PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
Vincent J. Iacono, DMD, AO President

Good leadership requires clear vision to inspire cooperation

Good leadership is essential to any successful organization. Progressive growth will only occur if there is a clear vision that promotes and inspires cooperation and collaboration at all levels, starting with the organization’s officers and board of directors. The AO Board has achieved consensus on a new strategic plan that proactively addresses the challenges we face in membership value, education, international outreach, and organizational ­viability and vitality.

I have been engaged in several activities directly related to our strategic plan. These include completion of the program for the 2010 “Silver Anniversary Summit: Impact of Biological and Technological Advances on Implant Dentistry,” set for August 5-8, 2010, in Oak Brook, IL; fine tuning the Silver Anniversary Annual Meeting, March 4-6, 2010, in Orlando, FL; and enhancing international outreach efforts in China and Italy.

Completion of the program, format, and participant list for the Silver Anniversary Summit has been a significant accomplishment. I had a productive meeting with our facilitator, Francine Berkey, of the Avenues Company, to develop focused questions for the participants to answer. Their answers will support tangible conclusions to be published in the Summit’s proceedings as a special supplement to The International Journal of Oral & Maxillofacial Implants.

My international outreach efforts included visits to China and Italy. In China, I was hosted at the dental schools in Tianjin and Xian, where it was made evident that Chinese dentists, residents, and students are in dire need of education in the treatment planning of the implant patient. The major dental organization in China, the Chinese Stomatological Association, facilitates continuing education that will only result in CE credits if the courses are administered in dental schools. This is official Chinese government policy.

An AO competitor organization is trying to make inroads in China, but the current Chinese mentality is that the AO is the leader in implantology. It became clear to me that the Chinese dental leadership is looking toward the AO for educational programs that will be provided in dental schools for students, residents, and CE credits for dentists.

In Italy, I spoke at the 12th ANDI Meeting in Salerno, the birthplace of the first medical school in the Western world. It gave me an opportunity to continue my discussion with Dr. Giuseppe (Pino) Luongo, President of the Societa’di Implantologia Osteointegrata (SIO), regarding ways the Italian organization and AO might work together. I have been invited to the international meeting of the SIO to be held in Rome in February 2010. It will include a presentation and major Italian press release regarding the AO/SIO relationship and the provision of dental implants in Italy.

I told Dr. Luongo that the AO Board is in the midst of ­intensive discussion on how to better define its international relationships to deliver value to cooperating international groups and enhance AO’s position of global leadership. I assured Dr. Luongo that, as SIO’s President, he would receive a letter of invitation to AO’s Annual Meeting. By the time of our meeting in Orlando, we expect to have the final report of the Academy’s International Relations Committee, outlining new AO policy and programs for international outreach in developed and developing nations.

In late summer, I visited the Orlando Annual Meeting site with Executive Director Kevin Smith and key staff people. The Walt Disney World® Dolphin Resort has been renovated, including a significant expansion of its exhibit hall. It has almost twice the area that it did in 2005, when AO last met there. This recently redesigned, award-winning, world-class hotel is located between the Epcot Theme Park and Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and nearby Disney’s Animal Kingdom and Magic Kingdom—with transportation available to any Disney resort that you, your family, and your guests wish to visit. Discounts are offered on tickets to all Disney features and are available for online purchase at the Annual Meeting section of our Website, www.osseo.org, under hotel information.

We also visited the Gaylord Palms Hotel, where AO will hold its first Hands-On Workshop – a full-day instructional program that offers actual “hands-on” training in the use of computer-guided treatment systems – scheduled for Wednesday, March 3, the day before our Annual Meeting. These sessions offer first-hand exploration of the latest technology available and will feature state-of-the-art systems from six of the leading corporations in our industry.

I was so impressed with the Gaylord facilities that staff arranged to hold our March Board meeting there, so that we can meet, greet, and thank the six Workshop sponsors and more than 100 participants.

“The Formula for Predictable Implant Success” is this year’s Annual Meeting theme. The highly anticipated President’s Reception will be an event NOT to miss this year, as we’ve planned a very special surprise to celebrate our 25th year of promoting excellence in the dental implant arena. I am very excited about all the activities on tap for our Anniversary Meeting and look forward to seeing everyone at the President’s Reception – come ready for a magical evening of celebration!

Don’t forget to check out the list of exhibitors for the 2010 meeting – the largest number of exhibitors in our history. This year’s venue provides the convenience of keeping everything under one roof – which makes it easier for you to take advantage of every opportunity to learn, see, do, meet and greet – and make the most of the Annual Meeting. In September, Kevin Smith and I met with several of our corporate sponsors during the annual meeting of the American Academy of Periodontology in Boston. They pledged support for the Silver Anniversary Summit and future annual meetings. It is imperative that we actively engage our corporate friends to insure the future fiscal viability and vitality of the AO.

Another special feature of our meeting is the return of our Allied Staff educational sessions on the final day of our meeting. This program offers a full and impressive line-up of speakers and topics that specifically address the clinical and practice management advancements and concerns for dental laboratory technicians and dental hygienists. Make sure to register your staff to attend those full-day educational programs – a vital component of the success and growth of your practice.

Registration opens in December, so take a look at all events and take advantage of the early bird discounted rates. Also take notice of the sessions that offer limited registration – they fill up fast. Don’t wait to secure your spot!

As we look forward to 2010 and beyond, I am excited about the advancements that will carry us into the next quarter century of successful dental implant surgery and patient care. Come to Orlando in March and see a preview of what lies ahead.