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The Academy of Prosthodontics Founded in 1918

One of the 3 founders of The Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry, 1951

MISSION STATEMENT
The Academys mission is to promote the art and science of prosthodontics to the profession and the public, to disseminate knowledge concerning prosthodontics throughout the profession, to encourage study and investigation of the various phases of prosthodontics and related subjects, and to provide or conduct outreach services to the community of need.

HISTORY
In 1918, a few distinguished dentists particularly interested in prosthetic dentistry questioned the present status of that phase of dentistry. They sought to learn the extent of differences in the techniques and concepts used in different parts of the country. Furthermore, it was believed that the anatomic, physiologic, and technical facets of prosthetics could and should be correlated, developed, and enlarged. The National Dental Association meeting of 1918 was held in Chicago, Ill. Dr Milus M. House and Dr I. Lester Furnas were staying at the Congress Hotel. On the evening of August 3, 1918, they received a phone call from Dr George H. Wilson of Cleveland who asked to meet with them and discuss the formation of a prosthetic society. Dr Giffen, President of the National Dental Association, was staying at the hotel and was also invited to attend the meeting. A lively discussion ensued. The following day Drs Furnas, House, Wilson, B. F. Thielen, and Alex Patterson agreed to personally invite as many interested colleagues as they could contact to gather on August 6th for a mid-day luncheon meeting at the Congress Hotel. Dr Giffen was absent because of his commitment to the National Dental Association meeting, while 31 of the invited 49 were present. Dr Dayton Dunbar Campbell was elected Chairman and Dr Alex Patterson, Secretary. Dr George H. Wilson led a discussion concerning the need for, the purpose of, and the usefulness of the proposed prosthodontic organization. Chairman Campbell appointed a committee to suggest a name and draw up a constitution and bylaws for the new organization. The group met again on August 9th and the first officers were unanimously named. They were Drs George H. Wilson, Honorary President; William A. Giffen, President; Milus M. House, 1st Vice-President; Alex Patterson, 2nd Vice-President; Dayton D. Campbell, Secretary; and Russell W. Tench, Treasurer (Fig. 1).
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Drs George B. Snow and J. Leon Williams were selected as Honorary Members. The 2-year Councilmen were Drs Claude J. Stansbury and W. E. Cummer. This group became the first Executive Council. It functioned much the same as todays Executive Council of the Academy of Prosthodontics. In 1918 the terms Full Denture and Prosthetics were almost synonymous. One suggestion for an organization name was the American Full Denture Society. During the search for a suitable name, Dr Wilson suggested The National Society of Denture Prosthetists, which was unanimously accepted and was retained for nearly 20 years. The 1921 meeting consisted of 14 lectures. Approximately 10 men constructed dentures for their patients, performing all necessary clinical and laboratory procedures themselves. At the 1922 meeting, the completed Constitution and Bylaws of The National Society of Denture Prosthetists was presented to the membership. It was a concise document and each committee was named, with related functions described. The programs of the early meetings were composed of essays, discussions, demonstrations, and clinical participation. During that era, members came to the place of meeting by train. Many brought their own patients. Most meetings were 2 weeks long. They began in the early morning, lasted throughout the day, and into the night. In 1923, after a lengthy and heated discussion, it was decided to have an essayist present the subject of removable partial dentures on the following years program. As the discipline of prosthodontics was evolving, it became apparent that there was a need to establish prosthodontics as a specialty of dentistry and a method to ascertain the level of an individuals prosthodontic knowledge. Nine Academy Fellows (Drs Kingery, Hooper, Dresen, McLean, Elliott, Hardy, Stansbury, Boucher, and Tench) were designated to establish the American Board of Prosthodontics. The American
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Fig. 1. The 1920 meeting in Boston with Charter Fellows and their families. Dr M. M. House was President.

Fig. 2. The 50th-Year Anniversary of the Academy of Prosthodontics in New Orleans, La., in 1968. Dr Daniel H. Gehl was President.

Board of Prosthodontics was incorporated in the state of Illinois February 21, 1947. The Academy of Prosthodontics sponsored the Board Examinations for 25 years, a process that further refined the specialty. In 1972 the Academy relinquished sponsorship of the Board to the Federation of Prosthodontic Organizations (FPO) and subsequently, on the dissolution of the FPO, to the American College of Prosthodontists.
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In 1940 the Council of the National Society of Denture Prosthetists voted to change the name of the organization to the Academy of Denture Prosthetics. The action was ratified by the membership, and the name remained the same from 1941 to 1991. The words study, investigate, promote, and disseminate were embraced as a succinct mission statement and placed onto the Academys seal. After a period of long delibVOLUME 83 NUMBER 1

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Fig. 3. Dr. Charles Swoope, Past President-1994, presented Dr. Howard S. Payne, Past President-1967, an award for his dedication to the Academy and for 50 years of continuous membership and attendance in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, in 1999.

Fig. 4. Photograph of current Academy Officers. Seated (l-r): Drs Richard J. Grisius, Vice-President, Edward J. Plekavich, President, Howard M. Landesman, President-Elect. Standing: Drs Jonathan P. Wiens, Recording Secretary and Gary S. Rogoff, Secretary-Treasurer.

eration late in the 1980s, the Council of the Academy of Denture Prosthetics unanimously recommended to place a name change of the organization to the Academy of Prosthodontics before the membership. The name change was proposed to better represent the broad range of treatment provided by prosthodontists. In 1990, the membership voted to make a Constitutional name change and at the 1991 Annual meeting in Wintergreen, Va., the change was subsequently ratified.

MEMBERS
Members of the Academy are known as Fellows. Categories of Fellowship include Honorary, Life, Active, and Associate. Fellowship is by invitation and is limited to a number of Active and Associate Fellows. Currently, the total membership of all Fellows is 130. The membership is broad-based, representing prosthodontic areas of research, education, and clinical practice. Members reside primarily in the United States and Canada, but also in Europe and Mexico. There is a close professional and social relationship between the Fellows of the Academy, as well as their families. Mentoring for development of professional leadership and the exchange of educational concepts are prevalent. Dr Howard S. Payne, a Past-President and Academy Life Fellow, who has the longest continuous membership and attendance of half a century, best represents the commitment to the Academy by its members. The Academy recognized his contributions at the 1999 meeting in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Annual meetings are 4 to 5 days in duration in the month of May. Scientific Programs are open to all interested dentists as invited guests of an Academy member or the Executive Council. Scientific Programs consist of scholarly essays with critical analyses or reviewed disJANUARY 2000

cussions, poster presentations to encourage new ideas and talents, and workshops designed to meet impending scientific or educational needs of the dental community. Scientific programs exemplify leading-edge technologies and current trends in scientific research. Recent programs have championed evidence-based dentistry, whereby scientific research rigor is applied to clinical dentistry. Essayists are encouraged to submit their papers for publication in The Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry, the official journal of the Academy.

LEADERSHIP PROSTHODONTICS
The Academy had been responsible for preparing many prosthodontic documents. The Academy is 1 of the 3 organizations that founded The Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry in 1951. The Academy continues to maintain the Glossary of Prosthodontic Terms, which is in its 7th edition and is accepted worldwide as the leading source of prosthodontic terminology. Other prosthodontic organizations are encouraged to provide new terms and definitions to the Nomenclature Committee for revisions of the Glossary. Although no longer published, the Principles, Practices and Concepts in Prosthodontics was a document outlining generally accepted ideas, methods, and techniques in the clinical practice of prosthodontics and became a valuable reference. The Academy has long recognized the ongoing need to support education, research, and the clinical practice of prosthodontics. As a result, the Educational and Research Foundation of Prosthodontics was founded at the 1960 meeting (Fig. 2). In 1989, the Federation of Prosthodontic Organizations sponsored a National Symposium held at the Mayo Clinic addressing current and future aspects of prosthodontic education,
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Fig. 5. Councilors, seated (l-r): Drs George A. Murrell, Rhonda F. Jacob, James L. Lord, Second Past President-1998. Standing: Drs Gary R. Goldstein, Clifford W. VanBlarcom, and Gerald N. Graser, third Past President-1997.

Fig. 6. Academy Outreach project in Oklahoma. Left to right: Drs Donald C. Kramer, Brien R. Lang, James B. Lepley, Eric J. Rasmussen (Community Outreach Chair); Govenor Anoatubby, of the Chickasaw Nation; Drs Gary S. Rogoff, Dale E. Smith, Edward J. Plekavich, and Robert E. Gillis.

research, and education for the 21st century. The Academy of Prosthodontics was essential to its development and implementation. The recommendations, which resulted from that undertaking, are still being acted on. The Academy of Prosthodontics Foundation superceded the Education and Research Foundation in 1991. The AP Foundation provides grants for educational purposes, outreach projects, and to advanced students in prosthodontics at dental schools and teaching hospitals for the conduct of scientific research. Research findings resulting from such grants are usually presented before the fellowship of the Academy at the Annual Meeting. Academy Fellows have participated in community service-outreach projects providing prosthodontic care over the past 10 years. Prosthodontic treatment has been provided by Academy Fellows and other interested individuals to Native Americans who otherwise could not afford or did not have access to care in remote areas of Alaska, Montana, Oklahoma, and Utah. The White House, in a letter received from President Clinton, acknowledged the Academys members and outreach programs highlighting these humanitarian efforts. In 1993, the Academy celebrated its 75th anniversary in Vancouver, British Columbia, and remains the oldest prosthodontic organization in existence. The Academy revisited its mission, goals and objectives at a special meeting in Crystal City, Va., in 1995. New goals were identified, which included maintaining and improving recognition for the scientific program, facilitating and nurturing leadership, achieving acknowl-

edgment for the outreach-community service program, impacting the manner in which prosthodontic service is delivered to the public, and providing the opportunity for the introduction of innovative technology with the provision of adequate resources to achieve these goals (Figs. 3 through 6).

ANNUAL MEETINGMAY 2000

In May 2000, the Academy will celebrate its 82nd Annual Meeting in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada, at the Le Chateau Frontenac. President Edward J. Plekavich will preside over the meeting with Dr Howard M. Landesman as President-Elect and VicePresident Richard J. Grisius serving as chair of the Scientific Program. Dr Gary S. Rogoff has served as the Academys Secretary-Treasurer and Jonathan P. Wiens has served as Recording Secretary for the past 3 years. The balance of the Executive Council is made up of Dr George A. Zarb, Immediate Past President, and Councilors: Dr George A. Murrell, Dr Clifford W. VanBlarcom, Dr Gary R. Goldstein, and Dr Rhonda F. Jacob. The place of meeting in the year 2001 will be the Eldorado Hotel in Santa Fe, N.M., and will be the meeting at which the Academy honors and officially celebrates the 50th anniversary of the JPD. The Academy continues to grow steadily by attracting young prosthodontists who understand and embrace its mission and, in the process, expand and share their knowledge for the betterment of the Academy, its fellows, and the dental community.

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