Thanks For The Memories
— BRT
I guess this is goodbye. After eight years as your editor I must finally write my closing editorial. But, before I make any closing remarks I must tell you a story.
Many of you know that I grew up in dental journals. I started in 1994 as associate editor of the Montgomery Bucks Dental Journal. At the time I still remembered being told by my high school English teacher to never write anything for anyone for any reason. Thus the reason I pursued a career in health care. Little did I know the direction my life would take. Shortly after the birth of my daughter, Caroline, I began my career as a dental editor. I must admit, it was fun. I really never knew what to write. Sometimes I would make notes and keep ideas close. When it was time to write I would expand on my one or two sentence note. Sometimes, I would turn an idea around for a week or more before writing. Most times, however, I would simply sit down at the computer as I am doing now and the words would just flow out as if some higher power had channeled his / her thoughts through me.
As each editorial went to print, I was always excited to hear what everyone thought. I found it therapeutic to capture my feelings as a husband, father and dentist on paper for everyone to read. Often I would connect with someone who would either write, call or just stop me at a meeting to tell me that they agreed with what I had written. Not as often, but it did happen, someone would disagree with my liberal leaning ideas.
Over the years many of you have asked where my ideas come from and I would answer,“ It’ s all around us.” It’ s the first steps your children take or the first tooth they lose. It’ s the patient who loved you or hated you. It’ s the crazy things that dentists do all over the country that get them into the news. It’ s the regulations from the state or federal level. It’ s the
insurance companies. It’ s the dental schools, dental students, loan debt and more.
As the years went by I would write about my life and its relevance to dentistry. My editorials might have sprung from a dinner out and a conversation about a political dental topic, or might have been inspired by when my daughter lost her first tooth. On the night my son was born I was writing a timeline and compiling the 75 th anniversary issue of the MBDS Journal, marking another moment when my life and my job as editor intersected. But the years would go by, and as I became editor of the PDJ my editorials had to become, um, more editorial. I began to write more about the issues and less about the family. Somehow, I would still find a way to bring in my other life as husband, father, Boy Scout leader, MOM-n-PA junkie, adventurer or any of the other hats I wear outside of PDA. Along the way I would be recognized with occasional reprints in the ADA News or journalism awards. Take that Mrs. Segal( my high school English teacher)!
Participating in organized dentistry at the local and state level gave me an awareness of the issues facing all dentists. The more I wrote about the issues the more passionate I became as an advocate for dentists. As governance changed within PDA I was there to watch. As a non-voting member of the PDA Board of Trustees for nearly 10 years I gained a great deal of knowledge and respect for the people and the process as each president moved through and new board members came and went.
The time finally came when I saw the opportunity to make my mark with more than just words, but with actions. As your president-elect, it’ s my hope to carry us forward as a more member-oriented PDA. Looking out for the member, doing more for the member, showing value to the member. That’ s not just the message, it’ s the direction we must head.
What’ s bittersweet is that with this new job title I have to relinquish what I have loved to do for so many years. I have given over this responsibility to Drs. Steve Radack and Gulia Omene and I know that they will carry the proud legacy of this Journal forward. Of course, none of this would be possible without the enormous efforts of Rob Pugliese, Director of Communications for the PDA, and our graphic designer, Gregg Sheibley. These two individuals are the real heroes and deserve more than just praise. They are behind everything that is great about our Journal. They are instrumental in the design and delivery of this publication and have maintained the highest level of quality since long before I was around. The changes that continue to make our Journal look fresh and cutting edge, both with content and graphics, are all a direct result of their efforts and I for one can’ t thank them enough.
My wife, Susan, has also been an enormous help throughout my entire writing career. She has been the springboard of ideas and the editor’ s editor. I could not have done this without her.
Some of you have told me that you will miss my rants and raves. I must confess that I will miss ranting and raving and I hope that the new editors will allow me the opportunity to contribute from time to time.
It’ s been a fantastic run for me and I can’ t thank everyone enough for the opportunity. As I write this final editorial it’ s important to me to note that my daughter, the same one born just before my first local editorial, is entering dental school in August, thus marking another intersection of my life and times as editor.
Thanks for the memories.
— BRT
4 JULY / AUG 2016 | PENNSYLVANIA DENTAL JOURNAL