PAGD Keystone Explorer Winter 2020

Keystone Explorer | Winter 2020 5 executive director’s message | This particular photo has meaning to me because I helped to check this family in. The children were naturally intimidated, which makes sense considering that they were at the gate of a hockey arena at 6:30 a.m. with thousands of strangers waiting to have their teeth drilled. By the time this girl met the hygiene team, she had been in a long line for over an hour. But when she got to their station, the hygienist got down on her eye level, made consistent eye contact, and listened to every word of this child’s concerns. Then, only after achieving this child’s trust, they sat her down for a full hygiene treatment. By the end, this little girl was high-fiving and showing off a confident smile to everyone around her. This photo reminds me of two lessons I learned that day. One is, although no one would confuse MOM events as a comprehensive system of care, it is valuable to so many. I can’t wait to be involved in one again. The second lesson is that simply having the hand skills and book knowledge is never enough. To be a truly exceptional dental professional, you have to know how to connect positively with the people that you treat. This particular hygiene team reminded me of these lessons at this moment. This photo is with our dear departed friend Dr. Rick Knowlton with Dr. Ryan Buehner at the AGD Convocation in New Orleans. As anyone who was in New Orleans or any other AGD Convocation can attest, Rick was just beaming. To see him sharing handshakes and hugs with Dr. Buehner, Dr. Todd Weaver, Dr. John Reckner, or any of his other friends and colleagues that he collaborated with and mentored during his time as PEAK chair was uplifting. This picture has special meaning to me as it reminds me of the example given to us by Rick. To see his smiling face as his Pennsylvania colleagues crossed the dais to receive their Fellowship or Mastership reminds me of what makes PAGD and AGD membership so different. There was no territoriality. There was no competitiveness. For every doctor on that stage, there was only pride. Their success was Rick’s success in a way, because that is how he approached dentistry. For every AGD member that put in the time and effort into furthering their education and skills, Rick took that as a win for dentistry, one that he shared with all his colleagues. This communal pride is what sets AGD and PAGD apart, and it is a standard that I will continually strive to inject into PAGD.