Dr. Trice enjoying himself at the 2004 Annual session with Dr. Jay Eshleman (left) and former Journal editor Dr. Rich Galeone (center).
Bill spent many years in dental education as well as his
private practice. An expert in electrosurgery, he was on
the faculty as a visiting lecturer at his beloved Pitt as well
as Alabama, Connecticut, Detroit, Emory, Loyola, LSU,
Maryland and West Virginia University. He noted that he
also had the opportunity to travel the world to lecture.
Bill was the coordinator of continuing education for the
University of Pittsburgh’s programs in Erie for many years.
He served in the Department of Dentistry at Hamot
Medical Center for over 30 years.
procedure back in Hawaii. Bill made it a point to tell me
that so many years later that man joined the Trices for
Bill’s presidential party at the conclusion of his term as
PDA president. That had to be something special.
Asked if there was anything he would do differently,
he told me he would do it exactly the same. He said
he feels like he has been the luckiest guy.
I was interested to know what changes he had seen
in his over 60 years practicing dentistry. He immediately
said it was a change in the image of a dentist. He believes
that the profession has moved further than any other
from a trade to a healer. We are now part of the “medical
puzzle” and there has been a change in perception of the
dentist and dentistry integrating with the health care
team. As these changes occurred he noted that there was
a change in how his medical colleagues treated a dentist.
His advice to young dentist colleagues is to join the
ADA. He would encourage them to stay close to dental
leaders and to ‘pick their brains.” They have a wealth of
knowledge. Your ADA is your only “lifeline in a storm,”
and he urges us all to give it our full support. He said that
no “man is an island” and he has been privileged to stand
with the members of the ECDA, Ninth District, PDA and
ADA. He only hopes that every young dentist could
have the wonderful mentors he has had during his career,
noting Drs. Harry Archer, Leonard Monhiem, Harold
Hillenbrand, Arthur Dugoni and of course that naval
dental officer who invited him to see that first dental
Saying the Pledge of Allegiance at the 2010 Annual Session.
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