American Journal of ORTHODONTICS and DENTOFACIAL ORTHOPEDICS

• i i . r . . . , , l l | _ i l l

Official publication of the American Association of Orthodontists, its constituent societies, and the American Board of Orthodontics

NEWS, COMMENTS, AND SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS

Constituent Society address by President Johnson

The following paragraphs have been excerpted from prepared remarks made to the annual meetings of the Constituent Societies of the American Association of orthodontists by A. Robert Johnson, president. They present an important assessment of where we are and of our challenges and opportunities in the 90s.

As I began to prepare for my series of visitations of constituents this fall, I looked to our purpose in the Bylaws of the American Association of Orthodontists.

The purpose of this Association shall be: A. To advance the art and science of orthodontics; B. To encourage and sponsor research; C. To strive for and maintain the highest standards of

excellence in orthodontic education and practice; and D. To make significant contributions to the health of the

public. To that I would add to provide all appropriate services

to the membership; and, to that end, I would make the fol- lowing report to you.

[ could not help but be reflective of our history and the heritage of the United States. Just a few weeks ago, my wife and I had the privilege of visiting the Canadian Association of Orthodontists meeting in Quebec City and to tour the "Plains of Abraham" and consider the battle between Wolfe and Montcalm as a turning point in the history of Canada.

Both countries are rich with places and events that helped to mold and form the principles and institutions of government of our two nations. And now, we witness, each night, on TV the efforts on the part of the peoples of eastern Europe and the Soviet Union to develop their own new democratic insti- tutions. I mention this because we must all be concerned with "government," be that federal or state (or provincial), and how it is affecting us both in our private lives and in our practices. "Government" is not a static thing, it can and will change based on the perceived needs and desires of "those governed." We as individuals and citizens, and we as an Association, have to determine what is "appropriate govern- ment," what is "big government," what is "intrusive govern- ment." if I may quote from science fiction author David Gerrold in his book, The War Against the Chtorr: hrvasion:

. , . There's no such thing as a government. Point to it. Show me the government. Show me any

government . . . You can show me some buildings and some people and some rules written down on paper, but you can't show me a government. Because there is no such thing in the physical universe, It's just something we made up. It exists only by our agreement that it d o e s . . . We agreed that we

wanted some stuff managed and we agreed on some rules for how it should be managed. The agreements are the govern- m e n t . . . How big the government gets depends on how many agreements you make. If enough people agree, we'll build some buildings and hire some people to work in them and manage the agreements for us. Now here's the question-- how do you know if something is the business of the gov- ernment or not?--that is, the business of the people we've hired to work in our buildings and manage our agreements for us. How do they know what to manage? What's the test?, . . A person, place, or thing is in the jurisdiction of a government if it tests that government's agreements. If it doesn't, it isn't.

The government doesn't have to manage the people who keep the agreements. They don't need managing. They're being responsible. It is the business of the government to manage those people who test the agreements . . . In fact the history of this country is about men and women not following the rules. History is a list of who tested what agreements,

Every time an agreement is tested, the person whose responsibility that agreement is, is also being t e s t e d . . . The truth is that ultimately every single c h o i c e . . , is a reflection of the integrity of the individual making it. You might want to notice that--that everything we've done in this country, everything that we've accomplished--good or bad-- in nearly two and a half centuries, has been done out of the integrity--or lack of integrity--of people like ourselves who are willing to make decisions and be responsible for them, especially when they know those decisions will be unpopular.

The American Association of Orthodontists through the Council on Government Affairs and the oftices of the exec- utive director, Mr. Ronald Moen, and the general counsel, Ms. Sally Bowers, will continue to monitor the activities of the federal government and all such matters at the state level that we as members bring to their attention. The Board of Trustees is prepared to take appropriate action in any involve- ment with government (as it were to "test those agreements" and "make decisions and be responsible for them"), be that an interim policy, a referral to the Council or committee for study, or a referral to tke House of Delegates for a policy decision.

Specifically, we are continuing to monitor the HIV issue. We have issued a legislative alert with regard to proposed legislation, i.e., the Helms and Dole amendments, that has passed in the Senate and is now before the House of Rep- resentatives; we continue to remain current on the pronounce- ments of the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta and remain in contact with the American Dental Association, as it carries

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Am. J. Orthod. Dentofac. Orthop. 14#, News, comments, and service announcements December 1991

a series of recommendations with regard to this issue to its House of Delegates in Seattle next week.

It would appear that this issue is being, or probably more correctly, has been, transformed from a scientific and public health issue into a political issue and thus will be more easily subjected to hysterical and demagogic statements and atti- tudes. We must all attempt to maintain this on as high a plane as is possible.

It would, also, appear that the public is again too prone to see the mote in someone else's eye. For the public to be overly concerned with the minuscule odds of contacting AIDS in the medical or dental office or from a health-care deliverer, while ignoring the fact that the vast majority of cases of AIDS are the result of various questionable behavioral activities and decisions, seems a case of very circuitous thinking.

Similarly to our national heritage, we have an Association heritage that is rich. You are all aware of the great names in orthodontics and the list of the Albert H. Ketcham Award recipients is reflective of that. But, I am now thinking more in terms of the growth and the changes in the AAO in the last 30 years, We have gone from a time when Jim Brophy was hired, and he and Pat Kerr were our total staff, to the purchase of the building on Delmar Blvd., to the building of our own new facility on Lindbergh under the direction of the able building committee of Deloit Wolfe, Jim Reynolds, Bob McGonagle, and Jim Brophy, and finally, to a present staff numbering 27 people with Ron Moon as our executive di- rector. The attendance at the annual session in 1960 was about 2000, and now each year it is 10,000. We have gone from a Board of Directors to a system that included a Board of Trustees, House of Delegates, series of Councils dirrcted to specific areas of concern. We have expanded into a whole plethora of appropriate membership services including, but not limited to the follow!ng:

A complete package of insurance programs including professional liability insurance, a comprehensive public re- lations and advertising program, an outstanding amount of information available to the membership through the library in written form, as well :as the audio-visual library, practice management materials and conferences, risk management conferences, involvement with the insurance industry and promotion of the alternative of "direct reimbursement," greater interest and an involvement in orthodontic research, an ever-expanding interaction with the American Dental As- sociation and the other recognized dental specialties, and, as mentioned before, a monitoring of government activity and appropriate Association response.

Our membership survey that we recently completed in- dicates that the AAO is generally meeting the needs and expectations of the membership in that 87% responding said they were proud to be members of the Association. The re- spondents were well distributed across the spectrum by age.

The six top reasons for maintaining membership were education, support of the specialty meetings, the JOURNAL, networking, and insurance programs.

The five best services provided by the Association were the JOURNAL, insurance, annual sessions, other meetings, and education.

On the other hand, of concern was the fact that, while 38% of the respondents attended the Washington, D.C., ses- sion and an average of 36% attended each of the three pro-

ceding annual sessions, fully 29% of the respondents attended none of the last four annual meetings. Attendance at the constituent level was about 44% between 1987-1989 and slipped to 35% in 1990.

Also, only 47% believe they have a voice in developing policy and positions, and 31% believe an AAO member does not have an advantage over a nonmember.

We must ask you, the membership, what kind of "gov- ernment" and how "big a government" you, the members, desire from the AAO. What "agreements" do we want to govern us as AAO members? Are we "big" enough, not in membership, but in organizational operations? Do we provide enough and the appropriate services?

Council time and involvement is increasing with more Councils having two meetings a year. Board activity and time needs continue to expand; the Board is now scheduled for five boar~l meetings and a retreat this year to conduct the business of the Association, as well as its Council and com- mittee assignments. Board books have expanded from 2-inch binders to full 4-inch D-ring binders, and two of those at the annual session.

I wish to reemphasize a quotation I used in Seattle from Chuck Swindoll in his book Strengthen Your Grip:

In some ways people and organizations are alike. Both tend to loose vitality rather than gain it as time passes. Both tend to give greater attention to what they were rather than what they are becoming. It 's easier to look back into the past and smile on yesterday's accomplishments than it is to look ahead into the future and think about tomorrow's possibilities.

I see the AAO as much like an individual who has matured but has not become complacent, but has maintained vi ta l i ty-- and the ability to look ahead. I credit that to the type of individuals that compose our membership and serve on the Councils, in the House, and on the Board of Trustees.

That does not mean that we should not continue to im- prove the Association's operation and to that end I would suggest that the AAO and its leaders practice the principles inculcated by Stephen R. Covey in his book, The 7 Habits o f Highly Effective People:

1. Be proactive - Principles of personal vision 2. Begin with the end in mind - Principles of personal

leadership 3. Put first things first - Principles of persona/ man-

agement 4. Think win/win- Principles of interpersonal leadership 5. Seek first to understand, then to be understood - Prin-

ciples of Empathic Communication 6. Synergize - Principles of Creative Cooperation 7. Sharpen the Saw - Principles of Balanced renewal

To that end, we are about to embark upon a new era in the history of the Association as we move into a new building. "460" has served us well, we have simply outgrown it. The move across the street to "401" gives us the ability to continue to meet the needs of the Association and the desires of the membership.

We plan to hold the opening reception of the 92nd Annual Session of the AAO in St. Louis, Saturday, May 9, 1992, at

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Am, J, Orthod. Dentofac. Orthop, 1 6A News, comments, and service announcements December 1991

the new office with a short dedicatory ceremony. It is the feeling that that is an excellent way to showcase the building and begin the session on an memorab le event for the mem- bership. We have made every effort to secure an excellent group of essayists for the meeting, as well as continue the

well-received manufacturer's forum that was begun in Seattle. We have made a special effort to have outstanding program on Wednesday morning, May 13, 1992, and so encourage you to place the session on your calendar and also encourage you to stay for the entire meeting.

AAO Foundation fund raising program in full swing

After raising more than $800,000 in pledges and $200,000 in cash in the initial states of the $6 million fund raising campaign, the AAO Foundation launched its full-fledged appeal to members at the various con- stituent society meetings. Recent months of cam- paigning pushed the endowment fund to over $1.2 million.

The fund raising objective is to have each member Contribute the proceeds from at least one full treatment case, approximately $2500, although a large number of initial gifts were many times this amount. Once the campaign is completed, it will not be necessary to ask for annual gifts. The endowment is expected to continue growing as new members are asked to contribute and as deferred-giving becomes an important source of funds. It is also suggested that parents whose children are receiving treatment as a professional courtesy be asked to make a donation to the Foundation.

Within the next few months Foundation represen- tatives in every state will be contacting AAO members to stress the importance of the Foundation's purposes. The earnings on the endowment fund will foster sig- nificant advances in the art and science of orthodontics through research, education, and technical innovation. This is an opportunity to invest in the future of orth- odontics and to ensure the continued respect of our chosen specialty, and the quality of care given our pa- tients.

Mr. William J. Henderson has taken over the AAOF coordination, assisted by Sebeth Schrader. Any inqui- ries can be made directly to either of them at (314) 993- 1700. Pledges and donations should be sent to the AAO Foundation, 401 North Lindbergh Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63141.

Connecticut State Dental Society makes awards

The annual Alfred Fones Award luncheon was held Oct. 2, 1991, to honor two recipients of awards given by the Connecticut State Dental Society. The Fones medal was presented to Jeremiah J. Lowney, DDS, MS, of Norwich, Conn. This award is given to a person for outstanding contributions, achievements, and dedica- tion to science or to the practice of dentistry. It may be presented also to a person for outstanding achievement in the interest of humanity, In this instance, Dr, Low- ney, who is an orthodontist, has served since 1982 as the president of the Haitian Health Foundation, which provides humanitarian care to the poor in Haiti. His dedication, commitment, and sacrifice has led to the establishment of a 20,000 square foot clinic in remote Haiti to which he and his colleagues make innumerable trips to serve the populace. He received a Congressional Certificate of Merit in 1986 and was knighted by Pope John Paul II (Knight of St. Gregory) in 1988 for his work in Haiti.

The Horace Hayden Award is presented only when

there is a worthy candidate and is given to a person or organization in the field of communication for outstand- ing contributions in the interest of dentistry and dental health. This year it was presented to T.M. Graber, DMD, MSD, PhD, Dr. Odont., DSc. Dr. Graber also is an orthodontist from Evanston, Ill., and is a member of the Board of Trustees of the American As- sociation of Orthodontists and editor-in-chief of the AMERICAN JOURNAL OF ORTHODONTICS AND DENTO- FACIAL ORTHOPEDICS. His contributions to journalism were especially recognized, but he is also an interna- tionally known lecturer, author, and clinician.

Both awards were presented by Wilbur D. Johnston, DDS, MD, past president of the American Association of Orthodontists, the Northeastern Society of Ortho- dontists, the Connecticut State Denta l Society, and many other medical and dental organizations. Dr. John- ston is a venerable and recognized authority and has served on the faculty of the Medical School at Yale University for over 5 decades.

Volume 100 Number 6 News, comments, and service announcements 17A

SIDO awards 1991 prize for best paper

The Scientific Committee met, and after consider- ation of many excellent papers came to the decision that the paper, "A Long-term Study of 370 Autotrans- planted Premolars" by J.O. Andreasen, H.U. Paulsen,

et al., published in the European Journal of Ortho- dontics, vol. 12, 1990, should be awarded the 1991 SIDO prize for the best paper in the orthodontic liter- ature over the past 2 years.

Tom Zwemer retires from University of Georgia

Thomas J. Zwemer was recognized by the Board of Regents, University System of Georgia, at an Emeriti Recognition Ceremony, in Atlanta on Sept. 10, 1991. Dr. Zwemer was appointed vice president emeritus for Academic Affairs of the Medical College of Georgia and professor emeritus of orthodontics of the School of Dentistry on his retirement Jan. 31, 1991. Dr. Zwemer served as associate dean from 1966 to 1984 and vice president from 1984 to 1991. He received his DDS from the University of Illinois in 1950 and his MSD from

Northwestern University in 1954. Before his appoint- ment at the Medical College of Georgia, Dr. Zwemer was chairman of orthodontics at Loma Linda University and before that he was chairman of oral rehabilitation at Marquette University. He was a member of Omicron Kappa Upsilon, a diplomate of the American Board of Orthodontics, a fellow of the American College of Den- tistry, the International College of Dentistry, and a member of Sigma XI.

Third Symposium of The International Association of Maxillofacial Surgeons in Training

Third Symposium of The International Association of Maxillofacial Surgeons in Training on "Surgery of the Midface and Nose" will be held in Barcelona, Spain, on May 7-9, 1992.

Intended to be of interest to all clinicians involved

in the treatment of dentofacial deformity and cleft lip and palate.

Information from: "EXEM," Dr. Carulla, 76 bajos, 08017 Barcelona, Spain.