Letter from the President
On behalf of the Board and the Office of the Executive Director, I wish all our members a Happy New Year and the promise of an exciting and prosperous 2010. I expect the coming year to be busy, with a calendar full of opportunity and change at all levels of organized dentistry. It is both an honor and a pleasure to serve as your President. The Fourth District is one of the smallest components of the New York State Dental Association. Our size, however, is not indicative of our contribution at the state and national levels of dentistry. We are respected and admired throughout New York for our commitment and dedication to our members. This is reflected in our membership numbers. We have the highest percentage of dentists as members of the tripartite system (ADA, NYSDA, 4th DDS) and we have the highest retention levels in all of New York. I believe this is due in large measure to the people that represent you and their dedication to working, not only for you, but for the betterment of the public. I am convinced that this is our primary purpose and that these two objectives can only enhance and strengthen our profession both as individual dentists and collectively as an organization. I have served on the Board for more than 10 years and can proudly state that this has always been our mission. We invite you to participate in this growth and change by becoming an active member in the planning and development of the future of dentistry. Please feel free to contact any of us either directly or through your branch representative.
SARATOGA DENTAL CONGRESS
The Saratoga Dental Congress is the centerpiece on our busy table of events in 2010. As always, this meeting combines continuing education, a membership business meeting, and a friendly, collegial atmosphere that truly distinguishes us from the ordinary constituent meeting. The SDC is slated for Thursday and Friday April 29-30. Every year we strive to bring nationally recognized speakers to our district along with most of the major dental vendors. This is an opportunity for you and your staff to get quality continuing education and exposure to new products through our vendors without the expense and inconvenience of travel to major cities out of the district. Just as important, is the opportunity to meet and renew contacts with your colleagues in a friendly social environment. Please look for the flyers and brochures in the mail and I encourage you to visit our website for more information and the schedule of speakers and events.
RISKY GOLF
Our renewal of Risk Management is due this year. This course is presented every three years and participants receive four CE hours and a 10% discount on their professional liability insurance. It is always a lively presentation and this year will again be presented by our own Dr. Fred Wetzel with assistance and advice from John Vandenburgh, Esq. This course is also available online, but, it is much more interesting and educational in a live setting, with what-if scenarios and the opportunity to speak directly with those most in tune to the legal trends in dental risk management. Additionally, we are building on the very popular golf tournament we sponsored for the 2009 NYSDA meeting by organizing another tournament, which will start after the Risk Management seminar. This “Risky Golf” Day is scheduled for Friday May 21st at the beautiful Hiland Golf Club in Queensbury, with the seminar beginning around 8:30 am and golf starting around 1:00 pm. These two events are offered separately. We encourage all dentists in the Third and Fourth District to attend Risk Management, while the golf tournament is open to anyone (friends, staff, regular golf partners, etc). For a very reasonable cost you can get four hours of CE, 10% off your liability insurance for three years, breakfast, lunch, 18 holes of golf with a cart, fun prizes and a light dinner at the end the day. More information will be forthcoming via mail and e-mail. Please save the date!
FALL MEETING AT WEST POINT
Our annual fall meeting will be held September 24-26 at the Thayer Hotel in Highland Falls, immediately adjacent to Thayer Gate of the United States Military Academy at West Point. This beautiful, historic hotel sits high above the Hudson River with panoramic views and convenient access to West Point. Tentatively planned are a guided tour of USMA, the West Point Museum, Hudson River boat tour, shopping at Woodbury Common (a short 15 minute drive), and golf on the Robert Trent Jones West Point Golf Course. Please join us for a fun, relaxing weekend at historic West Point.
OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Dr. Kirk Gleason will be stepping down as our Executive Director at the end of this year. Soon, we will be examining the structure of the operation of our administrative offices and whether we want to change how the day to day business of the Fourth District is managed. We will likely be forming an ad hoc committee to develop, oversee, and implement any changes. If you are interested in participating in this process, please let me know. Membership input is vital to determining the future of the Fourth District.
NYSDA GOVERNANCE AND REPRESENTATION
This year will mark the beginning of the new governmental makeup of NYSDA. It is patterned more after the ADA structure and will involve more representation from our district. We need additional delegates and the selection process will begin soon. If you are interested in representing the Fourth District, please contact Dr. Jim Condry or let me or any board member know. These positions are open to any member, but some experience at the board level, past or present, is preferred.
OPEN FOURTH DISTRICT BOARD POSITIONS
There are currently two open positions on our Board of Directors. The offices of Secretary and Vice-President are vacant and we are anxious to fill these positions. Again, please contact Dr. Jim Condry, Nominations Committee chair, if you are interested. It is a rewarding experience to serve your fellow dentists and meet and work with many other colleagues outside of our everyday clinical settings.
I look forward to an exciting year in the Fourth District. We have much to accomplish and I welcome the challenge and your input. Together, the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee are committed to continuing our high level of service to our members and the public. We continue to be financially strong and are poised to guide the district through the new year. We encourage your active participation and involvement, and I hope to meet you at any or all of our sponsored events.
David C. Parsons D.M.D.
