The long history of the APS has provided the discipline of Prosthodontics with many firsts. As part of its mission to disseminate information concerning the management of the patient in need of prosthodontic care, the Society was one of the three founding members of the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry in 1951. This pioneering achievement and the Society’s continued support of the JPD has helped it to achieve worldwide circulation.
In another major contribution to education, the Society was the host of the first and second International Prosthodontic Congress held in 1972 and 1978. These major meetings reached the greatest number of dentists doing Prosthodontics of any organization in the world.
Making still another contribution to the profession, the APS inaugurated its International Circuit Courses program 30 years ago, providing a global exchange of scientific information. APS representatives have shared their knowledge with colleagues in more than 50 countries. This activity has now been revived and expanded by the American Prosthodontic Foundation. This year, through the efforts of American Prosthodontic Foundation President, Bill Harkins, the foundation was successful in being awarded another $95,000 US Department of Education Congressionally-directed grant for the Prosthodontic Scholars program. Now for the second year (the first was in 2005), this grant funds dental undergraduates from US dental schools, selected by their faculty, to attend the APS annual scientific session in February 2010. This mentorship program will hopefully continue to advance the discipline of Prosthodontics with our young students.
The annual scientific session is the highlight of the year for the Society, a program of the highest caliber with speakers and attendees from around the world. APS is an ADA CERP Recognized Provider; additionally, continuing education credit for attendance is approved for CDT's by the NADL National Board for Certification in Dental Laboratory Technology.
This year, program chairman Frank Lauciello has organized an outstanding group of national and international speakers for our 82nd annual scientific session at the Westin Chicago River North hotel, February 25-26th, 2010. These include: Dan Edelhoff, Robert Conrad, Marcus Blatz, John Beumer, John Featherstone, Jocelyn Feine, Michael Sesemann, Lee Culp, Tom McGarry, Dean Vafiadis, and Paul Child.
As part of this year’s meeting we will have our annual Graduate Prosthodontic Student Competition. Under the direction of Steve Sadowski, this competition has been extremely successful, resulting in manuscripts submitted to the JPD for publication. Additionally, John Ball each year recruits an impressive number of young table clinicians to share their research and clinical skills. Once again, this activity is being supported by Dentsply.
Again this year, the APS will recognize the outstanding contributions to dentistry by a laboratory technologist and dentist. These two awards, the Kenneth Rudd Technologist Award and the Golden Medallion Award are supported by the JPD and the American Prosthodontic Foundation, respectively.
One of the greatest strengths of the APS is that it strives to be inclusive and not exclusive. In keeping with that theme, the Society pioneered the admission of Certified Dental Technologists into full voting membership and works closely with the National Association of Dental Laboratories in advancing this goal. This change in the By-Laws has enabled the APS to recruit and retain some of the finest dental technologists in the world.
I would personally like to welcome you to our next annual scientific session in February 2010 in Chicago. It promises to be another outstanding program with international speakers presenting a potpourri of subjects related to the practice of Prosthodontics. In addition, the Society would welcome applications for membership. Whether you’re a generalist, specialist or technologist, if you have an interest in prosthetic dentistry, we would be interested in hearing from you.
I look forward to seeing you all in the great city of Chicago, Illinois in February 2010.
Salvatore J. Esposito, DMD
President
