Awa rds & A chievement s
Dr. Andrew Kwasny Receives 2017 PDA Distinguished Service Award
The recipients of PDA’s 2017 Annual Awards received their
honors in April at the Board of Trustees Retirement Dinner at the
Omni Bedford Springs Resort in Bedford, and were recognized
during the Business Meeting held April 22, 2017 at Pennsylvania’s
Dental Meeting. Dr. Andrew J. Kwasny, a former PDA president
who served as ADA Trustee representing the Third District from
2014-2017, received the Distinguished Service Award.
I need to share this award with all of you here tonight because
we have worked together to promote our profession and
enable our members to practice the way that best serves our
patients. Dentistry has been recognized for the last two years as
the best occupation not only in health care, but overall.
It is through the hard work of so many of our state leaders that
have given up their time away from their family and their
practice to make this happen. Next year, PDA will celebrate its
150 th anniversary, and this award is shared with all those
volunteers that have worked so hard over those years to help
our profession.
I would also like to thank the Annual Awards Committee for
choosing me from a list of nominees from many of our districts
that also deserve this honor. I would like to ask Ninth District
trustee Dr. Sam Mansour to let everyone from our Ninth District
know how appreciative I am for nominating me to be able to
be considered for this award.
There are also those that do not receive the credit that they
deserve for being with me throughout my career. I would like to
thank the staff and Camille for being the finest of any state
dental association.
Dr. Kwasny received the 2017 Distinguished Service Award from
outgoing president Dr. Herb Ray. The Annual Awards Committee
selected Dr. Kwasny for his dedication to the profession and
years of selfless service to his colleagues on the local, state and
national level. A few of his many service roles have included
ADA trustee, PDA president and president of the Erie County
Dental Association and the Ninth District Dental Society.
Dr. Kwasny is passionate about the future of dentistry and invests
many hours mentoring new dentists and students to build a
stronger dental community.
Dr. Kwasny’s acceptance speech:
Thank you all very much.
Whenever you receive awards of this magnitude, you cannot
help but look back on your career in organized dentistry. When
I became the Secretary-Treasurer of the Erie County Dental
Association over 30 years ago, I never would have believed that
one day I would receive the highest award that my state dental
association has to offer.
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JA NUA RY/F E B R UA RY 2018 | P EN N S YLVA N IA D EN TA L J O U R N A L
I would also like to thank my wife Sharon for never questioning
my decisions to pursue the various leadership positions that I
have achieved and always being there for me with her love and
guidance to help me through the good times and the challenges.
I have enjoyed every moment of my journey. While my future is
unclear at this point, I will never forget the many trips to
Harrisburg and the many friends that I have made in every city
and town of our state.
Pennsylvania’s dentists have wonderful values and strong
opinions. I will promise to take those with me to whatever the
future holds. Thanks everyone, for always supporting me and
sharing this award.
I will cherish it the rest of my life.
Thank you.