The Academy of General Dentistry's (AGD) Board of Trustees convened in South Carolina on January 16 - 17 with a focus on shaping the future. AGD President John Chandler, DDS, MAGD, and new AGD Executive Director Gerald "Jay" Donohue, Jr., CAE, CMP led the meeting. Donohue said the meeting was successful because of the people involved. "The Board spent more time on global discussions and less time on operational issues," says Donohue. "They focused their time on strategic thinking and as a result, the meeting seemed less bureaucratic."
The Board discussed changes for the AGD's future including development of the Oral Health Literacy Project, an oral health education program, and development of a Fellow Track program, which will help students understand the significance of lifelong learning and mentoring.
"The AGD will continue to remain a continuing education organization," says Dr. Chandler. "We're finding that the AGD is evolving into the primary organization for the general practitioner because the AGD only focuses on issues in dentistry that have an impact on the general practitioners."
During the October 2004 meeting, the Board will discuss structure, function, and the future direction of the AGD. The Board also will look seriously at leading the organization through setting priorities and direction.
The AGD is a non-profit organization of more than 37,000 general dentists dedicated to staying up-to-date in the profession through continuing education. A general dentist is the primary care provider for patients of all ages and is responsible for the diagnosis, treatment, management and overall coordination of services related to patients' oral health needs.