
Practicing dentistry for 42 years now, has allowed me to see the evolution of conversations in the dental operatory. There was always a sense of respect and gratitude back around 1983 when I first started my dental practice that was given and received when seeing a dental patient. Over the years that sense has waned.
I have a running joke with two patients who are brothers that started with me when they were young children and are now in college. I would tease them when I would ask them a question and they would answer back with the three-letter word no one really likes… “Huh?”
Huh?! I would ask and then tell them, “It is, excuse me sir, yes sir or yes your majesty!”
Even today when I see them for their periodic exams, they answer me “yes your majesty.”
I’m very proud of them as they have both done well and have told me that the remind er to be respectful and gracious, has taken
them a long way. They acknowledged that giving respect and gratitude has earned for them respect and gratitude.
I just don’t know when that lack of respect began. I sense it was around 2006 when the first iPhone was introduced. It seems that once this icon of communication was made public, respect and gratitude was greatly diminished.
We probably have all had that occur to us when we speak to someone, and they are more interested in their phone than in the conversation at hand. Rude? Yes, that is rude. The sense that it is rude, is just a passing fancy. “This is an important call I need to take this!”
Many of you know that I used to be the team Dentist for the San Antonio Spurs over the last 30 plus years. Every year a new group of Spurs players would arrive for training camp, and some would make it into my office. One time, a young Spurs player had his phone directly in front of his face as I was trying to treat him. I asked him politely if he needed some time to take a call and he said no, he was just looking at his phone. This went on and on and it became bothersome to me that I could not complete his treatment with his phone in his face.
“...He’ll never make it as a Spurs player.”
I again asked him if he needed to take a call and finally, it got to the point that I asked him to put his phone down in order for me to treat him properly. He told me that His phone was important, and I just needed to work around him. He was obnoxious about it and said it with very little respect for me. I thought to myself, “he’ll never make it as a Spurs player.” Most, if not all the Spurs players historically were extremely appreciative of my care. Not this one. Well, sure enough, he was cut about two weeks later.
In a world where there is such polarization, that item that was supposed to bring better communication, has caused us to become more divisive. It’s not totally the phone’s
fault, but I believe the fault lies with parents who have allowed their children to become rude, and disrespectful. It is difficult to be gracious, when the toxin of rudeness and disrespect permeates our culture without repercussion or consequences.
My dad who is a great man, and was a former Airforce drill instructor, showed me as a young man to be gracious and respectful of others.
“Yes Sir, No Sir” was the norm. Even though he was a drill instructor, he was loving and fair to my sister and myself. It begins at home. He is a man’s man. I’ve learned a lot about life from him.
We have such a great opportunity to be role models of respect and gratitude because of our profession of Dentistry. We need to seize the opportunities anytime we see patients to be caring, gracious and respectful of their time and their confidence in us.
Dr. L. D. Pankey, used to say that “Professionalism is that quality of conduct which accompanies the use of superior knowledge, skill, and judgement toward the benefit of another person or society prior to any consideration of self-interest.”
I have passed on my dad’s and Dr. Pankey’s philosophy to my own family. It is time that we as a profession be the shining example of gratitude and respect. It might just start with thanking our teams and our patients with sincerity because without them we might not be reading this newsletter!
Dr. Ralph Cooley to Speak
By Jamie Bone, Past-Chair
What’s New? The Texas Section of the American College of Dentists Meeting at the Star of the South Meeting in Houston is back! This Year we will be hosting the Meeting at a LUNCHEON at NOON until 1:00 pm on Friday March 28th at the George Brown Convention Center. Cost of the Luncheon is $25.00
After 4 years of interruptions due to circumstances beyond our control, our former BREAKFAST meeting the Star of the South is BACK but as a LUNCHEON.
Our Guest Speaker will be Dr. Ralph Cooley, Assistant Dean, Admissions & Student Services.
Professor and Assistant Dean, Ralph A. Cooley, DDS, joined the faculty full time in 2014 after serving 17 years as an attending in the General Practice Residency program and the DDS undergraduate clinic one day a week. He has been involved with organized dentistry in many capacities. Having served on the Texas Section of the American College of Dentists, Dr. Cooley is also a past president of the Texas Academy of General Dentistry and has served on the national Academy of General Dentistry Board of Trustees for six years, the American Dental Association's Council on Dental Benefit Programs, and the ADA's Code Revision Committee. Currently, he is a delegate to the Texas Dental Association House of Delegates, the AGD House, and the ADA House. Dr. Cooley also serves on the Executive Committee of the Dental Quality Alliance, the Code Maintenance Committee, and the National Commission for Recognition of Dental Specialties and Certifying Boards.
Dr. Cooley was named Texas Dentist of the Year in 2009 and was awarded the Texas Academy of General Dentistry Lifetime Service Award. He is a fellow of the Academy of General Dentistry, the American College of Dentists, and the International College of Dentists.
Fellowship in the American College of Dentists is by invitation only. There are over 7,000 Fellows – all selected based on their exceptional contributions to organized dentistry, oral healthcare, dental research, dental education, the profession, and society.
Nominate a colleague TODAY. Nominations have been extended to February 15th, 2025
Treasurer
Past-Chair
It is a good idea to revisit what we as the American College of Dentists stand for. The following is just a part of the overall aspect of what we as fellows of the ACD promote.
The vision of the American College of Dentists is to be the leader in the advancement of excellence, ethics, professionalism, and leadership in dentistry.
To promote the highest ethical standards, stimulate interprofessional relationships, and urge upon the professional person recognition of their responsibility to participate in the affairs of society as a citizen of the community.
To encourage qualified persons to enter the profession of dentistry.
To encourage graduate education and improve continuing education efforts by dentists and auxiliaries.
To encourage free exchange of ideas and experiences in the interest of the patient.
To confer Fellowship in the College on individuals in recognition of meritorious achievement and their potential for contributions in dental science, art, education, literature, human relations, and other areas that contribute to human welfare and to give encouragement to them to further the objectives of the College.
Most notably, the American College of Dentists has come to epitomize ethics and professionalism in dentistry.
The ACD has long been regarded as the “conscience of dentistry.”
Fellowship symbolizes leadership and meritorious achievement, but also defines a standard for future endeavors.
Continue to seek and nominate other Dentists who deserve fellowship in our beloved ACD!
2025-2026 Texas Section Officers
Chair
Dr. Wayne Radwanski
4502 Bunny Run Austin, Texas 78746 512.633.2382 wradwanski@sbcglobal.net
Chair-Elect
Dr. Stefanie Seitz
7703 Floyd Curl Dr. San Antonio, Texas 78229
210.823.8063 seitz@uthscsa.edu
Vice-Chair
Dr. Alex Gonzalez
137 Rick Francis St. El Paso, Texas 79905 Dr.alex.gonzalez@ttuhsc.edu
Secretary-Treasurer
Dr. Ben Bratcher
240 E. State Hwy 243 Canton, Texas 75103
903.576.4881 benbratcher1@cantondental.com
Past- Chair
Dr. Jaime Bone
710Hill Country Drive, Suite 1 Kerrville, Texas 78028
830.257.3000 Jamie@hcfdental.com
Editor
Roger Macias DDS
21 Spurs Lane Ste. 130 San Antonio, Texas 78240 rogerm@maciasdds.com
O 210.614.2020
Texas ACD Regent
Dr. Kristi Soileau kmsperio@gmail.com
O 504.899.2255
Texas Section American College of
C. Roger Macias Jr., D.D.S. Editor
21 Spurs Lane Suite 130 San Antonio, Texas 78240