Holiday Greetings From Our Chair

Happy Fall and (soon enough) Winter, New England Section!

I am writing this message on Veteran’s Day, so let me begin by thanking all of our Fellows who have served, or do serve, our nation. Our Section is grateful and appreciates your sacrifices.

Many of us have just returned from Washington, DC, and ACD’s Annual Meeting and Convocation. It was a jam-packed two days of events that many of our Officers attended.

Highlights include:

Immediate Past Chair Maria Smith and Charlie Silvius leading the Convocation procession carrying the ceremonial mace and torch, and Tufts Dental School’s Dean Nadeem carrying the ACD flag;
Dr. Bob Faiella concluding his year as ACD President and transitioning to a year as President of the ADA Foundation.
Catherine Sarkis and Ralph Fuccillo, both from MA, became Honorary Fellows.
Convocation of a record-setting 348 inductees, including 27 from our New England Section!
Regency Dinners-a new event to foster collegiality and networking among Fellows

Our Annual Luncheon at Yankee Dental Congress will be held in partnership with ICD on Friday, January 30, 2026, in the Light House II room of the Seaport Hotel from 11:45-1:45. No postcards will be sent this yea,r so please share this info with your colleagues!

The link for registration is:

https://events.humanitix.com/acd-icd-combined-luncheon-da3prg6p

Please register by January 21, 2026. As is tradition, all new Fellows inducted in 2025 are encouraged to attend the luncheon as guests of the Section. Please look for the unique registration code for new Fellows when registering.

At the Luncheon, we are thrilled to be presenting the prestigious Thomas F. Winkler III Leadership Award to Dr. Bob Bartro of Rhode Island! Dr. Bartro’s vast career includes many leadership positions in which he has advanced the delivery of ethical dental care to the most vulnerable populations in an inclusive, supportive, and encouraging manner. His unique talent and skill in establishing and nurturing relationships, and his soft-spoken, easy-going nature make people feel comfortable as equal partners, and has been a hallmark of his record of many accomplishments.

ACDNE is partnering with Yankee Dental Congress to present Ethical Considerations While Addressing Oral Health Throughout the Life Spectrum on Thursday, January 29, 2026, from 1:00-3:00 pm. Course #419TL will be given by speakers Kady Rawal, Catherine Sarkis, and Talia Miller and will explore how ethics shape patient care, decision making, and professional responsibility at every stage. Fellows are encouraged to attend, and registration is via www.yankeedental.com.

Please Save the Date for our Annual Business Meeting on January 14^th at 7:00 pm, which will be held on Zoom. The link will be sent closer to the meeting. That evening, we will be honored to recognize two members who are celebrating 50 Years of ACD Fellowship: Dr. Daniel Green and Dr. Abe Haddad, as well as approve the slate of officers for 2026-2027 and hear reports from our Officers.

Regency 1 will be electing a new Regent in 2026 as Dr. Julie Connolly completes her four-year term next October. Regency 1 consists of the New York, Western New York, Hudson-Mohawk, New England, Quebec, and Atlantic Provinces Sections. Regents provide vision and leadership on the ACD Board, and work with and support the Sections in their Regency. Candidates may self-nominate or be nominated, and supporting information includes a Curriculum Vitae and two letters of support. If you are interested, please contact me or Julie Connolly ([email protected]). Nominations must be received by March 1, 2026.

Please also remember the American College of Dentists Foundation on Giving Tuesday, December 2. Giving Tuesday kicks off the ADCF’s End of the Year Giving Campaign and funds all the programming ACD does, including new leadership training, new CE courses, the Ethics Handbooks, and an updated dental ethics website. None of this happens without the support of the ACD Foundation, and it is my hope that the New England Section supports in big numbers—meaning big numbers of ACDNE Fellows sending a donation of any size! Please click here to send your gift to continue the impactful programming ACD provides: https://acd.memberclicks.net/acdf

As always, our Board wants to hear from our Section! If you are interested in getting more involved in ACDNE, there are plenty of opportunities. We strive to improve and evolve our Section and welcome your input.

Happy Holidays!

Cordially,

Janis