american association of endodontists volume 7 april 2014...communiqué / april 2014 / 3 i was born...

communiqué / april 2014 / 1

Editor

Harriet M. Bogdanowicz, M.B.A.,CAE

Contributors

Tara Burghart

Jessica Dornfeld

Jennifer Gibson

Alyson Hall

Helen Jameson, J.D.

Robert S. Roda, D.D.S., M.S.

Dennis J. Zent, D.D.S., M.S.D.

AAE Presidential Profile: Robert S. Roda, D.D.S., M.S.

An Insider’s Guide to Advocacy

Did You Know? Three Patient Education Videos to Debut at Annual Session

Advocating for Dentistry in D.C.

The 2014 Annual Session Strives for Perfection

Why I Serve: A Profile of an Endodontic Leader in Organized Dentistry

Student Ambassadors Build a Solid Foundation for Residents

Member News

© 2014 AAE

An InsIder’s GuIde to AdvocAcy

Dr. Dennis Zent, endodontist and Indiana state

representative, reflects on dentistry and the legislature.

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American Association of endodontists volume 7

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AAE PrEsidEntiAl ProfilE

Communiqué Editorial Board

MeMbership services coMMitteeDerrick I. Wang, ChairDerik P. DeConinckCarla Y. FalconKenneth J. FrickMaria C. MarangaColleen C. ShullMartha P. ZindermanCraig C. DeagleStefan I. Zweig, Board Liaison

coMMunications coordinatorJessica Dornfeld

ExEcutivE committEE

Gary R. Hartwellpresident, interiM executive directorRobert S. Rodapresident-electTerryl A. Proppervice presidentGarry L. MyerssecretaryLinda G. LevintreasurerJames C. KulildiMMediate past president

Board of dirEctors

JOE EditorKenneth M. Hargreaves

AAE Foundation PresidentKeith V. Krell

District ITevyah J. Dines Paula Russo

District IIRichard L. Rubin Craig S. Hirschberg

District IIIArthur L. Cole Marc E. Levitan

District IvGerald C. Dietz, Jr. Anita Aminoshariae

District vGary G. Goodell James F. Wolcott

District vIBruce C. Justman Michael G. Stevens

District vIIAlan H. Gluskin Steven I. Zweig

communiqué is published by the American Association of Endodontists

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Phone: 800/872-3636 (U.S., Canada, Mexico) or 312/266-7255Fax: 866/451-9020 (U.S., Canada, Mexico) or 312/266-9867Web: www.aae.org

[email protected]

www.facebook.com/endodontists

www.youtube.com/rootcanalspecialists

@AAENews @SavingYourTeeth

important dates and deadlinesvisit www.aae.org/events for more information.

may 1ABE Case History Examination Spring Deadlinewww.aae.org/board

may 152015 Annual Session Call for Presentations Deadlinewww.aae.org/submit2015

July 1 2014-15 Membership Dues Due

July 19 – 21 AAE/AAP/ACP Joint Symposium: Teeth for a Lifetimewww.aae.org/teethforalifetime

august 1 Late Fee Assessed for Outstanding 2014-15 Membership Dues Payments

august 8 – 9 APICES 2014www.aae.org/apices

august 21 – 22Corporate Community Conference

august 22 – 232014 Educator Workshopwww.aae.org/edcenter

With this issueThis issue of the communiqué starts a new theme of Advocacy in Endodontics. As we prepare to travel to Washington, D.C., for the 2014 Annual Session, the topic of advocacy — and the role that each of us can play in advocating for our field — is certainly top of mind. Dr. Dennis J. Zent, practicing endodontist and Indiana state representative, provides an “insider” view of advocacy in this issue’s cover story (pp. 5-7) The feature stories in the May and June e-communiqué will examine this topic as well.

Have a comment on a communiqué article or idea for a future story? Please submit them via email to [email protected]. We welcome your feedback!

if everyone is thinking alike, then somebody isn’t thinking.— George S. Patton

Well, I’ve never been accused of thinking the same thing as everyone else. My name is Rob Roda, and somehow, I find myself on the brink of becom-ing President of the American Association of Endodontists. It is a constant source of amazement to me that I am here, since I have never envisioned being in this position. Truth be told, I really thought, as a young general dentist 33 years ago, that by now I’d be slowing down my practice and perhaps flying a private plane around the world. But life has a funny way of delivering the unexpected, and from the beginning, that word has characterized my life.

robert s. roda, d.d.s., m.s.

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I was born in Paris, France. The third of four children of an American executive of Trans World Airlines and a Canadian school teacher, I bounced around between the United States, Canada and Europe throughout my childhood. My father gave me his ability to explore the unknown, enjoy science and mathematics, respect others, and fit in like a local no matter where I found myself. My mother taught me the value of family, music and history, and she gave me as much of her love as any mother can give. The longest we lived anywhere as I grew up was seven years (in Stamford, Connecticut) before moving to Frankfurt, Germany, where I finished grades 10-12 and graduated from the Frankfurt International School in 1974. We had 33 kids in my graduating class and 16 different nationalities. I learned that all the kids there had the same under-lying needs and wants with a veneer of individual history, nationality, culture and language over our common humanity. I also learned that if one just tries to figure out what someone is like underneath their sometimes very foreign exterior, then friends are made and cultural differences become a thing to explore and enjoy.

I went to my other country of Canada for university and dental school, graduat-ing in 1981 from Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. I practiced general dentistry for 10 years in Nova Scotia but found that it became more and more dif-ficult to be a jack-of-all-trades and master of none. When complications to treat-ment arose, I found it hard to deal with the fact that someone else (a specialist) always knew what had gone wrong and I did not. I became the kind of general-ist who we all, as specialists, love to have next door. I referred all endo, ortho, extensive prosthetic treatment, and just about everything else that was difficult, to the appropriate specialist. I referred so

much away, rather than try to do it myself, because my philosophy has always been that I wanted my patients to get the best care that they could. If there was someone better than me to do it, then that’s where they should go. For me, it has always been all about the patient.

This did, however, make my day-to-day practice pretty stale, and so I decided (with the urging of my colleague and friend Dr. Jack Gerrow) to become an endodon-tist. I sold my practice in 1991 and applied for graduate school. In hindsight, selling the practice before being accepted to a program was one of the biggest risks I have ever taken in my life. I am, at heart, an optimist, so at the time it simply did not occur to me that I would not get into a program. Sure enough, I got accepted to

Baylor and began a discovery of who I was and what I could accomplish.

I studied under three of the four people who had the greatest influence on my endodontic career. From Dr. Jack Harrison, I learned to be a critical thinker. From Dr. Jerry Glickman, I learned how to get things done efficiently and well. Finally, from Dr. Jim Gutmann, I learned the value of putting all of the information (and there were volumes of it) together, adding what’s new, and applying it to unique situations in patient care. This is what we do every day, and my three men-tors affect my decision making continu-ously. I recall one day when, after working feverishly in the clinic, being humbled in a seminar, and then having another of my resident research protocols go down in

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Dr. Roda participating in the 2013 Arizona Mission of Mercy event.

4 / www.aae.org/communique

flames, Dr. Harrison gave me some advice. He said: “Relax, Rob, these are the best days of your life.” And he was right!

I got a great job offer in Scottsdale, Arizona, from the fourth person who had a large influence on my career. I went to work for Dr. Jim Kramer, who was the first endodontist to graduate from Baylor’s program; he was, perhaps, one of the best human beings I have ever known. His combination of hard work, caring about others, and knowledge on how to run a patient-centered practice has left me with enduring attitudes and philosophies that I pass on to any who will listen. He knew, as I did, that if all of your clinical decision making was about what is best for the patient, then everything else would fall into place. I’ve seen more gurus and pun-dits with one business gimmick or another — like the “profit-centered practice” or “marketing this, efficiency that” — come and go. Yes, there are ways for most of us to smarten up our practices, but if you work hard and always do the right thing for your patient, you cannot fail. And that has been my experience for the last 21 years. I have a daughter and son-in-law in the Boston area and my two sons are in college in Tucson, Arizona, and they are all four the light of my life. I take them travelling with me overseas as much as I can to try to give them the same gift my father gave me.

I also know the value of organized dentistry. Dentists have traditionally worked in a cottage industry and it is only through the collective efforts undertaken by organized dentistry that

we can effect positive change for our profession and our patients. I joined the Canadian Dental Association and was a continuous member throughout my general dental career. When I came to the States, I joined the AAE and ADA as a resident right away. When I moved to Scottsdale, I became very active in the Arizona Dental Association and the ADA tripartite system. I was our ADA component president, president of the Arizona State AAE Affiliate, delegate to the ADA House of Delegates, and editor-in-chief for our AzDA monthly journal, inscriptions. I became a Diplomate of the American Board of Endodontics in 1998, I am an associate editor of the Journal of endodontics, I am an endodontic consul-tant to the Arizona State Board of Dental Examiners, I have a clinical operating study club in Nova Scotia, and in between all of that, I run a full-time private end-odontic practice. OK, I’m over-served…

I am always asked what my theme for my presidential year will be, and I have no wise words to describe what I want for our organization, our members and our patients. I can’t fit my vision into a two- to four-word slogan, so I’m driving everyone around me mad. I just don’t fit into a box. I guess on a basic level, I must leave the organization in better shape than I found it — that’s a given. What I’d really like to do is get the AAE into a position where we are better at seeing the future and managing our exploration of the undiscovered coun-try. (Wait, that is almost slogan-like.)

Ever since I saw John Glenn blast off from Cape Canaveral in 1963, I have been

interested in the future. For those of you who know me well, you know that I enjoy science and technology and, through reading speculative fiction, its potential effects on society. While it is notoriously difficult to predict the future, by collect-ing as much data as we can, it becomes possible to see trends and start to prepare for them. Technology gives us the tools to do things that were not imaginable by our forefathers, but there were those back then with names like Verne, Asimov, Clarke and Heinlein who did see the future. While not all of what they predicted has hap-pened (yet), they got enough right that they showed that creative minds can give us new paths to follow and explore. Tom Swift gave us a computer on a desktop in the 1950s and Bill Gates transformed it into reality in the 1980s. Twenty years ago, Steve Jobs gave Apple the Big Audacious Goal of putting a computer in everyone’s hand and, voilà, the smartphone. We need to do that if we, as a profession and an organization, are going to thrive into the future. I’ll be focusing on the future of endodontics as my year progresses and I predict that, in one year when Dr. Terryl Propper takes over, she will inherit an organization better than it was one year before, and an AAE that has pivoted to look squarely outward and forward to help our members and our patients navigate the uncharted waters ahead. <

Dr. Robert S. Roda will take office as AAE president on Friday, May 2, at the 2014 General Assembly Breakfast in Washington, D.C.

Dr. Roda visits Switzerland with sons Matt and Stephen in 2011.

Dr. Roda with students at the University of Iowa in 2012.

Dr. Roda with his daughter and son-in-law, Christine and Robbie Lester, on their wedding day.


You might say that my wife, Wendy, was the one who first got me interested in politics. When I met her in 1968, the political climate in the United States was turbulent, to say the least, and like many people my age, I was wary of the government. Then Wendy introduced me to her father, who was the mayor of a small town in Indiana called Angola. Contrary to my image of the “crooked politician,” I saw that he was genuinely a public servant; he cared about the people in his town and worked hard to make things better for them. For the first time, I saw that poli-ticians could use their position to truly help others.

Flash forward to 1989 when I returned to Indiana after serving in the Air Force. At this point I had earned my master’s degree in endodontics and I began working in a group practice. I saw how the practice struggled to keep up with ever-changing government mandates and regulations, spending time and resources that should have been focused on patient care.

I decided to take matters into my own hands by attending the Indiana Leadership Forum, a program designed to educate professionals and small business owners on the nuances of government and politics. The program helped me to understand how the state and federal governments worked, and also gave me the opportunity to meet Indiana state legislators.

Due to my involvement with the Indiana Leadership Forum, the president of my local district dental society, the Isaac Knapp District Dental Society, asked me to represent the district on the state council of government affairs. I accepted and became part of the IKDDS Board of Directors, eventually serving as its president. I then spent 10 years serving the Indiana Dental Association and Indiana Dental Political Action Committee in various capacities.

After finishing my service, my wife’s influence interestingly came into play again as I was approached to fill the American Dental Political Action Committee Seventh District position by former ADPAC Board members — many of whom I had met through Wendy during her time as the Alliance representative to ADPAC. I represented the Seventh District on the ADPAC Board of Directors from 2006-10, was elected by the Board to serve as ADPAC treasurer from 2008-10 and then elected to serve two additional years as co-chair with Rhett Murray in 2010-12.

In 2012, I set my sights beyond organized dentistry and ran for the Indiana House of Representatives. I won the general election and took office in November 2012. That’s when the real eye opening began as I realized there was a world of difference between organized dentistry and the legislature.

fEAtUrE

Dr. Dennis J. Zent has worn many hats in his career – endodontist, veteran, ADPAC co-chair and now, Indiana State Representative. He shares his insider perspective on the legislature and advice for current and aspiring advocates.

An Insider’s Guide to AdvocacyBy Dennis J. Zent, D.D.S., M.S.D.


the view from the insideThe first thing that I noticed as a state representative is that things move very quickly, more quickly than I ever imagined. Most state legislatures are part-time operations; we are only in session for about four months out of the year. This works out well for me, as I’m able to continue working at my endodontic practice, but it means we have a short time to accomplish our tasks. Therefore, everything moves at light speed. For example, this past March as we approached the end of the session, we debated and voted on approximately 400 bills in 10 days.

As a legislator, I’m also constantly juggling multiple priori-ties. There never seem to be enough hours in the day to do everything. First off, I spend six hours each week commuting to and from the Indiana Statehouse in Indianapolis. Every day is a little bit different, but most are fairly packed with bill readings, committee meetings (I sit on the Public Health, Veterans Affairs and Public Safety, and Financial Institutions Committees) and constituent gatherings.

With so much to consider and balance on a daily basis, it can be easy for elected officials to overlook the needs of indi-vidual groups, such as dentists.

Yet I have found that the dental perspective is invaluable in the legislature. While there aren’t a lot of dental-specific bills that come up, I have encountered numerous regulatory bills that have

unintended consequences for dentists. In these cases, the legis-lators proposing the bills simply do not have the information or experience to know how dentists will be affected. I feel fortunate to be in a position in which I can advocate for dentists, including endodontists, and attempt to prevent such bills from passing, as we have little recourse once the bill becomes law.

It has been interesting to see the respect that accompa-nies my endodontist title. When I first started in the legislature, everyone called me “Representative Zent.” Now, however, it’s “Dr. Zent.” The other members of the legislature, even members of the opposing party, recognize that I have that knowledge and expertise, and they pay attention when I weigh in on health-related issues.

credibility through relationshipsPerhaps the most important thing I’ve discovered as a state legislator is the key role that cultivating relationships plays in advocacy — and this is an area in which each one of you can make an impact.

Prior to my election, I lobbied legislators quite a bit through my work in organized dentistry. I even became friends with some of them. I had assumed that being acquainted with the legisla-tors and talking to them when issues arose was “good enough” to be an effective advocate. However, since joining the state legislature, I have discovered that elected officials have a lot of acquaintances, and most of those acquaintances have the same amount of influence — little or none.

I interact with many people every day, so it’s difficult for indi-viduals to stand out, especially if I only see them once or twice a year. It’s the people with whom I have ongoing relationships who have earned my trust.

Building credibility and influence with elected officials is like building any other personal or professional relationship; you start small and work at growing the relationship over time. The key is to maintain the relationship and stay involved all the time, not just when you have an issue to discuss. This will help you stand out from the many, many people who ignore their legislators until they need their help. It is important to build relationships with elected officials outside of your personal political party too; dentistry is a bipartisan issue.

Where do you start? Well, almost every legislator has a dentist. If you are one of those dentists who sees an elected official regularly as a patient, you will eventually get asked if you have any issues that you want to discuss. Take them up on it. Do not be afraid or unwilling to talk to a legislator about issues that affect you. It is part of our job as elected officials to listen to our constituents.

Another approach is to seek out elected officials where they are. If you see that your legislator is going to be at a fundraiser or community event, it would be worth your time to attend. Often, your state dental PAC will even pay for you to attend the function since you’re representing the dental community. Go to the event and make a point of speaking with the legislator, but don’t immediately ask for favors or debate the issues. Cultivate the relationship, and maybe even ask if there’s anything you can

Dr. Zent testifies on the Indiana House of Representatives floor.

Dr. Zent debates a bill in session.


do for them. Elected officials are often looking for campaign volunteers, and it might be worth a little bit of your time to demonstrate that you have a vested, long-term interest in their activities.

Elected officials are also typically seeking opportunities to meet constituents, especially people like dentists and endodon-tists who are well-educated, respected people in the community. Invite your legislators to speak at your local dental society or come to an event. Then follow up and maintain regular contact with them to develop the relationship.

Contributing your time — even more than your money — can go a long way toward building your relationships and, consequently, your credibility with legislators. You will go from being a casual acquaintance, to a supporter, to a peer, and then you’ll be in a position to influence the issues that matter to you and the dental community as a whole.

the Bottom lineThe truth is that legislators want to know what you think; as dentists, business owners and educators, we are an incredibly important and well-respected group on both sides of the aisle. I don’t think I even realized how revered our community is until I became a legislator myself. However, elected officials simply

don’t have the time or resources to seek you out. They are inundated with so much on a daily basis, so you need to be the one to make the effort.

If you care about the impact of legislation on dentistry, make time to cultivate relationships with your legislators. Get involved with ADPAC and your state and local dental associations. Learn about the issues affecting our profession. Support dentists who are running for office, even if they’re outside your district.

Even better, run for office yourself. It’s not as much of a stretch as you might think. Dentists and endodontists are, in a sense, public servants. We provide valuable services for the public every day through our high-quality patient care, treatment planning, education and research. Being an elected official is simply an extension of that public service.

However you get involved, just make sure to get involved. Because one thing is for sure — if you aren’t making your voice heard, your legislator is listening to someone else who is. <

Dr. Dennis J. Zent has been a practicing endodontist for nearly 30 years and is currently serving in the Indiana House of Representatives, representing District 51. He has been an AAE member since 1983. He can be reached at [email protected].

Dr. Zent (center) meets with military academy students who are serving as legislative pages.


three Patient Education videos to debut at annual session High-quality patient education videos on root canal treatment, retreatment and cracked teeth will debut at the 2014 Annual Session as a free AAE member benefit. The videos feature 3-D animation and narration explaining popular endodontic procedures to patients step by step, and highlight the skills and expertise of endodontists. Members will be able to embed the videos in their practice websites, share them in their operatories and add custom information about their practice.

did yoU know?

Developed by the AAE’s Public and Professional Relations Committee as part of the AAE’s awareness campaign, partners in patient care, the videos put patients at ease by helping them understand common dental symptoms and the unique skills, training and

technologies used by root canal specialists.

The AAE also will aggressively promote the videos on its website, YouTube channel and in other online outlets, for easy viewing by the public and other dental professionals. Additional patient education

videos will be developed in the near future as part of the AAE’s transition to a digital public relations strategy and ongoing outreach to key audiences.

For more information, please contact Jennifer Gibson, public relations manager, at [email protected]. <

The patient education videos on cracked teeth (left), retreatment (center) and root canal treatment (right) feature 3-D animation and step-by-step explanations.


The session will begin with ADA Senior Vice President of Government and Public Affairs Michael Graham explaining the roles that the ADA government and pub-lic affairs staff and ADPAC play in advo-cating to and electing “dentist-friendly” members of Congress, as well as the critical role of grassroots dentists in these efforts. Mr. Graham will also highlight the key issues impacting dentistry in 2014, including those for which participants in the May ADA Washington Leadership Conference will be advocating during their Congressional visits. He will also provide an update on the potential impact of the 2014 mid-term elections.

Rep. Zent and Rep. Gosar, who both got their start in politics through orga-nized dentistry, will share how that path

unexpectedly led to elected office. They are passionate about the many legislative and regulatory issues that impact den-tists, but as legislators are now respon-sible for voting on a huge range of issues outside of dentistry and are lobbied by constituents on all of them.

AAE’s ADPAC representative Dr. Ali Behnia, along with Dr. Susan Wolcott, will share their experiences in grassroots advocacy. Both are active in the AAE and their state dental associations, and participated in the 2013 ADA Washington Leadership Conference.

“It is my hope that this program will inspire more AAE members to get involved in grassroots campaigns with their state and component den-tal associations and, if the opportunity

were to arise, to attend the Washington Leadership Conference with their state delegation,” said Dr. Wolcott. “We need more endodontists at the table.”

Added Dr. Behnia, “It is incredibly important that the dental profession — both general dentists and special-ists — have a united voice to ensure sustainability of our profession as our health care system undergoes significant changes.”

The session will end with a question and answer session moderated by PAC chair Dr. William Powell, who notes that “we are so privileged to have Rep. Zent and Rep. Gosar give their time for this program, and we hope to show them the AAE commitment to advocacy by filling the room.” <

2014 AnnUAl sEssion PrEViEw

advocating for dentistry in d.c.

For anyone interested in the inner workings of Washington, this year’s Annual Session offers a unique opportunity that you absolutely cannot miss! Advocating for Dentistry in D.C.: The Nuts and Bolts provides firsthand insight into grassroots lobbying from people who experience it every day — AAE member, former ADPAC chair and Indiana State Representative Dennis Zent and former Arizona Dental Association president and U.S. Representative Paul Gosar (R-AZ). This panel was developed by the Practice Affairs Committee in response to AAE members’ ongoing interest in advocacy, and will teach effective techniques for communicating with elected officials.

Advocating for Dentistry in D.C.: The Nuts and BoltsFriday, May 2 I 10:30 a.m. – noon I Chesapeake 9

PANElISTS:

U.S. Rep. Paul A. Gosar,

D.D.S.

Indiana State Rep. Dennis J. Zent, D.D.S., M.S.D.

Michael Graham, B.A., M.P.P.,

ADA senior vice president of

government and public affairs

Ali Behnia, D.D.S., M.S., AAE ADPAC

representative

Susan l. Wolcott, D.D.S.


2014 AnnUAl sEssion PrEViEw

After a long, cold winter for much of the United States, signs of spring are starting to peek through. The sun is shining, flowers are blooming and, of course, endodontists are getting excited for the 2014 AAE Annual Session in Washington, D.C.

The theme of this year’s Annual Session is Striving for Perfection and will focus on topics, technologies and treatments to keep attendees on the cutting edge of endodontics. New educational tracks have been developed to reflect the rapidly changing trends in the field, including Saving Teeth, Surgical Endodontics, and Pulp Biology, Regendo, Vital Pulp Therapy.

“My hat is off to this year’s educational track organizers,” said Annual Session Program Chair Dr. David E. Witherspoon. “They have provided an outstanding program that is incredibly diverse but still very focused on endodontists’ needs. We’re introducing the endodontic community to topics that we haven’t explored before.”

A new addition to this year’s Annual Session is the Wednesday General Session, an afternoon of presentations from six world-renowned speakers who are leading the way in dental and endodontic research and treatments: Dr. Michael Glick, Dr. Martha Somerman, Col. Robert Hale, Dr. Kenneth Hargreaves, Dr. Syngcuk Kim and Dr. Shane White. (Learn more about the speakers on page 11.)

Noted Dr. Witherspoon, “To have the speakers that we have in the General Session — particularly Dr. Glick, Dr. Somerman and Col. Hale, who are outside endodontics but very influential people in the dental community — is just outstanding.”

The General Session will also provide an opportunity for Annual Session attendees to spend the first day of the meeting together, as a group, hearing from the same speakers. While the Annual Session is already known as an excellent venue to connect with colleagues and discuss new ideas, the planning committee believes that the shared experience of the General Session will enhance that collegiality even more.

“We always hope that the Annual Session will help to develop a sense of endodontic community and I think that having a General Session will facilitate that,” said Dr.

Witherspoon. “When everyone hears the same thing in the afternoon, everyone is thinking and talking about the same thing that evening, which leads to a ‘community conversation.’ Great things can come out of that type of discussion that’s occurring on a larger scale.”

In addition to the General Session, this year’s Annual Session will introduce a series of Lunch-n-Learns that provide an interactive forum for comparing notes with fellow colleagues on clinical, practice management and endodontic education topics. Annual Session favorites will also be returning, including hands-on workshops, the celebrate d.c.! social event, and the largest endodontic Exhibit Hall in the world, featuring more than 100 dental and medical suppliers demonstrating state-of-the-art instruments and products and offering exclusive deals for Annual Session attendees.

If you have not registered for the Annual Session yet, make sure to visit www.aae.org/annualsession and sign up today. It is shaping up to be one of the AAE’s most highly attended meetings yet, and you won’t want to be the one who missed out. See you in D.C.!

the 2014 annual session strives for Perfection

Are you interested in presenting at the 2015 Annual Session in Seattle? The Annual Session Planning Committee invites all AAE members to submit a presentation for consideration. Visit www.aae.org/submit2015 for guidelines and submission instructions.

SUBMISSIoN DEADlINE:

MAy 15, 2014


michael Glick, d.m.d. A Skeptic’s Guide to Clinical Practice

Dr. Glick is the editor of the Journal of the american dental association, one of the most influential dental research publica-tions there is. We felt the group would really benefit from hearing his perspective on research practices, particularly regard-ing evidence — how we collect it, how we interpret it, how we apply it to clinical practice — and how those processes are evolving.

martha J. somerman, d.d.s., Ph.d. NIDCR/NIH: Research Advancing Oral Health

As the director of the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research at the National Institutes of Health, Dr. Somerman truly is at the forefront of dental research. With this year’s Annual Session taking place in Washington, D.C., we would be remiss if we didn’t take the opportunity to include her in our program and expose the endodontic community to the research topics and projects that the NIDCR is exploring.

col. robert G. Hale, d.d.s. Present State of Craniofacial Regeneration Concepts

Col. Hale leads the military’s research in craniofacial wounds and regenerative ther-apies, and his knowledge and expertise on those subjects are invaluable. He will pro-vide an in-depth look at the treatments the military has developed and the benefit to patients. There may be similarities between the military’s research and regenerative endodontic research, and hearing about discoveries in tissue regeneration within the context of the whole craniofacial region could spark new ideas.

Kenneth m. Hargreaves, d.d.s., Ph.d. An Overview of Regenerative Endodontics

Dr. Hargreaves is a brilliant speaker and an expert on regenerative endodontics. Although regeneration has been part of the endodontic conversation for the past five or six years, it’s largely been considered an experimental procedure. However, as more endodontists incorpo-rate it into clinical practice, it’s important for everyone to be knowledgeable about current therapies and future trends. This presentation also ties in nicely with Col. Hale’s, helping to provide a complete pic-ture of what’s happening in regeneration.

syngcuk Kim, d.d.s., Ph.d. Endodontic Microsurgery: Integral and Important Part of Endodontic Practice

We learned from the 2013 Fall Conference that there is a huge demand for surgi-cal endodontic education. As a leader in microsurgery and surgical research, Dr. Kim is the perfect person to provide an introduction to the new Surgical Endodontics educational track. His pre-sentation will cover key information on endodontic microsurgery, where it’s going in the future, why it’s important and why we should be integrating more of it into clinical practice.

shane N. White, B.d.sc., m.s., m.a., Ph.d. Saving Teeth: Why This Matters to Patients and Society

To me, this presentation wraps up why we do endodontics, which is why we’re finishing the day with it. Dr. White, an endodontist, researcher and UCLA School of Dentistry professor, will examine the psychological, economic and social benefits of saving teeth. As endodontists we tend to focus on the science, the “nuts and bolts” of root canal treatments, but it’s important to remember how these treatments affect our patients and our community in the broader sense. <

The General Session will take place on Wednesday, April 30, from 12:30 – 5 p.m. in the Potomac Ballroom. For more information about the Annual Session,

visit www.aae.org/annualsession.

Wednesday General Session PreviewDr. David E. Witherspoon, the 2014 Annual Session program chair, provides a sneak peek at the innovative speakers and topics featured in the Wednesday General Session.


Abdulaziz S. AbuMelha Jeffrey M. Adcock Tareq Alali Jason S. Allen Abdullah I. Alqaied Alireza Aminlari Kevin H. Andrus David M. Baker Randy L. Ball Brooke Blicher Daniel J. BoehneEric D. BrownMark A. Byron Derek Chu Arthur L. ColeAllen D. Colic Callee E. Cosby Michael R. CotterTaylor P. Cotton

Jamie M. Day Mark B. Desrosiers Adam J. DilibertoHung K. Do Derek J. Duggan Jeffrey N. Dzingle Jonathan C. Ee Michael B. Elliott Mohammed A. Elseed Hadi H. Faras James R. Farrar Tawana D. Feimster Natasha M. Flake Robert F. Gatti David L. HadleySarah Heward Anita A. Hoelscher Richard K. Howard Haris Iqbal

Christopher J. Joubert Gerald P. Kaban Valerie M. Kanter Steven J. Katz A.L. Christopher KayafasMohamed Kayali Deborah C. Knaup Gregory J. Kolber Harish KoratkarDarin C. Lee Mark A. Limosani Michael P. LoweryJohn R. Lundstrom Joseph LuzzoMatthew MalekChris M. Maltezos Blake W. McRay Aye Min Ross P. Mitchell

Stephen H. Moore Nicklaus A. Morton Royeen Nesari Peter S. Ok David G. Olson Nancy H. Osborne Gardiner M. Packer Jiten B. Patel Loken M. Patel Rekha Pawar Mark T. PhillipsRebecca S. Prescott Reid V. Pullen Richard L. Raymond Mathew J. Royal Kyle J. Saisselin Steven J. Schmoldt Nicholas D. Schulte John W. Shamul

Howard J. Sorensen Joseph D. SpiresScott J. Starley Sheila E. Stover Shalini TewaryBlayne E. Thibodeau Ryan M. TigrettAnita K. Tomkoria Kenny T. Tran Jerald F. TurnerB. Aaron VaughnViraj R. Vora Benjamin J. WilliamsJeffrey WiswallQian Xie Helen S. Youm

Louis I. Grossman Memorial LuncheonSponsored by the College of Diplomates of the ABE

Thursday, May 111:45 a.m. - 1:15 p.m.Cherry Blossom Ballroom

Please join us as we celebrate a true milestone in the history of the ABE, the introduction of our 92 new Diplomates. Family members, ABE Directors, program directors, the AAE Executive Committee

and other Diplomates will gather to honor our newest Diplomates. We offer our congratulations for achieving what is considered a pinnacle of their professional careers.

It’s important to remember that the ADA requires all the recognized specialties to have a certifying board. Becoming a Diplomate of the ABE is not just a significant personal achievement; it strengthens our specialty and allows the specialty of endodontics to continue. Diplomate status is the best professional investment an endodontist can make. The certifying process involves analyzing current literature, applying evidence-based practices and is a lifetime commitment to learning. Our newest Diplomates demonstrate what the ABE stands for with the desire, effort and commitment required to achieve this professional and public recognition. We offer our gratitude and apprecia-tion for their dedication to endodontics.

ABE BoardwalkFriday, May 210:30 a.m. - noonChesapeake 3

As an endodontist, you have already accepted the challenge of a career grounded in advanced science, enhanced patient care and overall excellence. The desire to refine these skills and knowledge is the driving force in pursuing Board certification. The ABE is always ready to welcome new Diplomates who have accepted our challenges and commitment to excellence. New candidates gain a deep understanding of the evolution of the field in their preparation for the Board certification examinations. These future Diplomates gain expertise on both classic and current literature, and this education serves as the bedrock for lifelong contributions to the specialty.

The Boardwalk presentation is given by the ABE Directors. It is intended to provide valuable information regarding the certification process. Attendees will be introduced to the Directors and given a detailed explanation of the examination sequence. They will also receive helpful hints for written examination preparation, the 10-case format for the case history portfolio and the oral examination. The current timelines for progression through the certification process will be detailed, along with recertification guidelines. At the conclusion of the presentation, the ABE Directors will field questions from the attendees regarding endodontic board certification.

For more information about ABE events at this year’s Annual Session, contact Margie Hannen, ABE executive secretary, at [email protected].

New Diplomates


Dr. Cole had actually tried for Board certification once before, more than 20 years ago. He didn’t have a problem with the written or case history examinations, but at the time, he failed the oral exam.

“I was so nervous. I’d never had an oral exam in my life,” he said. “Knowing the examiners, who they are and what they have done, was just so intimidating.”

Last fall, Dr. Cole decided to try again. He said preparing for the oral exam “was like doing the residency all over again,” but he was determined to succeed — and he did. Dr. Cole is among the 92 new Diplomates of the American Board of Endodontics who will be honored at the 2014 Annual Session.

“I had to keep going ‘til I finished,” he said. “I wanted to be able to deliver the best treatment for my patients. I think doing the Board certification process, it brings you up to date and allows you to be capable of providing the best endodontic care that’s possible.”

Dr. Cole has a long commitment to organized dentistry. He’s belonged to the AAE since 1984 and is finishing a three-year term as a representative of his region on the AAE’s Board of Directors. He’s a member of the American Dental Association, the International College of Dentistry, and several other professional organizations. He has served as the secretary/treasurer for his state AAE affiliate (the Tennessee Association of Endodontists) since 1994. He was also a member of the European Association of Military Endodontists when he served overseas.

“My belief is that, if you really care about something, you must take an active role to protect and improve it,” he said. “You need to be there to support the specialty, rather than have politicians or other people decide what is best for endodontics.”

Dr. Cole is a modest and humble man, and he certainly won’t brag about his accomplishments. Yet the story of how he became an endodontist who has lived around the world is an inspiring one.

Fellow Tennessee resident and incoming AAE President-Elect Dr. Terryl Propper calls Dr. Cole “a life study in human potential. He is a self-made man, a quiet man, who has lived his life by setting lofty goals that would only be attainable by a person of Art’s commitment. He has overcome obstacles in his life that many of us will never know.”

Growing up, education wasn’t a priority in Dr. Cole’s large family. His father had a third-grade education and only two of his six brothers graduated from high school. Dr. Cole didn’t make it past eighth grade and joined the Army at age 17.

After serving in Germany during the Berlin Crisis of the early 1960s, Dr. Cole applied for Officer Candidate School, but was denied due to low scores on a military IQ test. Rather than give up, he took GED courses, attempted the IQ test again, and improved his score by more than enough to get into OCS. He served in Vietnam as an Armor Officer and three years in the U.S. Army Special Forces.

While in the Army, Dr. Cole earned an undergraduate degree in biology from

New Mexico State University. He was drawn to dentistry and attended dental school at the University of Missouri- Kansas City.

He served nearly four years in Nuremberg, Germany, as a general dentist for the Army before starting his residency in endodontics at U.S. Army Medical Center Dental Activity at Fort Gordon, Ga.

“I receive a lot of satisfaction from helping people in pain,” he said. “That’s why I chose endodontics.”

He spent his last five years in the military in Fort Campbell, Ky. When he retired after 30 years of service, he and his family decided to stay in the area. Dr. Cole opened his solo practice, Clarksville Endodontics, in Clarksville, Tenn., and has been there ever since.

Dr. Cole has been married to his wife, Pat, for 47 years. They live on a farm where they raise Black Angus cattle for organic beef. His son is a farmer who manages the day-to-day operations, his daughter is his endodontic office manager. The Coles have two grandchildren.

“Art is not a man that seeks recognition or accolades, yet in my eyes, he deserves to be noticed and respected because he has worked methodically and with vigor for everything that he has achieved,” Dr. Propper said.

Dr. Cole, who will be 71 in May, said that he expects to continue practicing “for a while more.” He would encourage young people interested in the field to pursue the career, but he’d also offer another piece of advice: Seek and finish Board certification as soon as possible! <

Why i serve: a Profile of an Endodontic leader in organized dentistry

Arthur l. Cole, D.D.S.Dr. Arthur L. Cole grew up in west Texas in a large family that put little value on education. He didn’t even finish the eighth grade. Yet his strong work ethic and perseverance prevailed — and at the age of 70, despite having a successful and fulfilling endodontic career as a private practitioner and leader in organized dentistry, Dr. Cole went through the demanding process of seeking Board certification. His inspiring story is exemplary of excellence in endodontics.

Teeth for a Lifetime: Interdisciplinary Evidence for Clinical Success

July 19-20, 2014 Swissôtel, Chicago, Illinois

Register Today! www.aae.org/teethforalifetimeEarn up to 10.5 CE CREDITS!

The AAE, AAP and ACP invite you to a multidisciplinary conference focused on saving the natural dentition.

Diamond Level Platinum Level Gold Level

The AAE thanks its 2014 Annual Session sponsors

Silver Level


Student Ambassadors often find that both residents and faculty are unaware of the benefits readily available to them, like the one-time $500 Resident Research Grant offered for every single resident. Though funding is available for a variety of research projects and opportunities, the most important job of the Ambassador is to provide insight into the Foundation’s advocacy for the specialty of endodontics. Foundation stakeholders are currently making a strong effort to engage a new generation of endodontists, and volunteers are acutely aware that residents hold the future of the specialty in their hands. With this in mind, they are working tirelessly to relay the importance of the Foundation to the next generation.

“These school visits represent a coming together of youth and experience to seek a common goal, the improvement of endodontic care for our patients,” said Student Ambassador Dr. Peter Morgan. “Most residents understand this message, even though they may be at the most economically challenged time of their careers.”

Dr. Satish Alapati, a past recipient of the AAE Foundation Endodontic Educator Fellowship and assistant professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago, is a Student Ambassador. Being a beneficiary of the Foundation’s support is advantageous to the delivery of the message. It helps drive the Foundation’s mission home when volunteers like Dr. Alapati are involved in educating others.

“I was very excited and honored to represent the AAE Foundation and to share the culture of philanthropy,” said Dr. Alapati. “Interactions with residents were very receptive; it was an exceptionally great experience. Residents were asking great questions about the Foundation with an eagerness to know more.”

In February, Dr. Alapati the visited the University of Missouri-Kansas City to discuss the Foundation with first- and second-year residents. After his presentation and strong testimonial, each of the first-year residents committed a pledge to the Foundation. All second-year residents had made a pledge the prior year. As an incentive, the Foundation provides a $2,000 grant to each institution that has 100 percent pledge participation among residents.

Speaking directly to residents is important; however, it is also important that the message resonates with endodontic faculty. Three Student Ambassadors, Drs. Louis Rossman, Margot Kusienski and Peter Morgan, made a second annual trip to Boston to visit the three endodontic programs in the area. During their stay, they visited with department faculty members over dinner. Since the educational presentation at the institution is geared toward residents, dinner was the perfect opportunity for fellowship between the schools and an occasion to learn more about the Foundation’s recent milestones. Faculty serve residents at an important juncture in their careers, so it is imperative they have a good understanding of all of the support the Foundation can provide their residents and institutions.

Dr. Morgan notes that the Ambassadors also benefit from the experience as they gain “enhanced understanding of the value of the support given by the Foundation to education and research, and countless personal examples of the value these residents will bring to the world of endodontics.”

If you have questions about the Student Ambassadors program or would like to become involved, please contact Debby Rice at [email protected]. <

student ambassadors Build a solid foundation for residents As the AAE Foundation’s 2013-2014 fundraising campaign took flight in the fall, volunteers vowed to make it a success. One of the most important campaign components is the Foundation’s Student Ambassadors, volunteers who visit endodontic programs to educate residents and faculty about the opportunities provided by the Foundation.

Educators from Boston University, Tufts University and Harvard University gather with Foundation Student Ambassadors in Boston.

Dr. Satish Alapati (third from left) visits with residents at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Each of the residents made a pledge to the Foundation.

MEMBEr nEws

New members

active Michael Do, Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.Chris Pobanz, Kearney, Neb.

associateJiah Choi, New York, N.Y.Jo-ann V. Collantes, Canyon, TexasGianluca Gambarini, Rome, ItalyBabak Goravanchi, Houston, TexasDongbin Nam, Pasadena, Calif.Nicole T. Pham, Fremont, Calif.

internationalAhmed M. Alkahtani, Riyadh,

Saudi ArabiaViresh Chopra, Muscat, OmanEllemieke Hin, Amsterdam,

NetherlandsRicardo G. Macedo, Amsterdam,

NetherlandsBriseida Rojas, Tlaxcala, MexicoNayef M. Younis, Amman, Jordan


UPcoMing ProfEssionAl MEEtings

June 12 – 14french society of Endodontics international congresswww.endodontie.frNice, France

June 17 – 1936th asia Pacific dental congresswww.apdentalcongress.orgDubai, United Arab Emirates

June 19 – 2118th World congress on dental traumatologywww.iadt-dentaltrauma.orgIstanbul, Turkey

october 9 – 14ada annual sessionwww.ada.org/sessionSan Antonio, Texas

Propper and maranga Honored as Exemplary Women in dentistry

Terryl A. Propper, D.D.S., M.S., and Maria C. Maranga, D.D.S., were named recipients of the Lucy Hobbs Awards. The awards, named for the woman who became the first American female to earn a degree in dentistry in 1866, recognize industry professionals who are leading the charge for women in dentistry.

Dr. Propper, honored with the Woman to Watch Award, is the senior partner of a seven-doctor, two-location endodontic practice in Brentwood, Tenn. She serves as the incoming president-elect of the AAE on its Board of Directors.

Dr. Maranga, honored with the Mentorship Award, is a practicing endodontist in Aquebogue, N.Y., and serves on the faculty at Stony Brook University School of Dental Medicine. She will be joining the AAE Board for a three-year term starting this April as director for District II.

Drs. Propper and Marranga will accept their awards at the Lucy Hobbs Project Annual Celebration Honoring Exemplary Women in the Dental Community, to be held on June 6 at the Omni Championsgate in Orlando, Fla. The Lucy Hobbs Project is sponsored by Benco Dental. <

Terryl A. Propper

Maria C. Maranga

Joyce ledgerwood ingle deceased at age 95Surrounded by family, Joyce ledgerwood Ingle died quietly on March 8, 2014. She would have been 96 years old in June. She is survived by her husband, AAE Past President Dr. John I. Ingle; her children, Geoffrey, Leslie and Schuyler; her grand-children, Jessie, Travis, Farrell, Michael and John; her great-grandsons, Xander and Lennon; and her niece, Barbara Johnston. Her ashes will be buried in Colville, Wash., near the graves of her parents, grandparents and great-grandparents.

visit the aaE member center at annual session

Member Benefits in one Convenient location!

• Previews of three state-of-the-art patient education videos — free to AAE members!

• Pre-sale of discounted annual subscriptions to the Live Learning Center

• Updates to member contact information and communication preferences via myAAE

• Free copies of AAE publications, guidelines and position statements

• Ways to support the AAE Foundation

• Advice on Board certification

Booth #500 in the Exhibit Hall

american association of endodontists volume 7 april 2014...communiqué / april 2014 / 3 i was born...

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