Orlando Monteiro da Silva

Honoured with ADA’s tribute I cannot give away the present moment without a feedback to my friends and colleague’s followers of my blog through these last few years.

The ADA 2014 – America’s Dental Meeting took place in San Antonio, Texas, from 9th till 14th October.

Presentation of Honorary Membership at the Meeting of the American Dental Association by ADA President Charles H Norman III

Photo, courtesy ADA News. © 2014 American Dental Association

ADA President Charles H Norman III remarks:

…”As FDI President, he worked collaboratively with the ADA as we jointly sought to ensure the World Health Organization, United Nations and others to promote oral health as a global health priority”… (read more)

Maxine Feinberg, ADA President-Elect at the ADA Opening Ceremony

Photo, courtesy ADA News. © 2014 American Dental Association

Source: ADA- news –Press Release …” In nominating, Dr. da Silva, then ADA President-Elect Maxine Feinberg underscored how his leadership helped transform FDI, moving the international organization in the “right direction” toward “greater financial security.”

She also addressed his efforts to expand access to care. “He has worked tirelessly to improve the oral health of underserved populations all over the world,” Dr. Feinberg wrote. “His energy is boundless. He should be an inspiration to all.”

My speech
…” My sincere thanks to the Board of Trustees, to the ADA, to those I’ve working with this last years, many of them present in this room!
A special word for my colleagues in Portugal.” (read more)

Addressing to ADA House of Delegates

Photo, courtesy ADA News. © 2014 American Dental Association

Photo, courtesy ADA News. © 2014 American Dental Association

Photo, courtesy ADA News. © 2014 American Dental Association

The opening general session had as Distinguished Speaker George W. Bush, 43rd President of the United States and Founder of the George W. Bush Foundation.

Photo, courtesy ADA News. © 2014 American Dental Association

From left to right, Greg Chadwick ADA Past President , Kathryn Kell, FDI Treasurer , Charles H. Norman III, ADA President at the “ADA International Reception”.

San Antonio, Saint Anthony (1195 – 1231) also known as Anthony of Lisbon, was a Portuguese Catholic priest and friar of the Franciscan Order.

“San Antonio – For whom the City & River are named. Gift of Portugal”

Beautiful San Antonio River…

American Texan Style…

A few days ago, I received the most pleasant surprise:

Charles H. Norman III, ADA President wrote to me on behalf of the ADA Board of Trustees informing me of my election to the Honorary membership in the American Dental Association!

…”The honor is conferred by the Board of Trustees on those individuals who made outstanding contributions to the advancement of the art and science of dentistry”….

This honorary Membership is a tremendous joy for me.

The ADA and its efforts in promoting oral health in the United States and at global level have always been a source of inspiration for me.

I remember very well in the beginning of the past decade, applying for ADA Affiliate membership. Besides being part of the ADA organization, the possibility of accessing the most valuable information in terms of oral health promotion was of tremendous importance for me not only as a dentist in the private practice, but also for the professional organizations in which I was involved.

The ADA, being on the frontline of the defence of dentists and the profession in the US, constituted many times a source of inspiration to launch similar battles in Portugal , at an European Union level and later on at an FDI level.

I could never have imagined at the time, that one day I would be distinguished with such an honour!

This election by the ADA, one of the biggest, oldest and most respected professional organizations of the world is an enormous incentive to continue the fight to help promoting access of the populations to oral health!

My sincere thanks to the ADA! I’m looking forward to seing you all at the ADA 2014 Annual Meeting in San Antonio, Texas, 9-14 October

I really appreciated participating , by kind invitation of Steve Kess, treasurer and vice-president, Global Professional Relations Henry Schein, Inc., in the Leadership Development Program with the Alliance for Oral Health.

…”The Alliance for Oral Health Across Borders was founded for the purpose of promoting peace and well-being through oral health in countries, regions, and communities in the world, particularly those facing social, economic, and political unrest. Using oral health as the path, members of the AOHAB are committed — independently of any political agendas — to foster, create, and sustain collaborative relationships in order to bring about peace and harmony among people.

Over 50 participants from 14 countries came together in NY.

AOHAB is a nonprofit, international nongovernmental organization created by oral health care professionals and oral health advocates — dentists, dental educators, members of the oral health care team, business leaders, researchers, public servants, administrators, advocates and others — representing dozens of nationalities with the vision of achieving global peace and health through oral health by means of collaborative dialogue and action.

The overall guiding principle of AOHAB is based on ethical behaviour and impartiality, respecting all racial, ethnic, religious, political, gender, and age characteristics of people everywhere. AOHAB is dedicated to the spirit of humanitarianism, having genuine concern for the lives of others and their improvement, and fostering mutual understanding and respect for the human right to health, including oral health, for all.

Within this context, members of AOHAB view oral health as an integral part of general health, with many of the risk factors shared with diseases affecting other body systems. The projects to be 
sponsored by AOHAB should promote health, prevent disease, and provide appropriate health care for populations in areas in conflict or with social/economic distress…”

A list of reputated members are already committed with the Alliance,

Faculties,
• Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health, A.T. Still University, USA
• Faculty of Dentistry, Al-Quds University, Palestine
• Case School of Dental Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, USA
• School of Stomatology, Guangxi Medical University, China
• Faculty of Dentistry, Hacettepe University, Turkey
• Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Harvard University, USA
• Faculty of Dental Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel
• Faculty of Dentistry, Khon Kaen University, Thailand
• Dental Institute, Kings College London, UK
• Faculty of Dentistry, Kuwait University, Kuwait
• Maulana Azad Institute of Dental Sciences, India
• Faculty of Stomatology, Medical University, Bulgaria
• Moscow State University of Medicine and Dentistry, Russian Federation
• School of Dentistry, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, United Republic of Tanzania
• Department of Oral Science, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
• School of Stomatology, Peking University, China
• School of Dental Medicine, Stony Brook University, USA
• The Maurice and Gabriela Goldschleger School of Dental Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Israel
• Maurice H. Kornberg School of Dentistry, Temple University, USA
• Tokyo Dental College, Japan
• School of Dental Medicine, University at Buffalo, USA
• School of Dentistry, University of California San Francisco, USA
• Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry, University of Southern California, USA
• Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Sydney, Australia
• Faculty of Dentistry, University of Toronto, Canada
• Pre-Dental Society & Student Run Free-Dental Clinic, University of California San Diego, USA

And industry …
• Air Technics
• Bedford Healthcare Solutions
• Crosstext
• DMG America LLC
• Henry Schein
• Premier Dental Products
• The P&G Company
• Septodont

The project has a fantastic potential. I’m sure we al will hear more, much more about the AOHAB!

I was invited by Paul Stark, director of Advanced and Graduate Education of Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, to the Fourth Annual Master of Science Research Day, as keynote speaker.

The theme of my address was “Vision 2020 – Shaping the future of oral health”.

An audience with students from the Division of Advanced & Graduate Education.

After words, a participated Q&A session with the audience.

Me with Irina Dragan, periodontology resident at Tufts, and Paul Stark, director of Advanced and Graduate Education of Tufts University School of Dental Medicine.

Supplying myself with energy to…

… to run along…

…the Charles River in Boston.