President’s Message: AAE Leadership Development: An Investment in Our Future

In a year when we are bombarded by news of candidates vying for the presidency of the United States, it seems appropriate to consider the meaning of leadership and what constitutes a great leader. It is a topic of great relevance and import to our Association since our future as a viable organization depends on our ability to identify and develop leaders today. Your Board of Directors has made leadership development a priority. I was interested to find that the subject has undergone extensive research both in the social and hard sciences. This is understandable since effective leadership is a global concern for businesses and organizations. After all, your leaders can take your group to stunning heights or bring you to a standstill!

Presidential Profile: Linda G. Levin, D.D.S., Ph.D.

Throughout her career, Dr. Linda G. Levin has focused her efforts on strengthening the endodontic specialty. As an educator, she has ensured that future dentists receive quality endodontic training to provide superior patient care. As a researcher, she has advanced the specialty’s knowledge by authoring numerous peer-reviewed articles and book chapters in endodontics and pulp biology. And as an organized dentistry leader, she has worked to address issues that affect endodontists, so the specialty can continue to thrive for years to come. Now Dr. Levin is taking on her newest challenge – president of the AAE – with that same focus and determination.

President’s Message: Swan Song

I am at the end. the end of my year as president of the AAE.

It has been a challenging year, but a rewarding one. My mantra has been “onward and upward,” a battle cry adopted as we transitioned from an exiting executive director to our acting executive director, Ms, Trina R. Andresen Coe. I have called on our staff and Board of Directors to move forward with focused determination, pride and strength. And soon, we will do so under a new executive director, Mr. Kenneth J. Widelka, who will bring energy and leadership to the AAE.

President’s Message: California, Here We Come

I can see the Golden Gate Bridge in my mind’s eye and am looking forward to AAE16 with anticipation! I’m excited for so many reasons – to witness a year of planning come to fruition, to share the culmination of a challenging year as president, to connect with friends from all over the world, to celebrate our successes and to have the opportunity to talk to the membership about the issues facing our specialty. AAE16 has all the makings of one of the top meetings in our history. It is difficult to keep the annual meeting fresh and innovative, but this year’s planning committee rose to the challenge and developed an event that’s as dynamic and vibrant as the city of San Francisco.

President’s Message: Women in Leadership: Shattering the Operatory Ceiling

The AAE Board of Directors attended the opening session at the 2015 American Dental Association meeting in Washington, D.C. ADA President Dr. Maxine Feinberg and President-Elect Dr. Carol Gomez Summerhays were insightful, dynamic, professional and poised. Watching them on stage got me thinking about dentistry and how the gender landscape, demographics and economics are changing. Along with the profession’s transformation as a result of changes in the dental marketplace, a new trend in leadership is emerging. Developing an executive team whose composition reflects its membership is of increasing importance.