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An Auspicious Development: ADA Sesquicentennial

T American Dental Association (ADA) Sesquicentennial celebrations in Hawaii in October 2009 bode well for both the profession’s future and the annals of dental history. The industry of the 2009 ADA House of Delegates was reflected in several accomplishments that included such matters as the resolution supporting tobaccofree school environment policies, the collaboration with other health professionals in addressing the obesity issue, and support for legislative action to prevent dental plans from capping the amount dentists can charge for services not covered by plans. One of the significant accomplishments1 of the House of Delegates in the 150th year of ADA’s existence was the election of the Association’s first African American President-Elect. For this honor the delegates chose Dr. Raymond Gist of Flint, Michigan [Personal communication from Director of Development Foundation, ADA, D. Edwards, Oct. 28, 2009]. Coming on the heels of ADA’s 2009 appointment of its first female Executive Director, the Honolulu achievement looms large and confirms the observation that the Association has not been among “the last to lay the old aside.”2 Furthermore, 18 years ago in 1991 when it selected Dr. Geraldine T. Morrow of Anchorage, Alaska as its first female President and 6 years ago in 2003 when it selected Dr. Eugene Sekiguchi of Monterey Park, California as its first Japanese American President, the ADA and other exemplary health professional organizations were among the “first by whom the new are tried.” This time at the Sesquicentennial observances, Delegates elected one of ADA’s most loyal, dependable and productive members from an equally loyal and dependable constituent Association. Thirty-five years ago, the Michigan State Dental Association joined its fellow constituent in composing a New York/Michigan State Dental Associations’ resolution3 that embraced adoption of a strong anti-discrimination requirement and penalizing state and local dental societies for “nonconformance with the spirit, intent and letter of ADA bylaws.” Dr. Gist, a past president of the contemporary Michigan Dental Association, is a 1966 dental alumnus of the University of Michigan. Incidentally, it is uncanny and of more than passing interest to note that Dr. Gist is the first Michigander to be elected ADA President-Elect since President F. Darl Ostrander served as ADA President in 1967–1968. A highly valued and popular dental professor in the University