Welcome to the American Prosthodontic Society (APS)!
Members and Friends,
It is my great honor to address all of you today and to welcome you to the 97th and final edition of the American Prosthodontic Society annual meeting. It has been 97 years of excellent lectures, getting to know and talking to all the big names that make our day-to-day practices as predictable and successful as they can be. It has been 97 years of sharing time with our friends, whom we only see once a year at our beloved APS in Chicago. It has been 97 years of getting to know new friends from all over the world, learning from them both in dentistry and in their personal interests and ways of living. It's 97 years of attending the best dental meeting and networking with the best people in our profession.
We have faced many challenges, like Covid, and we have only become stronger, always understanding that working together with the best Executive Councils any association might have is the way to go. Today, we face a new opportunity. Our merger with the American Academy of Fixed Prosthodontics will give birth to a new, bigger, and stronger association: the American Academy of Prosthetic Dentistry. This joint venture will excel because of the pristine work these two associations have done over many years.
At the upcoming 2026 meeting, we will have the best lineup ever. Along with my friend Dr. Jonathan Esquivel, we have put together lectures covering almost every aspect of our practices, with the best speakers on their topics, to share their knowledge with our society. That is why we call it "An Interdisciplinary Extravaganza".
Dr. Mauro Fradeani, from Italy, will receive the APS Golden Medallion Award for his achievements as a clinician and a lifetime educator. MDT Naoki Hayashi from Japan-USA will receive the APS Kenneth Rudd Award, given to a laboratory technician whose work has advanced the profession. Dr. Antonio Bello from Mexico will receive the APS Distinguished Service Award for his leadership within the APS and mentorship of many of us.
In the meeting, a series of topics will be covered, including:
The Treatment of Full aAches with Dr. Alessandro Pozzi from Italy and Dr. Panos Papaspyridakos from Greece-USA.
Navigation Surgery with Dr. Eduardo Niclayevsky from Mexico-USA.
The latest on dental materials with Dr. Milko Villaroel from Brazil.
The treatment of the esthetic zone in a tag-team lecture by Dr. Irene Marron & Dr. Nuria Otero from Colombia-USA.
Problem-solving implants in the anterior zone with Dr. Nitzan Bichacho from Israel.
The importance of long-term soft tissues stability and osseointegration by Dr. Tali Charckartchi from Israel.
The nuances of diagnosing and treating the gummy smile by Dr. Rebecca Bockow from the USA.
The management of tooth-borne full-mouth rehabilitation and the importance of esthetics and occlusion will be covered by team ABC from Argentina: Dr. German Albertini, Dr. Diego Bechelli, and Dr. Anibal Capusotto.
Dr. Ramon Gomez Meda from Spain will showcase and simplify strategies for treating highly complex cases.
We will close our meeting with a lecture on prognosis and interdisciplinary thinking by Dr. Ricardo Mitrani from Mexico, who promises to leave a mark in the thought process and hearts of those present. As you can see, this is a must attend program. Above all, the well-known APS camaraderie will be present throughout our two-day meeting.
This remarkable accomplishment would not have been possible without the work of our Executive Council, which is dream team, and to whom I am forever grateful. Since I joined the APS 26 years ago, I have been dreaming of giving back everything the APS has given me. Serving as president of the APS this year was truly a dream come true.
I hope to see you all at the meeting on the 19th and 20th of February 2026, at the Swissotel in beautiful Chicago. I am looking forward to shaking your hand, personally welcoming you to our last APS meeting, and making history together. The Legacy Continues.
Sincerely yours,
Dr. Nestor Schejtman
Proud President of the American Prosthodontic Society