AOS MEMBERSHIP NEWS Identify With Our Cause “Absolute identity with one’s cause is the first and great condition of leadership” – Woodrow Wilson President Woodrow Wilson’s words resonate to me as I think about my seven years of board leadership, first as a director, then officer, and now President. Had I not identified with the passion of the organiza-tion and depended on the skills taught to me by superb AOS teachers and mentors, I could never have accepted a leadership position. From my first election until this day, I have believed the AOS core values of quality education, life-long mentoring, and commit-ted advocacy were the causes that have drawn me to this group of professionals. It was my absolute iden-tity to our causes that was my first and great condi-tion of leadership. Throughout my year as President, my colleagues on the board and our staff in Dallas have been in lock-step on the values that hold the American Orthodontic Society special. This past year, Medicaid orthodontics in Texas came under extraordinary fire. The reaction from Texas Health and Human Services was to eliminate general dentists from the Medicaid Ortho program. Clearly, this discriminatory action could impact national thought on the role of the GP in other areas of dentistry besides orthodontics. Mitch Parker, DDS The AOS leadership, working AOS President with the Texas AGD, urged Health and Human Services and the newly established managed care network to use the GP as a valuable resource in building a viable network in the state. They listened to us and changes were made. A GPs right to accept Medicaid is far more important than whether they choose to accept Medicaid. AOS was a strong and effective advocate. This is an example of the strong action that makes me proud to have served you as president. In leaving this office, I want to thank my wonder-ful wife, Pat, who is my rock and strongest supporter, as well as all my colleagues on the AOS board who serve our membership because they “absolutely iden-tify with our cause”. Good luck and Godspeed. Mitch Parker, DDS The Foundation Works for the Community The American Orthodontic Soci-ety Foundation was founded in 1995 as a way to give back to both the dental community and the communities in which we live. By relative standards, it is a new orga-nization, yet it has provided enor-mous benefit...$70,000 in academic scholarships has been awarded at three different universities to deserving dental students, making it easier for them to survive the high cost of their education. Over 2,000 doctors and staff have attended the Dr. William E. Wyatt, Sr. Distinguished Lecture Series, funded once a year by the Foundation. Lastly, and more personally, the Foundation has helped change lives for many young folks in need of assistance. In this journal is an article by Dr. Len Carapezza entitled, “Smile Building: A Case Report of Ectoder-mal Dyspalsia Complicated by NEMO”. I encourage you to read congenitally missing, mal-shaped, mal-formed, ectopic primary and permanent dentition with an accompanying problem of loss of vertical dimension. His self-consciousness ultimately affected his school performance and inter-personal relationships. With the skilled work of Dr. Carapezza and the assistance of the AOS Foundation, there was a life-changing experience that allowed a young boy who had previous courageous medical experiences to smile with joy and self-confidence. This is what your Foundation can do in the lives of so many through the generosity of our membership. If you have further questions or would like to contribute to our work, please call Tom Chapman at (800) 448-1601 or email him at tchapman@orthodontics.com. about this Foundation-sponsored case. A 12-year-old patient of Dr. Carapezza came to him with a handicapping smile as a result of www.orthodontics.com September/October 2012 45
Journal of the American Orthodontic Society September-October 2012: Page 45
