PDM Welcome Reception 2022 ( left to right ) – Dr . Gary Wegman , Dr . Bernie Dishler , ADA Executive Director Dr . Raymond Cohlmia , Dr . Rosenthal , ADA President-Elect Dr . George Shepley .
Many PDA members already participate in events like MOM-n-PA , Mission of Mercy Pittsburgh , and Dental Lifeline but we could also use more ! To those who haven ’ t volunteered yet , I would just say that , from my experience , interacting with the various patients who come and also the fellow volunteers is very rewarding .
In addition to that , I am on the board of MOM-n-PA , which for those who don ’ t know , is a nonprofit organization that organizes an annual two-day free dental clinic for underserved Pennsylvanians . We usually have thousands of people show up and we try to serve as many as possible – many of whom are the neediest and from working families who do not otherwise have access to dental insurance .
PDJ : When you talk with colleagues – what are you telling them about why it is important to join PDA -- and for those who are already members – how do you think you can get them more active in organized dentistry ?
DR . ROSENTHAL : When I talk with my colleagues , what I emphasize is that we advocate for you . I also provide people a framework of how an organization like ours can be impactful by using recent examples . For example , I use a recent example and mention how the PDA responded to the COVID-19 pandemic . We established open networks with the CDC and state government and provided the deans from our dental schools a platform for important communications . I would also say the most effective action we took was establishing a toolbox for dental practices reopening their offices to ensure their compliance with standards in place .
PDJ : What have you learned about yourself during these early weeks of your presidential term ?
DR . ROSENTHAL : You really never know what ’ s going to come around the corner in a role like this , but with the right support from staff you can tackle anything that comes your way . Whether it be a real estate negotiation or a potential charitable donation , many of these items can be fairly high stakes and it ’ s important that we are all on the same page .
Right after I was sworn in , there was an emergency funding request for a dental team going to Poland to service Ukrainian refugees . Time was of the essence , but the entire Board of Trustees met , collaborated , voted , and got it done . What we did together was the means , the refugees who received care were the ends .
I ’ m convinced that as a team , working in unison , we can reach new heights for the PDA and the larger society .
I guess what I have learned about myself thus far can be summed up by a question I was asked recently . Some asked , “ if you were a Disney character which one would it be ?” Believe it or not , a humorous question can lead to real reflection about leadership . My answer : Mary Poppins . She is collaborative in her decisionmaking , accepts a challenge and finds a resolution to it , always tries to have fun , and knows when it is time to move on !
Dr . Rosenthal , Dr . Gary Davis and Dr . Bruce Terry at the 2018 MOM-n-PA dental mission .
JULY / AUGUST 2022 | PENNSYLVANIA DENTAL JOURNAL 19