ADA’s 154th Annual Session

Education and philanthropy among the highlights of this year’s meeting

The American Dental Asso­ciation (ADA) hosted its 154th Annual Session in New Orleans, Louisiana, from October 31 through November 3. In addition to excellent networking opportunities and a bustling exhibition floor, attendees took advantage of educational sessions and events focused on increasing access to care.

The ADA provided unique and invaluable accredited continuing education opportunities at this year’s session that covered a wide variety of topics. Interactive Learning Lab courses addressed caring for elderly patients and the issues impacting women in dentistry. The Education in the Round sessions allowed attendees to view live demonstrations of procedures in a variety of disciplines, including prosthodontics, esthetics, and restorative and implant dentistry.

The meeting also saw the installation of Dr. Charles H. Norman III as the 150th president of the ADA. Dr. Norman grew up admiring the two dentists in his small town, who were well-respected leaders in the community. This early vision of leadership has informed his work ever since. “I felt there was much more to a career in dentistry than the traditional clinical practice,” Dr. Norman told ADA News. “For me, organized dentistry provided the avenue to pursue my interest in giving back to my profession.”

Additional officers and trustees were also named at the session, including Dr. Maxine Feinberg (President-Elect), Dr. Jonathan Shenkin (Second Vice President), Dr. Andrew J. Kwasny (Third District Trustee), Dr. Jeffrey M. Cole (Fourth District Trustee), Dr. Alvin W. Stevens Jr. (Fifth District Trustee), and Dr. Gary E. Jeffers (Ninth District Trustee).

At the Give Kids A Smile (GKAS) Gala, two avid supporters of GKAS, Candy B. Ross of KaVo Kerr Group, and Kathy L. Woodard of the Ohio Dental Association, received awards in recognition of their outstanding service in expanding GKAS’s mission. GKAS is ADA’s national program that focuses on meeting the oral care needs of underserved children. Since its foundation, it has provided free screenings, treatment, and education for more than 4 million children.

This year’s ADA Annual Session also included philanthropy on a massive, but local, scale. Along with the Louisiana Dental Association and America’s Dentists Care Foundation, the ADA hosted a Mission of Mercy at the conclusion of the session at Mardi Gras World, a local attraction in the host city of New Orleans. Approximately 1,000 adults and children from the surrounding communities were offered free dental services through the volunteer efforts of more than 1,000 dentists, hygienists, assistants, dental students, and others.

Dr. Maria R. Burmaster, a local dentist and one of the event’s organizers, told ADA News of the experience, “This event will certainly serve to let our community know that those in the dental profession seek continually to find ways to assist those who are most in need.”