July 2007 NEWSLETTER Number 82
Billy Davis.................................................................President
Rob Elia...........................................................President Elect
Jack Koumjian.................................................Vice President
Suteera Hovijitra....................................Secretary/Treasurer
Don Schmitt, Sr..........................................................Historian
Marge Maesaka.....................................Executive Secretary
From The President
Billy Davis
To those of you who came back to Indiana for the CE course thank you for making the meeting such a great success in every way. To those of you who did not manage to make it this year, you missed a good one! Mark your calendar when the date of the next one is announced.
It was a really wonderful few days and most of all we owe a great debt of gratitude to our Secretary/Treasurer, Suteera Hovijitra who put so much time in organizing and taking care of all the many details. She coordinated everything and everybody right down to organizing babysitters for some of the attendees. And also, thanks to the many other offi cers for their contributions as well.
There was however a little grey cloud in the background, we did miss Dyke and Tom Barco, who both would have been so much apart of the action. Jerry Andres made an inspired choice in appointing Steve Rosenstiel and Martin Land to be program chairs. It is truly amazing how these boys have improved over the years. There was a time when they could not organize a coffee and a ‘Ding-Dong’ from the machines in the basement! They did a superb job the program was really excellent and worthy of the great traditions of Indiana University and the John F Johnston Society.
The essential part of the success of the meeting was the superb presentations by the many speakers during the three days. A big thank you to all of them for all the time and effort which was given. Thank you also to the hosts of the evenings of good food and company in the beautiful homes of Ammar Louly and John Borkowski and their families. They were really enjoyable and gave us all a chance to catch up with old friends and make some new ones.
Also on our list of gratitude is Donnie Schmitt who has been doing great work and putting in many hours on behalf of the society in organizing the webpage and online payment. Last and not least of course were our sponsors, NobelBiocare, ResistaTemps, Whipmix, Benco Dental, Brasseler and Ultradent.
The Irish weather in common with a lot of Northern Europe has been somewhat wet. We seem to be getting more of American type of rainfalls rather than the soft ‘Irish Mists’, so we are still waiting for summer. After that it will soon be time to start thinking of Chicago and the Midwinter meeting. I am certainly planning to be at our annual get-together, I hope you are too!
Director's Corner
Jerry Andres
Well, I have been asked to write a final director’s corner for the newsletter. It is with my deepest regret that I must give up the position of program director, but it is time for a change. The changes in the profession are beyond my comprehension, and I am sure many of yours, if you are adhering to the standards you were taught in the program. I will continue to be active with the program as long as I am capable, on a volunteer basis. I want to thank all of you for a very successful JFJ Society Refresher Course, especially Martin Land and Steve Rosenstiel as program chairs and Suteera Hovijitra for taking care of all the other arrangements.
My retirement was effective 30 June and on 3 July I was admitted to the hospital with a major infection in my right foot, which resulted in 2 toe amputations and a fempop bypass to get circulation back to my foot. I am well on the road to recovery but my behind is tired of sitting in a chair with my foot elevated to keep the swelling down.
I hope to resume clinic supervision a couple of half days a week when I get rid of the anchor.
It has been a privilege to be associated with one of the fi nest Prosthodontic Programs in the world for over 20 years, and I want you all to know that the reason for it being a good program is not the program director, but the quality of residents we have had the privilege to work with. The plaque with the names of all 120 students I have been associated with, is one of my most prized possessions.
I really enjoy getting emails from all of you and look forward to all of your successes in the future. If you ever come to Indianapolis and don't stay with us, shame on you. If you let us know in time, Ida will make your favorite pie!
I have been proud of my association with all of you. God bless you all, and keep in touch.
New Appointment
I am pleased to announce that Dr. John Levon has been appointed as the acting program director of the Graduate Prosthodontic program, starting July 1, 2007. Dr. Levon received his BA and DDS degrees from Indiana University, and completed the Prosthodontics and Maxillofacial Prosthetics programs at Wilford Hall USAF Medical Center. He is Board Certifi ed in prosthodontics, and has been the director of the Maxillofacial Prosthetics program at IUSD since September, 2000. Dr. Levon has earned a reputation as an excellent teacher, and we are pleased that he has accepted this position.
I'd also like to thank Dr. Andres for his dedicated and passionate service to the prosthodontic division and restorative department, and wish him the best as he begins his retirement in July. Please join me in congratulating Dr. Levon on his appointment and Dr. Andres on his retirement.
Dave Brown
Chair, Restorative Dentistry
CONDOLENCES
Sam Hobo died August 2006. Sam was one of the early members and a long time former student of Dr. Johnston. He always appreciated his time here and gave back to his teachers, the program, and the school generously. He became a very well known and respected member of dentistry in Japan. He started his own Prosthodontic Society. He was always taking up new challenges and even became a recorded opera singer.
Other News
IMPORTANT CHANGE
If we have your email address, the next newsletter and dinner/dues reservation information will come to you by email. If you prefer to receive a hard copy please notify Marge Maesaka or Suteera Hovijitra as soon as you can. Anyone who does not notify us will receive the email version.
GOOD NEWS
Thanks to Donnie and Don Schmitt, we now have a Pay-Pal account. For those of you who live outside the USA, you can now pay your dues and give your donations through Pay-Pal, rather than having to get a bank draft, which is usually more expensive.
AWARD WINNERS
Nawaf Labban received the JFJ award.
Monica Fernandez received the Andres award.
Kellie Schaub received the I Lester Furnace award.
Congratulations to all of you.
CONGRATULATIONS to all the new parents:
Neville Jacob and DonnieSchmitt has a new son.
Monica Fernandez and Hernando Pulido will continue their DDS program at Detroit Mercy in Michigan. It looks like an IUSD extension up there! Neville Jacob will follow soon. Nawaf Labban is pursuing a PhD program here at IU so he will be around for a few more years.
Annual Meeting in Chicago 2006 Report
It was nice to see Billy and Clodagh Davis from Ireland, Garry Ecker from Australia, Rob Elia from Canada, Serge Frejlich, from Belgium, Junhei Fujimoto and Takeo Iwata from Japan at our Chicago meeting. The members from states other than Indiana at the meeting were:
Dave Bartolovic from Michigan
Ron and Patricia Blackman from New Mexico
Jack Koumjian and Assad Mora from California
Ricardo Kriebel and his son
2007 Refresher Course Report
Many compliments were given on the excellent speakers Martin Land and Steve Rosenstiel arranged for the June 2007 Refresher Course. Everything went off smoothly and people learned a lot and had a good time.
Ammar Louly and John Borkowski hosted everyone in their homes for dinner Friday and Saturday evenings respectively. The parties were delightful and everyone had a good time. John Borkowski even returned early from vacation to host the party! Lorraine stayed where she was. There were a total of 60 members and 7 non-members registered for the course.
Retirement
The following is the appreciation to Dr. Jerry Andres which was delivered by Dr Billy Davis on the occasion of the presentation by the John F Johnston Society to Dr. Andres in recognition of his great contributions to the Department of Prosthdontics at Indiana University School of Dentistry and to the John F. Johnston Society during the recent refresher course.
A task that falls to me as President is to be allowed to say a few words about a very faithful and tireless servant of Indiana University School of Dentistry and the John F. Johnston Society for Advanced Prosthodontics. That person is of course the one and only Dr. Jerry Andres, who is about to offi cially retire, although I think that he will not be allowed to retire too far away from the School.
Jerry is a country boy from southern Indiana, a quality that he never lost, which is a great compliment to one who had risen to great heights in his profession. He crossed the Indiana border to do his undergraduate work at Bellermine College and Nazareth College in Louisville, Kentucky.
He graduated from Indiana University in 1966 with a DDS degree and joined the graduate program in 1971 and subsequently received an MSD in Prosthodontics in 1973. During this time he was a particularly busy boy as he managed to combine the Maxillofacial with Fixed and Removable Prosthodontics Program and he and Ida had one of their children born during this time also. He then moved south to serve a fellowship at the University of Texas Health Centre and the M D Anderson Hospital. During this time his abilities as a clinician and his technical skills in the laboratory were noted by many.
Following a distinguished career in the United States Air Force he returned to Indiana to become director of Undergraduate Fixed and Removable Prosthodontics in1986 and then became director of Graduate Prosthodontics in 1988, a position he has held since.
During his career both in the Air Force and at the School, Jerry has established himself as a superb clinician, a fountain of Knowledge and an excellent teacher.
He also had an interesting interview during his required time at the war college with an Air Force committee after he wrote a paper in how the Russians could spook the US into spending more money on the Space program and other matters during the cold war. This happened to be a matter which was of great interest at the time and the committee was most anxious to know how the Jerry could draw such interesting conclusions. The answer was a healthy application of country boy logic, a logic which has served him well throughout his career.
He has lectured throughout the world, even to such far away places as Ireland within the last year, when one of his students Dr Gerry Cleary was President of the Irish Dental Association. Though his training of many graduate students from all parts of the world he has had a profound effect in helping many patients in various places.
To his students he was always available and had a sympathetic ear, while upholding the high standards of IU Prosthodontics. His Hail and Farewell party each year was one of the highlights of the year and particularly Ida's home cooked pies. He has indeed been a true mentor to his students both at IU and Wilford Hall USAF medical center. His contributions to the advancement of our specialty have also been marked by his contributions to research and his extensive publications.
He has received many awards for his clinical ability and teaching skills and has held high offi ce in many dental organizations. Jerry, we know what great contributions you have made to Dentistry, your clinical, teaching, organizational and personal skills will be missed around the school. We wish you well in your new life and however you decide to apply these great qualities.
Thank you.
Other Notables...
Emad Estafanous has been traveling around. He has accepted a faculty position at the Uiversity of Iowa. We hope his travel plans include us next year.
Suteera Hovijitra is very proud of her son, Norman, who just graduated from Stanford with a PhD in chemical engineering.
John Locke and his wife Shirley are in the process of completing the building of a new house which has consumed more energy than they actually have. (Those of you who have done this know what he is talking about.) They hope it will be finished in a month. All of the family is well and John is adjusting to working 3 days a week and enjoying other things in life. John couldn't make the meeting in Chicago and wants to pass on his best wishes to everyone. He loves getting the newsletter and keeping up on things.
Poey-Ling Loh regrets not being able to come to the CE course but has a family wedding on June 2nd. She hates missing the fun and good times. She sent special regards to Jerry Cleary, one of the speakers, and her classmate, as well as to all who will be here. Her best wishes go to Jerry Andres on his retirement.
Pat Naylor has taken the position of Chairman of the offi ce of Advanced Dental Education for Loma Linda University. We wish him well.
Patrick Pedlar and Cindy were planning to attend the CE course and be part of the celebration of Jerry Andres's retiring as Director of the Graduate Pros Program. Unfortunately, one of their very long time staff members, who is like a daughter to his business partner is getting married that Saturday. They want to extend their most sincere congratulations to Jerry and Ida. They loved the time spent with them. They are also sorry to miss all the camaraderie with everyone and hope to make it down soon and see everyone.
Scott Polizotto is getting remarried in July and trying to get Nancy's home ready to sell. She lives in New London, Wisconsin. He has been commuting almost every weekend. We all wish you well and hope to see both of you soon. He said he may just show up at the last minute. He still loves doing dentistry and thinks doing a lot of dental implants is lots of fun. If he doesn't make it, he sends his regards to the group.
Donnie Schmitt and Rachel have a son born April 2, 2007. His name is Landyn Ryker Schmitt. Mother and son are doing well. Congratulations to them and to the grandparents Don and Jane Schmitt.
Tim Shimada really regrets that he was unable to attend the CE course. He thought it sounded like fun, interesting, and educationally rewarding. He sends his best regards to all his friends.
Jose Torres was unable to make the CE course due to prior commitments. He thought the course sounded great.
From Marge
Don't forget, if you retire, let me know. You don't have to pay dues any more!
If you don't have an American checking account, you can now use Pay Pal to pay your dues.
Be sure I have your correct email address, the one you want the newsletter to go to.
Please send me personal news and pictures of interest. I get lots of comments that other members are really interested in what is happening to you.