I had the great pleasure of attending the Texas Academy of General Dentistry’s Dentist of the Year Gala at the new AT&T Executive and Conference Center on the campus of the University of Texas.

 

Dr. Karen Frazer was the CADS nominee for Texas Dentist of the Year and Dr. Jerry Katz was the nominee from the Central Texas Academy of General Dentistry.

 

What is amazing to me is that I have been around long enough to know almost everyone there and knew all of the nominees from around the state except for a couple. The reason I bring this up is that I personally feel that anyone there, nominees or guest was worthy of such a prestigious award. The unique collection of dentist committed to continuing education, service to the community, and the promotion of the profession of dentistry really could stack up against any group of dentists anywhere! 

 

There were more than a dozen past winners of the Texas Dentist of the Year Award in attendance. There were Deans and professors of dental schools. There were Presidents of State Associations. It was mostly a collection of dentists from across our great state that have been involved in making the profession better for all dentists. All of those committees and councils perform functions that truly are essential to the betterment of dentistry. All of those that serve as Directors on Boards and Trustees of Foundations do so for the love of dentistry. I am certain that each dentist in attendance has served in many roles at any given time as long as they can remember.

 

The truth is that this august collection of fine individuals could easily be called meeting junkies. I assure you that there are many that made the commitment to serve on committees or Boards that really didn’t want to go to all of those meetings, but they knew that devoting their time and talents, even when it was difficult to be there, was worth the overall benefits of service. Going to meetings does not define a leader but serving as necessary to achieve important goals together with fellow colleagues is another matter altogether. Having a vision of the outcome and the drive to achieve ultimate objectives does define a leader.

 

I am in awe of that special assemblage of people that gathered to honor our own heroes in Karen and Jerry as well as the other nominees. Those of you reading this are doing your part too. It may not be service to a dental group, but I know that you devote your time to community causes and family. That makes you no less of a hero to me than those of us that seem to be dental meeting junkies. Your good deeds in your community do reflect on our profession and strengthen it. Thanks to all of you for making dentistry a respected and unique true profession. Without the work that has come before us dentistry would not even be a profession. Without diligence as we move forward, it could cease to be one in the future.

 

Dr. Ralph Cooley of Conroe was named Texas Dentist of the Year for 2009.