A Year in Motion: Reflections from the AAE Presidency
As we approach the end of the year, I’ve been reflecting on my first eight months as your AAE President. All I can say is WOW! Time has moved quickly and taken me to places I never expected. The year began in New York City with my first satellite media tour and will end in Cairo, Egypt, where I will represent the AAE at the PAN Endo/APEC Conference.
In between, I’ve had the privilege of visiting Columbus, Morgantown, Charleston, Montreal, Denver, New Orleans, Prince Edward Island, Paris, Las Vegas, Savannah, Brazil, Washington, D.C., Palm Springs, Toronto, and Chicago… five times.
Our Marketing & Communications team tells me that our media presence this year has reached over 1.3 billion impressions. I’ve completed more than 25 interviews, including two at WGN in Chicago and two in my hometown of Cleveland. I’ve written for Good Housekeeping, Travel & Leisure, The Washington Post, Deseret News, Yahoo, and KevinMD.com. Some articles were endodontics-focused, some weren’t, but each one mentioned the AAE and underscored the value of our specialty. I’ve also recorded three podcasts, continuing to raise awareness of who we are and what we do.
Raising the Bar
When I think about what makes me most proud, my mind goes straight to the work happening at the Board of Directors level. One of the most significant accomplishments has been the update and approval of the joint AAE–AAOMR position statement on the use of CBCT in endodontics. A project begun under the leadership of Dr. Natasha Flake.
The updated statement has been approved and will be published in the JOE in January. This document will not only guide best practices for our specialty but will serve as a long-awaited reference for all of dentistry. We are recognized as the leaders in dental imaging, and we will continue to live up to that expectation.
In addition, your Board approved a new policy that elevates our specialty, clarifies how we partner with outside organizations, and reinforces the excellence expected when representing the AAE globally. There is no compromise when it comes to the standard of practice in endodontics.
We also initiated a forward-looking project on the use of Augmented Intelligence (AI) in endodontics. A dedicated think tank has been created to explore what many experts regard as one of the most transformative developments in human history, compared by Lee Rainey of Elon University to the discovery of fire and the invention of the printing press. The AAE intends to be at the forefront of understanding and guiding AI’s impact within our specialty.
Advocacy in Action
Our advocacy department has been exceptionally active this year. The AAE led the mobilization of endodontists and other specialists in Ohio to protect our right to advertise as specialists.
We have also signed on to legislation across numerous states and at the federal level addressing fluoride access, veterans’ benefits, insurance reform, specialty advertising, and tax policy.
With several dedicated AAE members, I testified at the ADA reference committee hearings and House of Delegates meetings. We faced issues that could have negatively affected our specialty, our autonomy, and our patients. I’m proud to report that every endodontic issue of consequence was resolved in our favor.
And just this past month, the AGD and AAE released a special edition of AGD Impact highlighting the value of endodontics and the strong relationship between endodontists and general dentists, a project more than two and a half years in the making.
Not Done Yet
With a little over four months until AAE26 in Salt Lake City, I’m far from finished. In recent weeks, we have pitched new media stories and responded to requests for additional national features. We also have a second satellite media tour tentatively scheduled for January. The momentum continues.
This is also an important moment to highlight how the AAE is proactively countering online mis and disinformation about endodontic therapy. Through our expanding influencer partnerships, strengthened social media presence, and the continued rollout of our Misinformation Toolkit, we are reaching new audiences with clear, evidence-based messages about the safety and benefits of endodontic care. These efforts are especially timely as a new study in the Journal of Translational Medicine indicates that root canal treatment may be associated with positive improvements in glucose metabolism, lipid profiles, and systemic inflammation — findings that reinforce what endodontists have long known about the broader health implications of treating dental infection at its source. With that Satellite Media Tour scheduled for January, we will have a major opportunity to amplify this story, address longstanding myths, and ensure that accurate, patient-centered information rises above the noise.
Looking Ahead
Serving as your President over these first eight months has been one of the most meaningful and energizing experiences of my career. The travel, the media outreach, the policy work, the board initiatives, the advocacy efforts—none of it matters without the people behind it. Every accomplishment this year has been possible because of the dedication of our members, the passion of our volunteers, the expertise of our educators and clinicians, and the steadfast commitment of our exceptional AAE staff, who work tirelessly behind the scenes to support our mission and elevate our specialty.
Thank you for your trust, your encouragement, and the many ways you continue to strengthen our specialty. I am grateful every day for the privilege of representing the AAE, and I look forward to everything we will achieve together as we head toward AAE26 in Salt Lake City and beyond.
Wishing all of you a happy and healthy holiday season and an excellent New Year!