GDA Action September 2019

September 2019 • 7 SUMMER OF CELEBRATION As I submit my final editorial, I wish to share one thought by John Ruskin, “The highest reward for man’s toil is not what he gets for it but what he becomes by it.” DR. KUMAR PATEL GDA Editor Phone 770.429.1545 drkay71@gmail.com It’s September, and the kids are back in school, patients want to start scheduling dental visits now that travel is over and done, and staff has some more energy now that they had a few days off and time with family. We can relate to this after summer break. This year was very special. Every summer, GDA family come together at Amelia Island and enjoy a few days filled with family fun, relaxation, fellowship, food, and a party. Somewhere in this busy agenda we manage to fit in quality CE in a casual environment and our business meetings. This year was no different. In fact, it was a “blockbuster.” We had the highest annual convention attendance in the history of GDA. The exhibit hall was a sell-out, and more than 38 hours of CE were offered, including a concurrent symposium on the new frontier of digital dentistry. For the last few years, our efforts have been to increase attendance and participation. The committee and staff went beyond expectations to act on feedback from previous events and made changes to meet expectations. The results are obvious. Our annual convention is improving every year. More and more first-time attendees attend, and the trend seems to be continuing. The convention has now become a self-sustaining event that improves our balance sheet and provides funds for improvements every year. Besides fun and family time, the convention raised almost $12,000 for the GDA Foundation and additional funds for GADPAC. These funds are vital to sustaining our lobbying efforts and supporting worthy social causes. The Saturday evening event was a Family Fun Night, followed by the “GDA lounge,” which seems to bring out more karaoke talent each year. Besides fun, we also elected our new officers and honored those who have served well. After many years we had contested elections for two officer positions and they brought out the best GDA has to offer. Differing opinions and different leadership styles all centered around a common mission “help every member succeed.” Many congratulations to our Vice President Dr. Zack Powell and new Editor Dr. Jamie Mitchell. Having served with Zack and Jamie for years we can all be assured our future is in good hands. Let’s all get together, support our leadership, and look forward to another successful year. As I submit my final editorial, I wish to share one thought by John Ruskin, “The highest reward for man’s toil is not what he gets for it but what he becomes by it.” Serving as an editor has been an honor of my life. It has made me more humble and thoughtful. All of you who gave me feedback and read my editorials have helped me become a better human being. I thank you all from the bottom of my heart.