The Florida Key - District 17 Summer 2021 Newsletter

THE FLORIDA KEY DISTRICT 17 SUMMER 2021

UPCOMING EVENTS ICD USA Section Virtual Convocation Check the website for details! www.usa-icd.org

ICD/ACD/PFA FELLOWS AT FDC On June 25, ICD District 17 had its Annual Breakfast Meeting in conjunction with the Florida Dental Convention at the Gaylord Palms in Orlando. The Fellowship was shared by the American College of Dentists, the Pierre Fauchard Academy and dignitaries from the American Dental Association. A special guest, Carnac the Magnificent aka Dr. Paul Miller, ICD Treasurer, engaged the crowd by prophesying the future of the ICD and its Fellows.

ICD RECEPTION FOLLOWS MISSION OF MERCY On July 30, Florida ICD Fellows joined Florida Dentists, Hygienists and dozens of volunteers to work the FDA Foundations’ premiere program for the underserved-the Mission of Mercy. Nearly 1200 citizens of Florida received over $1.6 million in dental treatment. The Dental Clinic was seeing patients from 5 am to 5 pm over two full days. Friday night after treatment there was an ICD reception for all of the volunteers. The Florida Fellows put away 16 pizzas and 300 wings in Fellowship. Well done gang!

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MISSIONS IN LIFE By: Dr. Hugh T. Wunderlich, Editor

If you have never been part of a mission trip in a third world country, then you might assume the reason for going is to benefit the underserved. However, that is the smallest part of it. I go for selfish reasons.

Ask anyone that has made a trip. There are many pleasures in life, but nothing compares to the gift of a simple smile given in gratitude. Nothing compares to that.

There are many barriers to dental care, mostly tied to poor economies, hostile environments and greedy governments. But rarely is the obvious difference in language a real barrier. On a recent trip to a Spanish-speaking area, I was trying to relate to the mother of a 7-year-old child through my limited Spanish (I am illiterate in at least four languages). I was telling her of an embarrassing time I had when using the word “muerte” instead of “muerde.” Apparently “you are going to die” and “bite down,” although sounding very much alike in Spanish, have quite different meanings. So, of course I told this mother that I was “embarazada” by my previous blunders. This confirmed to her my language shortcomings and suggested some physical impossibilities. Apparently, I told her I was pregnant!

Where is a Rosetta stone when you need one? I do not speak on mission trips anymore. My co-workers only give me a pad and pencil to play a sort of international Pictionary during my pre-operative discussions.

My first mission trip was to Haiti in 1982.

At that time, as it is now, Haiti was the poorest country in the northern hemisphere. For a country that was the jewel of the Antilles in the 1700s, today’s population of 8.5 million manages an annual per capita income of the equivalent of only $40 in the United States. Although our dental equipment and services were limited in scope, hundreds of Haitians lined up for treatment in our “open-air” operatories. Over an eight-day period we treated more than 2,000 gracious patients. It was the best eight-day “vacation” I ever had. For many of our patients this was the first painfree existence they could ever remember. Yet I was the one that was given the greater gift.

It is impossible to go on such a trip and feel the same way about your monetary possessions you once felt were so important. We take so much for granted living in the United States. I recommend the experience to everyone, dentist or layperson. Contact the ICD or see http://www.icd.org/internationalvolunteerism/ for more help. There is no reason to be “embarazada” just bone up on your Pictionary.

(Pictured above is l-r; Dr. Rodrigo Romano, Peyton Cochran, Dr. Paul Miller and Alexandra Abboud) 2

STUDENT HUMANITARIAN AND LEADERSHIP AWARDS Each year the ICD USA Section grants a Student Leadership and Humanitarian Award to students from each dental school. The recipients will receive an ICD USA Section plaque and the Florida Section provides a $500 award.

Nova Southeastern University: Humanitarian - Nagabis Gonzalez; Leadership - Richard Escobar UF College of Dentistry: Humanitarian - Dhara D. Patel; Leadership - Blake A. Crosby LECOM: Humanitarian - Brittany Atlas; Leadership - William Austin Askey

ICD DISTRICT 17 LEADERSHIP Regent: Dr. Rodrigo Romano, 7701 SW 62 Avenue, Suite A-1, Miami, FL 33143; (305) 403-3682; Fax: (305) 403-4222; C: (305) 781-0410; drromano@romanoperio.com Editor: Dr. Hugh T. Wunderlich, 6100 Seaside Drive, New Port Richey, FL 34652; (727) 534-5381; htwdds@gmail.com Treasurer: Dr. Paul R. Miller, 5045 Westshore Drive, New Port Richey, FL 34652; (727) 842-1915; molar01@msn.com Deputy Regent (North): Dr. Jeffrey C. Ottley, 5908 Berryhill Road, Milton, FL 32570-8294; (850) 623-0137; C: (850) 293-8302; dmdottley@yahoo.com Deputy Regent (Central): Dr. M. Reza Iranmanesh, 2814 W. Waters Avenue, Tampa, FL 33614; (813) 933-6705; iranmaneshdmd@gmail.com Deputy Regent (South): Dr. Jason E. Portnof, Surgical Arts of Boca Raton, 9980 North Central Park Boulevard, #113, Boca Raton, FL 33428; (561) 717-3660; C: (954) 952-4153; jeportnof@gmail.com

Dr. Wunderlich is editor of the Florida Section of the ICD. Please send District 17 articles and news to the ICD/ Florida Key Editorial committee (htwdds@gmail.com).

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