Impressions
The Journey of a New Year by Dr . Stephen T . Radack III , Editor
Happy New Year and welcome to 2023 ! As every new year arrives , it always gives us time to place the previous year in the rearview mirror and look forward to what lies ahead . Like most of us , I usually start out with a few resolutions ( lose weight , be nicer , exercise more ) and a hope that the new year will bring lots of good and be a better one than the past . Unfortunately , that feeling only lasted four days into this year when I found out a friend and colleague had passed away .
This was just not any colleague , but someone who has been a shining star in organized dentistry both at the PDA and ADA for many years and was now back serving his district on the PDA Board of Trustees . It was sad to hear this news and it reminded me of a similar loss back in 2019 shortly after that new year had begun . Then it was one of my mentors and one of the nicest guys you could ever meet . He had called me only a month before and left me a voicemail complimenting me on the job I had been doing as editor of this journal , and how much he looked forward to reading these editorials every month . In both cases these losses were unexpected to me , and very sad . Both were great people . Both were going through something not many really knew about . Two people that loved their bow ties ! They are missed by many !
On the completely opposite end of the spectrum , Mary and I are looking forward to the birth of another grandchild at the end of January . This renewal of life gives us both pure joy and hope . Hope sparked by the wonder of what this new child will be like . Will he or she be like their brothers or their parents , or some independent spirit who will blaze their own way ? What kind of world will they grow up in ? This child will already have a “ leg up ” on their 2 1 / 2 year-old brother who was born on the Fourth of July in the middle of a global pandemic . Of course he has no clue the time he was born into and seems fine . He is only worried about where his next piece of candy is ( like his Grampy was ) and what YouTube video will be next on his iPad .
This new life also reminds me of the need to be connected to our family and friends . You never know what people are going through . SO many of us play things close to the vest and rarely show more than our smile . Our PDJ issue last year on mental health should be a primer for all of us on how important making our mental health a premium is , but also the importance of paying close attention to those around us . I believe it is better to ask how folks are doing rather than shying away and just blowing it off if you sense something . I will always remember one of my older colleagues comparing us to clowns some days at the office . We put on our big smiles and “ act ” happy to be here even when some days it is the last place we might want to be .
As the new year progresses there will be much for us to look forward to , whether it is a wedding , a birth of a child , a graduation , maybe opening a new practice or starting a new job . Maybe finishing a career or just celebrating another birthday . That alone is a milestone to me !
We also have a couple of great opportunities as a PDA community to come together . By the time you read this issue , the registration should be open for Pennsylvania ’ s Dental Meeting . This year the meeting will be April 28-29 at the Normandy Farm Hotel and Conference Center in Blue Bell . Dr . Seth Walbridge and the annual meeting steering committee have been working on many new surprises for this meeting and it should be a wonderful opportunity to come together !
On June 15-17 will be the first ever PDA Family Vacation Dental Conference . Our president-elect Dr . Rich Grossman has been wanting to do a family event in a resort type environment for many years . This inaugural event will be held at the Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay Golf Resort , Spa and Marina in Cambridge , Maryland . This is a meeting to “ bring the family and reserve time for fun , relaxation and CE credits ” in a wonderful waterfront setting . Look for more information and registration information soon and make this event a family affair .
As this new year moves along , there will also be opportunities to volunteer your time and talents at the MOM-n-PA dental mission in Allentown on June 2-3 and at the Mission of Mercy
JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2023 | PENNSYLVANIA DENTAL JOURNAL 5