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The Seventy-Eighth Annual Session of the American Dental Association: What it means to you
T H E SEVEN TY-EIG H TH A N N U A L SESSION O F TH E A M E R IC A N D E N T A L A S S O C IA T IO N : W H A T IT M EANS T O Y O U B y G E O R G E B . W IN T E R *
U R annual meeting w ill be held in San Francisco, Calif., July 13-17. This meeting is most important, and the time and place are ideal for a vacation. An occasion w ill be afforded o f meeting friends o f other days and other places. A chance w ill be given to hear the ablest and most far-seeing members of our profession. T h ere w ill be plenty of opportunity to see the newest appliances, to study the latest theories and to make new contacts and renew old. One cannot stress too much the meetings o f the scientific sections and the clinics. They have very great professional interest and value. T h ere are outstanding figures on the program, and contributions w ill be made that w ill be worth a journey across a continent. I f one w ould keep up-to-date professionally, attendance is w ell nigh imperative. But apart from considerations o f health and pleasure and recreation, and aside from the immense value o f contacts and the freshening and revivifying and modernizing of our varied abilities and scientific knowledge, there is another phase o f the meeting that is trenchant: Change in all things is inevitable. Some changes are perceptible; some, imperceptible. Some have a passing effect; some, a profound one. T h e changes witnessed by our organ ization since the last annual meeting have been of extreme importance. These changes affect all o f us, consciously or unconsciously. T h ey are of all kinds: economic, social, legislative, bureaucratic and what not. Some of them w e may like; some w e may choose; some may be forced on us. But whether w e like, or whether we choose; or whether we are to have certain things forced on us, it is certainly wise to be cognizant o f the situa tion w ith which w e are face to face. I know o f no w ay to become better acquainted with w hat the future holds in store for us than to be present, if it is at all possible, at this annual meeting, where the thought o f the best minds of our profession w ill be available to us. > A great prophet once asked, “ Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots ?” One might ask now, “ H o w much can American dentistry change from its ideas and ideals o f the past?” W e shall probably be hard put to it not to give up some o f what has been called our “ rugged individualism.” T h ere is little to be gained in mourning over the inevitability o f change. Shall w e con tinue to be stand-patters? Is it wiser to inaugurate some changes ourselves? These are some o f the problems that w ill face us when w e meet at the Golden Gate. M a y the spirit o f prophecy descend on us and may dentistry give fitting answer to the queries that confront us with gathering urgency. Be sure to enter on your calendar, “ July 13 to 17, San Francisco.”
O
*President of the American Dental Association.
Jour. A .D .A ., Vol. 23, M ay, 1936
930
U R annual meeting w ill be held in San Francisco, Calif., July 13-17. This meeting is most important, and the time and place are ideal for a vacation. An occasion w ill be afforded o f meeting friends o f other days and other places. A chance w ill be given to hear the ablest and most far-seeing members of our profession. T h ere w ill be plenty of opportunity to see the newest appliances, to study the latest theories and to make new contacts and renew old. One cannot stress too much the meetings o f the scientific sections and the clinics. They have very great professional interest and value. T h ere are outstanding figures on the program, and contributions w ill be made that w ill be worth a journey across a continent. I f one w ould keep up-to-date professionally, attendance is w ell nigh imperative. But apart from considerations o f health and pleasure and recreation, and aside from the immense value o f contacts and the freshening and revivifying and modernizing of our varied abilities and scientific knowledge, there is another phase o f the meeting that is trenchant: Change in all things is inevitable. Some changes are perceptible; some, imperceptible. Some have a passing effect; some, a profound one. T h e changes witnessed by our organ ization since the last annual meeting have been of extreme importance. These changes affect all o f us, consciously or unconsciously. T h ey are of all kinds: economic, social, legislative, bureaucratic and what not. Some of them w e may like; some w e may choose; some may be forced on us. But whether w e like, or whether we choose; or whether we are to have certain things forced on us, it is certainly wise to be cognizant o f the situa tion w ith which w e are face to face. I know o f no w ay to become better acquainted with w hat the future holds in store for us than to be present, if it is at all possible, at this annual meeting, where the thought o f the best minds of our profession w ill be available to us. > A great prophet once asked, “ Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots ?” One might ask now, “ H o w much can American dentistry change from its ideas and ideals o f the past?” W e shall probably be hard put to it not to give up some o f what has been called our “ rugged individualism.” T h ere is little to be gained in mourning over the inevitability o f change. Shall w e con tinue to be stand-patters? Is it wiser to inaugurate some changes ourselves? These are some o f the problems that w ill face us when w e meet at the Golden Gate. M a y the spirit o f prophecy descend on us and may dentistry give fitting answer to the queries that confront us with gathering urgency. Be sure to enter on your calendar, “ July 13 to 17, San Francisco.”
O
*President of the American Dental Association.
Jour. A .D .A ., Vol. 23, M ay, 1936
930