NEWS DR. MESKIN TO STEP DOWN AS JADA EDITOR
was particularly important to the JADA editor. And judging After a decade devoted to imby recent readership surveys, proving JADA’s his efforts have appeal by harpaid off. vesting content A readership targeted specifstudy conducted ically to the this year by practicing denPERQ/HCI tist, Dr. Corp., an indeLawrence H. pendent reMeskin will search firm, step down as showed that editor of The JADA is the Journal of the best-read jourAmerican nal in denDental Associatistry—a full 10 tion at the end percentage of next year. points ahead of Dr. Lawrence H. Meskin Dr. Meskin its nearest comannounced his petitor in perresignation at the Sept. 11 issue readership. meeting of the Board of What’s more, JADA is just Directors of ADA Business one percentage point behind the Enterprises Inc., the ADA subADA News, the dental indussidiary that includes the pubtry’s best-read publication overlishing division. He will step all, but surpasses even the down as editor of dentistry’s News in popularity among premier dental journal on Dec. newer dentists, those in prac31, 2001. tice 15 years or less. “I’m a big advocate of term Dr. Meskin cites JADA’s rislimits,” he said, when asked ing appeal among dentistry’s what motivated his decision. youth as his crowning “I’ve never done any one thing achievement. this long. I think 10 years is a “They’re the future,” he said good amount of time to achieve of new dentists. “Of course, all certain goals, and now it’s time our readers are important to us, to give someone else a chance. but the fact that young dentists JADA will benefit from some are interested in The Journal is new thoughts and ideas.” very rewarding.” Dr. Meskin, who received his After receiving his dental dedental degree from the Unigree, Dr. Meskin was in private versity of Detroit in 1961, was practice for a time before movnamed JADA editor in October ing to the University of Min1990. Ever since, he has focused nesota, where he earned three on modernizing The Journal to additional degrees: master of boost its appeal to readers, most science in oral pathology, masof whom are practicing dentists. ter of public health and doctor Encouraging newer dentists to of epidemiology. read their professional journal At Minnesota, he held the 1548
prestigious Hill Research Professorship until he was picked to chair a new Department of Preventive Dentistry. In 1981, he moved to the University of Colorado in Denver, where he served as dean of the School of Dentistry through 1987. Dr. Meskin has remained at Colorado ever since, holding a number of different staff positions, including vice president for academic affairs and research. Today, he is director of the dental school’s continuing education program and a professor in the medical school’s Department of Preventive Medicine and Biometrics. He and his wife, Estelle, have two grown children: Scott, 37, an emergency-room physician in Santa Fe, N.M.; and Sarah, 34, an architect in Denver. In a report to the ADABEI Board, ADA Publisher Laura A. Kosden hailed Dr. Meskin for his contributions to JADA, the ADA and American dentistry. “Within a decade,” she wrote, “Dr. Meskin has repositioned JADA as a publication that speaks directly to the needs of the dental clinician, offering practical information that dentists can use to improve patient care. As a result, JADA’s appeal to its readers has never been higher in its 87-year history. Dr. Meskin said he intended to remain at the University of Colorado but had no other immediate plans. “I’ve always found that when I step away from one opportunity, another one comes along,” he said. “Golfers on the pro circuit have nothing to fear from me.” Continued on page 1551
JADA, Vol. 131, November 2000 Copyright ©1998-2001 American Dental Association. All rights reserved.