It is hard to believe that the winter months are upon us, this past year has flown by. During this time Regency 1 Sections have been quite active with their Fellowship both locally and at the Annual Meeting held in New Orleans this past October. Please enjoy reading about your Fellow Regency 1 Sections in this Winter Newsletter!
In the months ahead, be on the lookout for ACD initiatives focused on Section Leadership, Mentoring and Ethics Education. The “dentalethics.org” portion of the ACD website will be getting a full overhaul!
Lastly, I would be remiss if I did not mention that the deadline for Nominations is fast approaching. Please look to your peers to nominate your Outstanding Colleagues to fellowship of the ACD. I have provided each Section Chair with a Nominations Cheat Sheet which you can use to assist you in the Nomination process.
If any ACD questions arise in the coming months, please do not hesitate to reach out to me.
Happy Holidays!
Julie
The Regency 1 Breakout Session
This year’s Annual Meeting and Convocation was a success! Section Leaders provided Section updates. Then as a group we went through a Strategic Planning exercise to help translate how the ACD’s Strategic Plan can be executed at the Section Level. Photos from the meeting follow.
Regency 1 Breakout Session, the Blue Room, the Roosevelt Hotel, New Orleans, Louisiana.
Gene Farone, Chair New York Section
Strategic Planning exercise: Bijan Anvar, New Fellow New York Section
Maria Smith, Chair New England Section
Strategic Planning exercise: Sophie Jelke, New Fellow New York Section
Wayne Harrison, Chair Hudson-Mohawk Section
Alan Robinson, Chair Atlantic Provinces Section
Bill Calnon, Chair Western New York Section
DECEMBER
2024
Happy Holidays from the American College of Dentists National Office
Dear Regency 1 Fellows,
Thank you to Dr. Julie Connolly and the Regency 1 Fellows for helping the College to have such an outstanding year of achievement! Whether it was drafting Fellowship nomination packages, attending Section meetings, or contributing to the ACDF End-of-the-Year Giving Campaign, Regency 1 showed that the College is alive and well and focused on enhancing engagement and excitement among its Fellowship. In fact, Regency 1 should be proud to be able to say that two Regency 1 Sections – Western New York and New England -- finished in the top five in the three End-ofthe-Year Giving Campaign categories: Most Donors, Most Money Raised, and Highest Percentage of Giving.
I’m particularly hopeful that Regency 1 will be a leader this coming year in submitting scores of nomination packages as I know so many dentists are worthy of being a Fellow in our organization!
Best wishes to every Fellow a happy and healthy New Year!
Mike Graham
Hudson-Mohawk Section Report
Wayne Harrison, Chair
The Hudson-Mohawk Section had their annual summer event this year at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) in August, with dinner and a performance by the Philadelphia Philharmonic Orchestra.
(left) New Fellows; (right) Image from the 2024 Annual Meeting and Convocation in New Orleans, Louisiana
Fellows at the SPAC Annual Summer Event at SPAC.
NY Section Chair Report
Egidio Farone, Chair
It has been a great year. We have had some amazing meetings and events.
In June we had our social meeting which included a tour of the Lyndhurst Mansion in Tarrytown, N.Y., a majestic estate on the banks of the Hudson River, considered one of America’s finest gothic revival mansions. Afterwards, we had a delicious lunch at the River Market Bar and Kitchen. Both events were wellattended.
Our own Dr. Guy Minoli represented the N.Y. Section of the ACD at Touro College of Dental Medicine’s White Coat Ceremony, and Dr. Lorna Flamer-Caldera did the same for us at Columbia.
In October, I went down to New Orleans for the ACD annual meeting. The New York section had 15 new fellows inducted, including my colleague and friend Dr. Steven Saltzman. Dr. Julie Connolly, our Regent, led a Regency 1 Breakout Session where I was able to give an update on our section’s activities.New Orleans was also the location for the ADA’s annual meeting, and I was among those who participated in its House of Delegates meeting from October 20 to 22.
On October 23rd, we held our fall meeting at the Penn Club in Manhattan. Dr. Eric Wachs from Touro College of Dental Medicine spoke on ethical considerations regarding the use of social media by healthcare professionals. He gave an excellentpresentation which provided insight into
what we can do and what we should not do on social media.
On December 1st, Drs. Guenther Jonke and Kevin Henner presented the ACD sponsored ethics lecture at the Greater New York Dental Meeting. The title of their presentation was “Chairside Ethics: Daily Dental Dilemmas and Their Management.” They dealt with some of the most common ethical scenarios that dentists may encounter. They gave examples of cases that may present themselves in dental practice. They helped inform the audience of the reasoning behind evaluating the ethical dilemmas and addressing them in a satisfactory way. It was a well-organized and informative seminar.
As the new year approaches, we are gearing up for our annual meeting this year, which will be held on Tuesday, February 4th, 2025, at the Penn Club in Manhattan. As of this report, we are expecting our new ACD national President, Dr. Robert Faiella and the ACD Executive Director, Mr. Michael Graham to attend. Finally, I have encouraged our fellows to be on the lookout for colleagues or other contacts that they feel would be a welcome addition to our fellowship.
Respectfully submitted, Egidio
Farone Chair, N.Y. Section
GNYDM ACD Lecture.
Columbia White Coat Cermony.
ACD President Terri Dolan with the ACD Past Presidents in New Orleans.
New York Section Fellows at the 2024 Annual Convocation.
New York Section Fellows at the 2024 Annual Convocation.
Regency 1 Fellows at the 2024 Annual Convocation.
ACD Convocation Ceremonial Procession.
New England Chair Report
Maria A. Smith, Chair
Again, warm regards and congratulations to all new fellows in Regency 1 Section, particularly those in New England—all 25 of you! All join a select group of individuals as new fellows. It is for their dedication to our profession and engagement within it, whether it is in private or group practice, education and teaching, research or any of the other modalities in dentistry, that they have been recognized and appreciated by the American College of Dentists. Much success and happiness and longevity with the ACD, especially our New England Section.
As I have stated in previous reports, communication, visibility and engagement are extremely important to the viability of our section and emphasis during the course of my tenure as chair has been placed on that as our key priority so that we will be more effective in meeting our members’ needs to not only remain member fellows, but to also be advocates for ACD in ethics and professionalism for others and the public at large. With this in mind, I have the following meetings and events updates for our section in 2024 since my last report in July.
Again, I am pleased and honored to have our New England Section again designated as a Model Section. It was such a thrill to accept this important honor bestowed upon our section on behalf of our board and all of our fellows at the national Annual Meeting in New Orleans on October 17,
2024. Our strength to make this happen would not have been possible if we did not have such a committed and dedicated group of both current leaders and the addition of new leaders to our board with fresh ideas that I am honored to have the opportunity to closely work with this year. The cohesiveness, mutual respect and willingness to “get the job done” has made it easy and yes, even fun, for our board to move our section forward, always keeping in mind the best interests of our fellows. But we won’t stop here and be complacent with this honor. We have a whole host of activities planned and more in our think tank and planning to ensure we are responsive to our fellows.
On August 23, 2024, I was invited to join the program at the UConn SDM White Coat Ceremony for the D1 students. I was the only outside speaker to attend due to this kind invitation from Dean Lepowsky. The general theme and focus were on the importance of ethics and professionalism in our actions whether professionally or personally. It was really a special ceremony with each student also receiving the newly updated ACD Ethics Handbooks. I will also be attending on March 21, 2025 the White Coat Ceremony for the D3 Students as they enter clinic so again, I am honored to attend again to speak on behalf of the ACD New England.
Our first webinar was held on September 16, 2024 with our own new Executive Director, Mike Gra-
ham who spoke about the state of the ACD and his vision for its future. It was very well received by the attendees and the Q and A gave fellows the opportunity to know Mike and the ACD better with specific questions.
The ACD Annual Meeting in New Orleans this October 15-17, 2025 was very well attended and had a super program and I have to admit, good food for a group so large. The networking opportunities were endless and seeing old friends and making new ones is always a pleasure. It was especially apropos that I was with a new fellow/old friend when we got stuck in the elevator on Wednesday morning. Not a good thing to happen when one is claustrophobic. But the good news was the room upgrade and a small adjustment to my stay which was really appreciated!! I loved the Roosevelt Hotel!! It was also my first opportunity to serve as an usher at convocation and all went well after some initial glitches with seating which we all worked out
quickly. Thanks to Suzan Pitman for her help with that.
On November 2, 2024, I had the pleasure to attend the first tri-school SPEA Ethics Seminar at Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine. Student and faculty attendees enjoyed a stellar presentation by Dr. Guenter Jonke and Dr. Kevin Henner titled, “Code of Ethics: Your Roadmap to Professional Success”, sharing how to solve commonly encountered ethical dilemmas by understanding and following our American Dental Association Principles of Ethics and Code of Professional Conduct. Special thank you’s to Dean Leone, the
presenters, the American College of Dentists New England Board, and BUGSDM American Student Dental Association. I hope that it continues next year and that we engage even more students from all of the New England schools to surpass the almost 80 who were in attendance. ACD NE will definitely help sponsor and support the program again.
Other notable upcoming events that all fellows need to mark in their calendars include:
ACD NE Annual Meeting on January 14, 2025 by Zoom. Invitations will be emailed to all in our section to link to the meeting.
New England Section Fellows at the 2024 Annual Convocation.
January 30, 2025 2-5:00 PM Yankee Dental Congress ACD NE presented/sponsored course “Innovating with Integrity: Navigating the Ethical Landscape of AI in Dentistry with speakers Meredith Bailey, DMD Christopher Balaban, DMD and Robert Faiella, DMD
January 31, 2025 11:30 -1:30 PM ACD/ICD Joint Luncheon at the Lighthouse Room Seaport Hotel where we will be honoring and again presenting our ACD Outstanding Student Leader Awards from the 5 New England dental schools as well as presenting the Thomas Winkler Award to Dr. William MacDonnell from CT for his dedication and selfless service to our profession. Please plan on attending.
March 21, 2024 Straumann USA Manufacturing Facility Andover, MA lecture with Dr. Adam Saltz on “Ethics and Implants”
May 20, 2025 7-8:00 PM Webinar “The Truth about Veracity” presented by Catherine Sarkis, JD, MBA and Dr. Kathryn Regalis”
We are also working to continue to engage more of our fellows, especially as we build our internal committee structures and generate important suggestions and ideas on what our fellows value. Our Facebook and Instagram pages are becoming more active and I encourage all to sign on and “like” us. We still have open positions for Ambassadors in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont and I encourage fellows to
consider volunteering to fill these important positions—identifying worthy, ethical and professional individuals for fellowship. We have again updated our bylaws and the draft will be presented for discussion and vote at our annual meeting in January. Also, at that time will a new slate of officers and board members be presented for the 2025 year for a formal vote.
And lastly, as outgoing Section Chair of New England, I want to thank the board and you, our fellows, for allowing me this special and incredible opportunity to serve all of you for these past 2 years. Working with such a stellar group of colleagues with amazing skills and experience has been so gratifying and humbling to me. The camaraderie that we have shared has really made my job easier and fun even if it was a lot of work! I have enjoyed meeting many of you from New England, from Regency 1 and even from beyond at our meetings. I hope that I have moved our New England section forward again and have better positioned it for our future leaders to assume their duties and responsibilities and to have it continue to thrive and attain another Model Section designation in 3 years! Heartfelt thanks!
Sincerely and Respectfully Submitted,
Maria A. Smith, DMD, FACD, FICD FPFA, FADI, MAGD Chair, American College of Dentists, New England Section
New England Section Fellows at the 2024 Annual Convocation.
Atlantic Provinces Section Report
Bill Calnon, Chair
The September 13 and 14th Atlantic Provinces Section Meeting in PEI was held at Chef Michael Smith’s resort, Inn at Bay Fortune, where the fellowship enjoyed the fireworks feast. The food is grown organically on site or sourced locally from organic farms nearby.
The new Fellows who convocated in NOLA are Marco Chiarot, Paul Cameron, Dana Coles, Tammy Wright, Chad Avery, and Jenifer MacLellan respectively.
We provided financial support for Kholud Saleh, Dalhousie SPEA representative, to attend the National SPEA meeting last October in New Orleans.
1 REGENCY
Western New York Section Report
William R. Calnon, DDS – Chair
Greetings from the Fellows of the Western New York Section,
Time seems to move so quickly…a few weeks ago we were enjoying a very warm autumn and this past week several parts of our Section received more than 60 inches (152 cm. for our Canadian Fellows) of lake-effect snow in a matter of a few days! Winter is here!!
Life in our Section has been busy since our last Regency 1 Newsletter. In August, we held our Annual Meeting and summer social gathering. The location was the Central New York aspect of the Section, namely Syracuse and Skaneateles. Regent Julie Connolly was our guest for the entire weekend and had ample opportunity to meet and interact with all in attendance. Friday evening, folks gathered at a local roadhouse for a few hours of catching-up and comradery. I urged everyone to get some good sleep as Saturday would prove a very busy day.
The next morning started with two continuing education courses, both focusing on innovative approaches to access to oral care in rural areas. This obviously is not a new issue but has finally become more of a
priority to our State Legislators. Several State Senators and Assembly Members were advised of the topic and invited. Unfortunately, for various reasons none could attend (We were able to later speak in-person with these Legislators). Fellows Sean McLaren and Jin Xiao, both Associate Professors at Eastman Institute for Oral Health in Rochester, NY presented. Dr. McLaren gave a look at his multi-year expansion of the Institute’s Teledentistry Division and demonstrated the amazing impact on not only access but also utilization of oral care. Dr. Xiao spoke regarding her research using electronic applications and the introduction of artificial intelligence in combating access issues. She also addressed perinatal health and its long-term consequences. Appropriate CE credit was made available through the ACD Central Office.
After boarding a private coach, the group was led on a guided tour of the Erie Canal Museum. Following that was a stop at a very inviting and satisfying Irish Pub and then off to nearby Skaneateles Lake, one of the most beautiful spots in New York’s Finger Lakes region. After an hour spent cruising on the lake there was time to explore the quaint village and its popular shops.
The evening then focused on our Annual Meeting and a marvelous social gathering at the close by home of Drs. Tim Calnon and Lauren Vitkus. Lauren joined our College in October. The house provided an unobstructed view of the lake and provided a perfect venue for our meeting. The meeting covered several topics and led to a very lively discussion. Dr. Connolly gave a report from Regency 1 and ACD Executive Director, Mike Graham, addressed the group via a pre-recorded presentation.
The rest of the evening used a new format. Instead of a formal dinner sitting at separate tables, we had an evening of heavy hors d’oeuvres and drinks while using porch seating and several high-top cocktail tables. This was followed by carving stations and a Happy Birthday celebration for the spouse of a Fellow. The intent was to allow more mingling and conversation and I consider the fact that the return coach departure time needing to be extended by two hours as a vote of approval!
The following day provided a chance for ACD members to interact with the D-1 students at the University at Buffalo School of Den-
tal Medicine. Keep in mind, these students had been there for a matter of weeks, but they participated actively in the break-out sessions. It was a great opportunity for us to make a positive impression!
The city of New Orleans next became our short-term home for the ACD Annual Meeting and Convocation. I was duly impressed by how smoothly the meeting ran. The meeting was informative and focused on both accomplishments and goals. The convocation employed a different format this year which seemed well received. Our Regent hosted a Regency
break-out session which many attendees told me was the best they had been part of. Julie gave an-in depth presentation from her perspective of both Regency 1 as well as the ACD in general. Each Section chair had a chance to share their thoughts, and to me, it was more of an open discussion than a series of presentations.
Nomination time has arrived and Julie’s “cheat sheet” will help those using the process. I have given each aspect of the Section challenge goals for nominations.
December 3 was “Giving Tuesday” and the start of the ACD Founda-
tion End of The Year Giving Campaign. Again, I challenged our Section to show what we are all about! As of the evening of December 12, the WNY Section had the most donors, the highest percentage of donors and the third highest money raised in the entire ACD!!! I am so proud of my fellow Fellows!
All in the western area of NY extend our best wishes to the rest of our Regency for a wonderful Holiday Season and a happy and healthy 2025.
All the best, Bill
Photos from Western New York’s Annual Summer Event held in and around Syracuse, New York.
SPEA Update
NATIONAL
SPEA’s 2024 Annual Session in New Orleans, LA was a resounding success! Undoubtedly, students came away with a renewed sense of confidence, camaraderie and commitment to professionalism and ethics in dentistry. We were privileged to hear from various nationally renowned speakers, engage in fulfilling dialogues in breakout sessions and listen to valuable discussions regarding pertinent disparities in the dental field. This year’s annual session featured a record number of participants, with students from twenty-nine different dental schools throughout the U.S. and Canada in attendance. SPEA leadership has made every effort to capitalize upon this recent momentum, as we strive to grow and positively impact students across the nation. Since the conclusion of our Annual Session in New Orleans this October, SPEA has been flourishing and working diligently to establish new chapters and strengthen existing chapters nationwide! We are incredibly grateful for the continual support we receive from countless ACD fellows throughout the country. We are thrilled to build upon and strengthen our collaboration with the ACD moving forward. Each year, the annual session is a remarkable opportunity for students to interact with and establish genuine connections with ACD members. This time together cultivates mentorship opportunities between ACD members and students, further enhancing the growth of SPEA locally and nationally, all the while providing students with invaluable career and life guidance. In SPEA, our focus is not on enhancing the association, but on developing individuals who will lead the profession of dentistry to a safer, brighter future. We recognize that this is only possible via the intricately woven support and guidance of the ACD. Without the unwavering support and genuine connections they facilitate with students, the growth of SPEA would not be possible.
Respectfully,
Josh Crane National Vice Chair
Student
Professionalism
& Ethics Association
University of Colorado, 2026
COLUMBIA
As the president of the Columbia SPEA Chapter, I represented Columbia to attend the SPEA Annual Meeting in New Orleans this year. During the meeting, I connected with SPEA leaders from across the nation to exchange ideas on event planning, fundraising, and chapter development.
At Columbia, we remain committed to fostering meaningful conversations about ethics in dentistry. This year, we aim to continue our Ethics and Eats series, focusing on ethical dilemmas and issues across various specialties. On October 29th, we successfully hosted our first event of the year, Peds Ethics and Eats, in collaboration with the Columbia Pediatric Dentistry Club. We were honored to have Dr. Caryn Siegel, a distinguished member of the ACD NY section, as our guest speaker. Dr. Siegel shared her insights and experiences as an expert in Pediatric Dentistry, leading thoughtful discussions among attendees. By offering pasta during this event and collaborating with other specialty clubs, we were able to attract more students to participate, but I believe that the most significant reason why students showed up is they wanted to learn more from Dr. Siegel, who is such a respected professional.
Looking ahead, I am excited to partner with the NYU SPEA Chapter in the spring to cohost a larger Ethics and Eats event, further expanding our reach. Additionally, we plan to continue our traditional SafeZone and Mock Case Review events and elevate them to a regional level to gain more involvement through collaboration with other schools in NYC.
Best,
Ruotong Wang President, Columbia SPEA
TUFTS
This past fall semester, we’ve been organizing events for first- and second-year students focused on exploring various ethical scenarios they may encounter in their academic and professional journeys. For third-year students transitioning into the clinic, we’ve been hosting discussions and workshops emphasizing the importance of ethical decision-making in patient care, as well as maintaining professionalism in complex situations.
Sonya Livitz, M.S.
Tufts University School of Dental Medicine
President, Columbia SPEA
SPEA Update
Boston University Student Professionalism & Ethics Association (SPEA) Hosts First Ethics Symposium
On Saturday, November 2, the Boston University Student Professionalism & Ethics Association (SPEA) held its inaugural ethics symposium, an enriching event accompanied by a delicious brunch and offering 2 CE credits for attendees. The symposium focused on ethics in dentistry and featured insightful presentations from esteemed guest speakers Dr. Guenter Jonke, a BU Dental alum, and Dr. Henner, a Tufts alum, both of whom are renowned for their contributions to dental ethics and education.
The event drew a distinguished audience, including Dean Cataldo Leone, Associate Dean of Students Dr. Calabrese, ACD NE President Dr. Maria Smith, ACD NE Secretary Dr. Marian Royer, numerous BU Dental faculty and students, and practicing dentists. Together, they engaged with complex ethical dilemmas in dental practice, discussing topics such as patient autonomy, informed consent, and the ethical responsibilities of dental professionals.
Attendees participated in lively discussions, case studies, and Q&A sessions, fostering a deeper understanding of the ethical principles that underpin high-quality, patient-centered care. The symposium underscored the importance of ethical considerations in dentistry, equipping future professionals to uphold the integrity and compassion essential to the field.
A special thank you goes to Professor Catherine Sarkis and Dr. Meredith Bailey for their support in making this event possible. BU SPEA would also like to express gratitude to our sponsors, ACD NE and BU ASDA, for their generous contributions, which helped create such a successful event!”
BU SPEA has also submitted our video for the 2024 CEBJA ethics video contest, and we are waiting to hear the results! Thank you and please let me know if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Sarah Sveen (BU SPEA President)
Photos from the Boston University, SPEA first Ethics Symposium in November.
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Useful Links
Nomination and Selection of Fellows
The common characteristic shared by successful candidates for Fellowship is demonstrated leadership in some aspect of dentistry or public service. The selection process for Fellowship utilizes a well-established, confidential peer review system evaluating professional and community leadership positions, contributions, and credentials. Please nominate outstanding colleagues today!
