Dr. Brendan Dowd spoke about how organized dentistry, even at the local level, can have far reaching ramifications by highlighting how the Eighth District Dental Society’s battle with the local government to fluoridate their water supply has made national news. Dr. Dowd reported how ADA membership has decreased to about 57% which led to changes in how the ADA does business. As ADA trustee, Dr. Dowd asked anyone who has recommendations for improvements at the ADA and the over 160 programs they run to speak with him and he will forward it to the proper channels. He is also looking forward to a new system of communication that the ADA will be introducing that is more member focused. Dr. Dowd concluded by asking everyone to root for the remaining New York football team (Buffalo Bills) still in contention for winning the Super Bowl. NYSDA President Dr. Anthony Cuomo then took the stage and said that “the SDDS has always been a beacon to professional integrity and service to the community” and spoke highly about the SDDS Loan Forgiveness program. He praised SDDS Executive Director Mr. Bernard Hackett and gave some presidential advice to Dr. QuarteySagaille, particularly in forming a team of individuals comparable to herself to help achieve her goals during her presidential year. Dr. Cuomo then thanked Dr. Gounardes for all his amazing service in every aspect of dental leadership. He also acknowledged the service and contributions of NYSDA Trustee Dr. John Demas and former Trustee Dr. Mitchell Mindlin, along with Immediate Past President Dr. Flagiello. Dr. Flagiello’s farewell address commenced with congratulations to the SDDS Distinguished Service award recipient Dr. Steven Gounardes. He also pledged his support to Dr. Maria Maranga, who is running for president-elect of the ADA, and asked the audience to donate to her campaign. He spoke proudly of what was accomplished during his term in office and in the continuance of the SDDS Loan Forgiveness Program year, and the many young new Brooklyn and Staten Island dentists it has helped by giving some substantial relief to their educational debt. The SDDS has awarded $200,000 this year, and cumulatively well over a million dollars to developing dentists. He proceeded by thanking the BOT, officers and SDDS trustee to NYSDA, Dr. John Demas. Dr. Flagiello also thanked Dr. Richard Oshrain, the outgoing general chairman of the Greater New York Dental Meeting (GNYDM), the “number one dental meeting in the United States,” along with the newly elected general chairman of the GNYDM, Dr. John Young, Jr. and GNYDM General Manager Mr. Tom Loughlin. He concluded by thanking the SDDS staff for their amazing work, wished incoming SDDS President Dr. Tricia Quartey-Sagaille all the best and gave her his full support. Leaving the best for last, Dr. Flagiello thanked his wife, Meredith, and said he loved her with all his heart. Dr. Mitchell Mindlin, past president of the SDDS and former trustee to NYSDA, was then invited up to the podium by Dr. Flagiello to take his place as installing officer. Dr. Mindlin then installed our remarkable, capable and dedicated leaders, the 2024 officers: Treasurer Dr. Cherry Libramonte, Secretary Dr. Phyllis Merlino, Vice President Dr. Valerie Venterina, President-Elect Dr. Paul Teplitsky and SDDS President Dr. Tricia Quartey-Sagaille. They were sworn in with smiling faces and resounding standing ovations. Dr. Tricia Samantha Naa Kwale Quartey-Sagaille, 144th president and first Black woman president of the SDDS, mesmerized the crowd with her presidential speech. She started off with recognition of her parents and siblings. Dr. Quartey-Sagaille’s mother is a nurse and her father is a podiatrist, both of whom emigrated to America from Ghana. Her brother, Lambert, is a physical therapist and photographer; her brother Preston has a master’s in physical therapy and is a world-renowned DJ, fine artist and barber; and her youngest brother Michael is a lawyer and former NFL agent. Dr. Quartey-Sagaille thinks her “desire to help others come from the collectivist upbringing from my African roots.” Her involvement in organized dentistry stems from her involvement during dental school, where she was vice president of the Student National Dental Association and national board member at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (now Rutgers School of Dental Medicine), where she graduated from in 2009. Afterward, she attended an AEGD program at Lutheran Medical Center and simultaneously moonlighted as a dental hygienist, gaining knowledge in practice management from all the offices at which she worked. Some of the other jobs she held were at Federally Qualified Health Centers in Brooklyn, DSOs and in private practice. She also worked as an attending at a hospital clinic. All these experiences taught her that we as dentists “instead of finding reasons that we are different, we must unify as experts in our field and find common ground in order to adequately advocate for ourselves.” Dr. Quartey-Sagaille remembered how she opened her practice and after five years was overwhelmed with patients, but was somehow not producing enough to continue operations, so she dropped off dental insurances and now six years later has expanded her office to seven operatories and has a periodontist and endodontist working there. Expounding on her personal life, she thanked her husband, Noel, and spoke about her trials in conceiving her two-year-old son, Kendrick. She talked about having to rush “back to work after giving birth when bonding with your baby is more important” and expressed that “women should not have to feel this guilt.” Although faced with many roadblocks to her career in dentistry, Dr. QuarteySagaille credited and is thankful that “my African parents created a steadfast unwavering young lady who would be fueled by others telling me no.” Dr. Quartey-Sagaille would like to give member dentists a voice and create opportunities for volunteerism at the SDDS. She will be focusing on unity, representation and inclusion during her presidency. She then very enthusiastically described how the SDDS will institute, for the first time, a new hands-on CE course series at SDDS Headquarters, along with the help of SDDS New Dentist Committee Chair Dr. Theressa Eliscar-Hewett. With much thanks and appreciation, Dr. Quartey-Sagaille mentioned Continued from Page 3 » SDDS President Dr. Tricia Quartey-Sagaille (center) and the rest of the 2024 SDDS officers. From left to right: Dr. Cherry Libramonte (treasurer), Dr. Valerie Venterina (vice president), Dr. Phyllis Merlino (secretary) and Dr. Paul Teplitsky (president-elect) 4 SDDS BULLETIN JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024 — VOLUME 41 ◊ NUMBER 1
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