Connectedness

In his prescient 1989 book, The Control of Nature, John McPhee reminds us that Southern Louisiana exists in its present form largely thanks to the Mississippi River, which, over the millennia, “has jumped here and there within an arc of two hundred miles wide”, depositing parts of Minnesota and Ohio, Tennessee and Missouri, as well as 28 other states. Thus, New Orleans and Southern Louisiana are inextricably linked to over 2/3 of the continental 48 states, plus two Canadian Provinces.

The sense of “connectedness and belonging” is very much a part of our professional lives. This “connectedness” among dental and oral health scientists from across the country symbolizes the spirit of our Annual Meeting, where members gather to exchange ideas and celebrate dental research. The American Association for Dental Research is very much about linkages and connectivity among ourselves and our institutions, wherever they may be.

As individuals and as an organization, we promote discovery, teaching, learning, mentoring, technology transfer, and product development, with the ultimate goal of advancing the oral health of the public. We partner with our sister organizations to advocate for resources to support dental and oral health research. Toward that end, we depend upon the efforts of our (volunteer) members and our core Central Office staff. We constantly seek ways to ensure that the diverse voices of our members are heard, and we maintain a constant dialogue to ensure that we, as a “connected” organization, are ever in support of excellence.

Soon, you will be hearing more about an ongoing “branding initiative” to help us focus on better ways to support the membership. From the preliminary feedback we have received, you have said that you value our Annual Meeting, our Journal (JDR), and our advocacy programs in support of our Mission. You are loyal supporters of the AADR and our current portfolio of activities. At the same time, you have suggested new ideas and approaches for the further support of our membership—helping us get from where we are to where we ought to be. We are about discovering, educating, informing, networking, training, career enjoyment, social responsibility, and bringing advances to the public. Importantly, we are also about training the next generation of scientists and leaders to follow up on the words of former Surgeon General Everett Koop, “You are not healthy without good oral health.”

I wish you a highly productive and enjoyable meeting! I ask that you share your thoughts and ideas about what we are doing well, what we should be doing better, and what else we should be doing. Thank you for the opportunity to serve you.