Impressions of PDM 2017 Continued
CE of the day,“ Dental Trends Driving a Paradigm Shift,” presented by Kamyar Nasseh, PhD. Dr. Nasseh is from the ADA Health Policy Institute, and if you have ever read any of the JADA articles from the institute or heard the vice president of the institute, Dr. Marko Vujicic, speak, you know what to expect. This lecture was no different and provided the most current information on the“ dental economy,” including earnings, busyness, dental care utilization, supply and distribution of dentists nationwide and in the commonwealth of PA.
If you have any interest in this topic I would urge you to visit the HPI at ada. org / hpi
I also had the opportunity to scout the other courses that were going on;“ The Problem is US: The Undeniable Truth about the Drug Epidemic in the 21st Century,” presented by former DEA agent Bob Stutman and Judge Jodi Switalski, as well as the clinic course“ Oral Cancer: Screenings and Current Management Strategies,” presented by the panel of Steven B. Cannady, MD, Bert W. O’ Malley, Jr, MD, Rabie M. Shanti, DMD, MD and Thomas P. Sollecito, DMD. Both of these lectures were very well attended, well presented and had very current topics of interest. I noted that seven of the LECOM dental students who had made the trip from Erie were in attendance at these lectures.
The PDA past presidents’ lunch was up next. This was my first as a PP and I was looking forward to it since I was narrowly voted into this esteemed body two years ago. It is such an honor to sit and break bread with the folks who have traveled the same road that you have as PDA president. This is another one of the really special reasons to make the trip to Hershey every year.
The formal part of the agenda concluded with the PDA Business Meeting that included a legislative update from our lobbyists Mark Singel and Peg Callahan, the Bell / PDAIS shareholders meeting and an address from our new president, Dr. Bruce Terry. There was also some lively discussion from some of the members in attendance on various PDA issues.
After the business meeting concluded, it was off to the PDA Board Alumni Reception. This was the first time I had attended one of these and enjoyed the opportunity to talk with the BOT alums and rehash some of the“ good old days.” You sometimes forget how many of our members have volunteered for service on the BOT over the years. It is definitely a distinguished group of dentists.
In previous years at the PDM, the late afternoon would be about the time Mary and I would be donning our formal wear for the President’ s Dinner Dance, but this year the Annual Meeting Committee changed course and planned“ A Night at the Museum: The Hershey Story” at the Hershey Story Museum. This was an interesting change of pace. I had never been there before so it was really interesting to wander the exhibits in the museum after dinner and see the unique history of Milton Hershey and his story. We even got to make our own chocolate truffle dessert in the candy lab.
After wrapping up a very busy Saturday, Mary and I were off to bed and ready to make our 300 + mile venture back to Erie the next morning. Driving down the driveway with the hotel towers in our rearview mirror, we knew the year would pass quickly and we would be back again.
Pennsylvania’ s Dental Meeting has so many different moving parts – from the exhibit hall to the wide variety of CE topics and quality speakers, to the ADA leaders update and business meeting – but the social events are one of the true joys of making the journey every year. The formal social events are great, but then there are the later evenings in the Iberian Lounge sitting with a table of diverse colleagues and their significant others sharing conversation and a libation that show what the fellowship of dentistry and membership in the PDA is all about.
Next year will mark the 150 th anniversary and PDM 150. This will truly be a celebration of our dental association and I would encourage you all to block off April 27-28, 2018 in your calendars and plan to be at the Hotel Hershey to be a part of something special!
16 JULY / AUGUST 2017 | PENNSYLVANIA DENTAL JOURNAL