AAPD Trustee Report – August 2019

Greetings!

This has been a busy summer and as I am sure you have experienced, it seems that all of our patient parents want to accomplish everything for their child during the summer break. Our academic members are busy in the summer resetting for the new residents and dental students as well as trying to catch their breath between the closing academic year and the opening new year. Include family activities during the summer months and it is a busy time indeed.

The AAPD/SWSPD lost a giant of pediatric dentistry when Jerry Miller passed away on July 17, 2019. Many of you knew Jerry well and the rest certainly knew of Jerry. I knew Jerry through my relationship with the AAPD. When I became a pediatric dentist, Jerry’s name was one of the first names I heard in the world of pediatric dentistry. Upon joining the AAPD, I received a certificate recognizing membership and Jerry had signed the certificate as the AAPD President. 

He was an example to aspire to. He set the bar high for all of us. Jerry was a philanthropist. I saw that demonstrated most recently at the AAPD Foundation Dental Home Day in Chicago where he was a volunteer during Dental Home Day. Later that week, at the Foundation dinner and celebration, Jerry encouraged others to donate to the Foundation by an offer to match donations during a part of the auction. 

The AAPD office in Chicago has a room that is now a memorial to Jerry. This room contains plaques commemorating the Past-presidents of the AAPD. Each of these plaques has a custom made gavel that Jerry made specifically to recognize that Past-president. They are all masterpieces and a lasting tribute to Jerry’s love for the AAPD. SWSPD member, Dr. Kevin Donly, received the last gavel that Jerry made for an AAPD President at the first BOT meeting for the new year. It is a beautiful gavel made from white oak and Jerry shared the story of the magnificent tree that the wood came from that stood on Jerry’s farm in Guthrie, Oklahoma. The next time you are in Chicago, stop in at the AAPD offices and have a look. They are beautiful!

Jerry was involved in all aspects of dentistry. He served as a Delegate to the ADA from his home state of Oklahoma for more than 20 years, representing Oklahoma and the 12^th District of the ADA. He was involved in the Oklahoma Dental Association for 28 years as a Trustee. Jerry also served as a dental board examiner. He lectured extensively. Jerry was a Past-president of many dental organizations. The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, The College of Diplomates of the AAPD, the Southwest Society of Pediatric Dentistry, American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry Foundation, the Oklahoma Dental Association, the American College of Dentists and the American College of Dentists Foundation. 

Jerry was also the recipient of many awards. Dentist of the Year from the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and the Oklahoma Dental Association. The Distinguished Service Award from the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and the American College of Dentists highest honor, the William John Gies Award. The Jerome B. Miller Center for Philanthropy and Leadership was established several years ago by the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry Foundation and will be a lasting tribute to Jerry’s philanthropy.

Jerry will be missed by all of us in pediatric dentistry but his legacy will live on. He led the way and showed all of us the way pediatric dentists can be an example to the world of the best we have to offer.

The AAPD Annual Meeting in Chicago was a huge success and I for one enjoyed a fantastic meeting. From the keynote address by former USAF Thunderbird pilot, Colonel (ret.) Nicole Malachowski to the Welcome party to the Foundation Celebration to the President’s Farewell Dinner and everything in-between. 

The Board of Trustees met three times and I would like to share with you some of the key actions the BOT took at the BOT meetings held at the annual meeting held in Chicago this year. 

Some of you may be aware that the AAPD Reference Manual has been published as a part of the journal, Pediatric Dentistry. This has proven to be disadvantageous to the AAPD from a scientific research perspective. The important thing to know is that an independent organization provides ‘Impact Factor” ratings to scientific journals and it is very important to have a high rating as this affects search engine results. The AAPD journal impact rating was not as high as it could be so the BOT voted to publish the AAPD Reference Manual separately from Pediatric Dentistry. Already, the impact factor has increased so this was a great change.

The BOT voted to accept the Early Childhood Caries Declaration from the International Association of Paediatric Dentistry. This action sends a message to the world’s pediatric dentists that the AAPD concurs with this statement on ECC.

The joint AAP/AAPD document on “Monitoring and Management of Pediatric Patients Before, During and After Sedation for Diagnostic and Therapeutic Procedures” was approved by the BOT. This document will be published in an upcoming issue of Pediatrics. 

At the upcoming ADA Annual Meeting in San Francisco, Dr. Jim Nickman (AAPD Past-president) will introduce a resolution at the HADA House of Delegates that seeks to add ADA Delegates to the HOD in the form of a Delegate and an Alternate to represent each of the 10 ADA recognized dental specialties. Currently, there is no direct representation in the ADA HOD for dental specialties. Many dental specialists serve in the HOD but they serve as representatives of other constituencies. This resolution would give specialties direct representation. Please consider contacting your ADA Trustee and also your state ADA Delegate to ask for their support of this resolution when it is voted on in San Francisco.

The Committee on Sedation and Anesthesia will be conducting thorough review of the Fall and Spring course offerings. The intent is to continue to assure that the AAPD courses are the best available and continually improve and change as new information becomes available.

The Committee on Special Needs was instructed to conduct a needs assessment of general membership and academic directors to determine what would be seen as beneficial resources, support and education regarding patient care for the special needs population of patients. 

The Council on Clinical Affairs will be developing a consensus statement and supporting materials regarding healthy beverage consumption in early childhood. The intent is to include this information in the Resources Section of the Reference Manual.

Lastly, the BOT approved the AAPD budget for the 2019-2020 fiscal year.

All of the BOT minutes are available at the AAPD website if you would like to read through them.

I look forward to seeing many of you in Orlando at the combined Florida Academy of Pediatric Dentistry/ Southeastern Society of Pediatric Dentistry/Southwestern Society of Pediatric Dentistry, October 31 – November 2, 2019.

Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions, comments or concerns!

Respectfully submitted,

John T. Fales, Jr., D.D.S., M.S.

Trustee, District V, Southwestern Society of Pediatric Dentistry, AAPD