ACD NEWS FALL/WINTER 2021
vol. 50 | no.3
American College of Dentists
The American College of Dentists Welcomes Fellows from the First Convocation of Our Second Century
A
fter the devastation and deprivations of 2020, we entered 2021 with the hope that we had seen the worst of the pandemic. The likelihood of the deployment of effective vaccines hinted at a return to pre-pandemic life and the real possibility of connecting in person once again. This was a time of real but cautious optimism. For a while in the Spring of 2021, everything seemed possible, at least until the Delta variant emerged and the number of cases of coronavirus began to rise once again. This was followed be a sadly predictable increase in the mortality rate, necessitating a wave of cancellations and the reengagement of proven public health protocols. The ground was shifting and we knew it. We fully understood the enormity of what was transpiring and set our plan
In this Issue President’s Forum
2
Executive Director’s Corner
3-4
2021: A Year to Remember
5
Board Meeting Highlights
6-7
Continuing Education Conference
8-9
Volunteers in Action
10
ACDF Turns Fifty
11
Regent’s Reflection
12-13
News of Fellows News of Sections
14 15-16
News from the Office
17
Student Professionalism and Ethics Association Update
18
Update from the American Society for Dental Ethics
19
in motion to deliver a world-class virtual event. Of course, there would be continuing education and workshops centered on our mission to advance excellence, ethics, professionalism, and leadership. There would be a Convocation Ceremony with a meaningful address by an inspiring speaker, and Regency Breakout Sessions to give our Regents time with their local Fellows. To deliver the content on time we had to begin production in August. Finally, delivering this content on the SmileCon platform took
synchronized coordination among the staff principals, who did not disappoint. Despite all that we have been through, we rallied to welcome our Fellows, especially the inaugural Fellows of our second century. They are in a league of their own and have made resiliency an art form. Recently, we reached out to some of our Fellows for comment and perhaps a photograph to commemorate their individual experiences. We look forward to reconnecting in person in the Lone Star State at the 2022 Annual Meeting and Convocation.