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New Mexico Dental Journal, Fall 2016
President’s Message
Christopher Morgan, DMD
H
ello to our valued New Mexico Dental Association members, I hope that we are all
working hard, but managing to enjoy our fall season. Serving as an NMDA officer
allows me the opportunity to go to some dental conferences, symposiums, and
regional meetings that I otherwise would miss out on attending. Through this opportunity,
I am constantly reminded of how great our profession is and how fortunate we are to have
organized dentistry.
I would like to highlight a few reasons why I feel this way. The first is the fact that we
are a self-governed profession. We are the experts of ourselves. I know that we are ques-
tioned from time to time by outside interests like anti-fluoride or dental therapist activists.
However, the fact is that we largely control our own destiny, even in the face of adversaries.
This is a fact that many “non-member” dentists overlook when neglecting to commit to
NMDA membership. Without the voice of our House of Delegates and our Legislative
Committee, the entire profession stands to lose. Please remind a young dentist or a fading
older dentist the value of membership. Our strength is only maintained by our strong
membership numbers.
Another warm and fuzzy feeling I get when I attend an otherwise boring meeting is when I
think about the wonderful things that our profession gives back to the public. Things like
our Foundation’s Mission of Mercy and Donated Dental Services make me proud. Programs
like UNM’s Special Needs Dental Clinic are absolutely paramount to many underserved
individuals. Without the NMDA and its members, these things would not be possible. The
next time you are feeling “bummed out,” consider participating in one of these programs,
I can assure you that you will gain a renewed interest in your career.
One of the final things that I wanted to remind our members about is our amazing
NMDA Annual State Meeting. This year will be just as great, if not better than last year.
Our Annual Session Committee has been working for over a year to make the week of
June 7–10, 2017 an amazing event. This will be the 108th Annual session, quite an
accomplishment, considering the state of New Mexico has celebrated fewer anniversaries.
The NMDA is always looking for members to become involved with organized dentistry,
both on a local and state level. If you have any interest in becoming part of the leadership,
we would love to have you volunteer. There are opportunities that would be less than a day
a year, and there are more extended opportunities. Let us know how you would like to help!
In closing, let us all be proud of dentistry. We are all fortunate to be members of the NMDA
and the ADA. Not many people have a career that shapes lives in such a positive way!
Sincerely,
Christopher Morgan, DMD
NMDA President 2016–2017
505-988-4119
leadership