ABGD 2019 NEWSLETTER

ABGD President’s Message

American Board of General Dentistry

2019 President's Letter

2018 - 2019 President's Annual Report
As we compete the 35th year as the Board Certification agency for General Dentistry, I am pleased to report that the American Board of General Dentistry is fully engaged in maintaining the highest professional standards. Since its incorporation in 1984, the ABGD has progressively sought to enhance the dental profession through providing a standard of excellence in clinical knowledge. The Certificate is now widely recognized as the highest achievement in comprehensive general dentistry and marks a BC dentist as:
- a holder of exceptional knowledge in the broad area that is General Dentistry
- as a dentist of intense personal commitment
- as a role model in our areas of practice whether it be private practice, academia, or military practice.
I am honored to have served as President of this esteemed organization for 2018-2019 and it has been my pleasure serving our membership and working with my fellow Directors and the Executive Staff as we conducted the business of the ABGD.

Our membership reflects the profession of dentistry on a global scale. There are currently 668 BC dentists and an additional 72 BE dentists registered with the ABGD.
This group includes clinicians and leaders in all aspects of the dental profession. We continue to see a steady number of international candidates challenging the Certificate, recognizing the value of Board Certification in their careers. This is a positive for the Board in our continued efforts for visibility and validation among dental institutions and associations world-wide.

I am beginning my 45th year in dentistry, 31 years in private practice, and for the past 14 years an instructor at an Ivy League institution dental college. The ABGD certificate on my office wall remains my proudest professional achievement. Looking towards the future, I hope the Board continues efforts of making certification more than just a personal goal. We should keep in our sights the recognition of the ABGD and our individual BC dentists as the certifying entity as recognized by all entities (ADA, ABDS) involved in specialty determination.

I am pleased to report that our examinations continue to attract significant numbers of candidates. A total of 48 candidates challenged the WE March 2019, and an additional 24 candidates are scheduled for the July administration of the WE.

We are fully subscribed for the 2019 OE with 52 candidates. Our testing company, Professional Testing, Inc. has observed the OE the past 2 years and affirmed the exam as psychometrically validated. Their several minor recommendations have been implemented in our effort to present a fair and comprehensive exam. As per our decision at the 2018 Fall Board Meeting, we will continue to have a presence from Professional Testing, Inc at each OE to ensure continued validation of our testing protocol. I am particularly pleased with the success of the Oral Standardized Treatment Planning section of the exam. With the hard work of our graders, it has matured over the past several years since its implementation into a well organized and smoothly operating process.

As per our rules, the President is responsible for revising the Study Guide every 2 years. I reviewed and then revised the Guide, replacing 25% of the questions. This is an area the Board may want to review as some questions may no longer be valid.

We look forward to again participating at the AGD Annual Meeting to be held at the Mohegan Casino in CT, July 18-20. The ABGD will have a booth presence with informational materials and promotional items, with Directors and other BC dentists to provide encouragement and answer questions. The ABGD is also scheduled to present the "Getting There" lecture and a Mock Oral Exam to those interested in the certification process. And, of course, the highlight of the meeting is the ABGD reception where we enjoy meeting with our dedicated colleagues.

We have been fortunate in the past for great corporate sponsorship for the ABGD reception but, as of now, we have no sponsorship for this year. I would encourage all of you to identify and contact corporate sponsorship for our event this year.

A highlight of our annual reception is the presentation of the Buddy Boris Award for Distinguished Service. This award recognizes individuals whose service to the ABGD is truly distinguished and reflects the attributes that Buddy possessed - enthusiasm, dedication, commitment, integrity, and selflessness. The 2019 recipient of the Buddy Boris Award is Dr. Randolph Coffey. His service to the Board has been exemplary and I congratulate him on receiving the award.

For the Board, our mission is to elevate the standards and advance the sciences of arts of General Dentistry by encouraging it study and improving its practice. As we begin our Spring Meeting, I want to especially thank each of you, the Directors, who helped the Board function so smoothly over the past year. Your efforts were integral in the success of the past year. A special thanks to Dan for his dedication during his presidency last year and example he set for me. His advice and help were much appreciated. Dan completes 6 years of service on the Board this year and he has been a thoughtful and valuable colleague. Also, I appreciate the guidance, encouragement, and help over the years from our Executive Director, Blayne, and his commitment to the success of this Board.

This year has been particularly rewarding for me and I thank the Board members for allowing me this honor for the past year. I look forward to serving my last year as a Board Director for the 2019-2020 year, working with all of you and the new Board Director, Dr. Deidra McLean.

Dr. Thomas Boyle


NEWS FLASH!

New ABGD Contact Information

Please note the address and phone numbers of the ABGD below.  You are required to send any updates on your personal information directly to the ABGD at these contacts.

American Board of General Dentistry
490 Indian Rocks Rd N., Suite A
Belleair Bluffs, FL 33770

Phone: (561) 809-5491

http://www.abgd.org
assistantABGD@tampabay.rr.com


ABGD Directors  

ABGD Directors serve three (3) year terms, with a maximum of two (2) terms.  The Director’s terms are staggered to provide stability and continuity to the Board.  As Director positions become available, candidate applications submitted to the ABGD are reviewed with qualified candidates being elected by the Board.  Previous service to the Board is a significant factor in the Board’s decision in the election of new directors.  Service to the Board also provides interested candidates with access to Board Directors and Board functions.  It is the intent of the Board to provide opportunities for interested Board Certified general dentists to assist in Board activities and to become a Director candidate.

ABGD Volunteer Opportunities

Service to the American Board  

There are several areas of service activities available to those who are interested in serving the American Board of General Dentistry.   

1) Volunteers for the ABGD Information Booth at the AGD Annual Meeting provide information to prospective Board candidates.

2) Deputy examiners serve to assist the ABGD Directors during the Oral Exam.  The deputy examiners are selected from a pool of interested Board Certified dentists.  

3) Serve as an ABGD Mentor-If you would like to serve as a mentor to candidates who are in the examination process please call or email to add your name to the ABGD Mentor Program.

For all service activities, the Board will attempt to rotate individuals to provide a broad experience in Board activities, and to provide the maximum number of Board Certified members the opportunity to assist in Board activities.

If you would like to volunteer for the ABGD, please send an e-mail to: SandraM@ABGD.org.

Also include your CV and letter stating why you would like to volunteer for the ABGD.

NOTE: Annual registration and CE hours must be current. CV's must be received by August 31st in order to be considered for the subsequent year.


ABGD 2019-2020 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

President, Geneviève Bussière, DMD, ABGD 
LCol Geneviève Bussière graduated from Université de Montréal (U of M) in 1997 and subsequently completed a 1-year Residency at Université Laval (Québec). Before her enrolment in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) in 1999, LCol Bussière worked in private practice in the Montreal area and was also employed as a clinician in the fixed prosthodontics clinic of U of M. Since joining the military, she has been employed on many CAF Bases in various clinical and leadership positions. She completed a 2-Year Advanced Education in General Dentistry Residency Program at Fort Hood, Texas and successfully challenged the American Board of General Dentistry (ABGD) in 2009. She is currently employed at the Canadian Forces Health Services Group Headquarters (Ontario) as Director Dental Services 3 (Plans and Requirements); in that capacity, she is responsible for the selection, force generation and support of dental personnel on domestic and expeditionary operations, looks after the Royal Canadian Dental Corps manning and training requirements, while staying actively involved with clinical care. She is currently the Canadian Armed Forces Forensic Odontology Response Team Lead.
Vice President, Stephen H. Chartier, DDS, MS, ABGD
Dr. Stephen H. Chartier graduated from the University of Detroit-Mercy School of Dentistry in 1996. He earned a Certificate of Residency for completing his Comprehensive Dentistry 2-year AEGD residency at The National Naval Medical Center-Naval Postgraduate Dental School in 2008 and also earned a Master of Science in Health Sciences Degree from George Washington University with a concentration in Oral Biology in 2008. Dr. Chartier has been board certified by the American Board of General Dentistry since 2009. Dr. Chartier is a Colonel in United States Air Force and currently is an Associate Professor at the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences (USUHS) Post-Graduate Dental College. Dr. Chartier is currently the Director of the Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD-1) Residency Program at the Mike O'Callaghan Federal Health Center-Nellis Air Force Base, NV.
Treasurer Eric Danko, DMD, MBA, MAGD, FICD, ABGD  
Dr. Eric Danko is a native of Pennsylvania and is currently the Dental Commander at Fort Huachuca, AZ. He graduated with a B.A. in Biology from Colgate University in 2000 and his D.M.D. from the University of Kentucky in 2004. He entered Active Duty to the Army in 2004, deployed to Iraq on two separate occasions for 19 months total and upon return, completed his Advanced Education Program in General Dentistry – 2 year, at Fort Bragg, NC in 2011. He obtained his board certification in 2012 and his Master of the AGD in 2014. Dr. Danko served as a deputy in 2013, 2016 and as a grader in 2017. He is the immediate past president of the Army Constituent of the Academy of General Dentistry.
Secretary Anthony S. Carroccia, DDS, MAGD, DDOCS, MCSD, ABGD  
Dr. Anthony Carroccia graduated from Meharry Medical College School of Dentistry in 1999. He completed a one year AEGD residency in the US Army at Ft. Campbell, KY. He is a Diplomat of the Dental Organization for Conscious Sedation. He is also a Master of the College of Sedation in Dentistry from the American Dental Society of Anesthesiology. He lectures nationally and teaches certification courses to assistants and hygienists in his state. He became a Master of the Academy of General Dentistry in 2008. In 2013, he was certified by the American Board of General Dentistry. He began serving as a Director in 2017 while continuing to serve in organized dentistry back in Tennessee where he has his private practice.
Bernard Hennessy, DDS, MAGD, ABGD  
Dr. Bernard J. Hennessy graduated from the University of Illinois -College of Dentistry in 1986. He completed a 2 year AEGD program at Fort Hood, Texas in 1998. He has served as program director for AEGD programs at Fort Hood Texas, Fort Meade Maryland, and Fort Sill Oklahoma. He achieved ABGD board certification in 2000 and currently serves as a Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Diagnostic Science, Texas A&M University College of Dentistry.
Andrew T. Stewart DDS, MAGD, ABGD  
Dr. Stewart graduated from the Pensylvania State University in 1989 with a degree in biology. After graduating from Temple University School of Dentistry in 1993, he spent one year as the Resident at the Lancaster Cleft Palate Clinic. He earned his AGD Mastership in 2006. In 2009 he became a Diplomate of the American Board og General Dentistry. He belongs to several scientific dental organizations including the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, the American Society of Forensic Ondontology, The Pennsylvania Dental Identification Team, and the Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Team of the Federal Department of Health and Human Services. He currently is President-Elect of the Pennsylvania Academy of General Dentistry.
Dedra McClean  





American Board of General Dentistry

490 Indian Rocks Rd N.  Suite A
Belleair Bluffs, FL  33770
Telephone: 561-809-5491
Website: ABGD.org

Executive Director
Dr. Blayne Gumm

Email: SandraM@Tampabay.rr.com

Annual Dues

The first notice of the Annual Dues will be sent September 1st. The 2nd notice is sent as a courtesy in December. Please be sure to have your correct contact information, including current address, e-mail and telephone number(s) on file with ABGD. The ABGD kindly requests your assistance in keeping your contact information current. Please note; Change of contact information with other dental organizations such as, ADA or AGD does not update your contact information in the ABGD database. You must notify ABGD in order to update your records accordingly.

The ABGD Board Certified Annual Dues are $125 if paid prior to December 31st, or $175 from January 1 through August 31st.

The ABGD Board Eligible and Conditionally Board Eligible Annual Dues are $50 if paid prior to December 31st or $65 from January 1st through August 31st.


Failure to pay the Annual Dues and/or failure to recertify each five (5) year period for Board Certified will result in a loss of one's certification. Please do your part to remain in good standing.


Do You Have a Conditional Board Eligible Status?

The American Board assesses a conditional status to candidates who have yet to complete the requirements of their entry point. Examples of incomplete Entry Point requirements include: failure to submit documentation of the completion of your residency, for Entry Point I, less than the 600 CE hours submitted for Entry Point II, or failure to submit a copy of Mastership Certificate for Entry Point III. Candidates who have a conditional Board Eligible status must complete all entry point requirements before a candidate will be allowed to apply for or sit for the Oral Examination. If you are unsure of your current status, please contact the ABGD office for more information.


American Board of General Dentistry 2020 Testing Information

Exam Type
Location
Exam Date
2020
Application Deadline
Written Exam
March 6
January 16
Oral Exam
Tampa, FL, Doubletree Suites by Hilton Tampa Bay
April 23-26
February 1
Written Exam
Written Exam
AGD Meeting: Caesar's Palace, Las Vegas, NV
Military Facility
TBD
April 6


ABGD Logo

The ABGD has an official logo readily available for use on stationery, business cards and your business Web sites. Use of the ABGD logo is currently restricted to Board Certified demtists only who are in good standing with the ABGD. In order to obtain the logo files, all interested BC dentists must sign the logo guideline documentation that outlines the framework in which the ABGD logo may be used. All logo files are sent by electronic means via e-mail. If you are interested in obtaining the official ABGD logo, please send a written request to the ABGD office.

ABGD Logo Guidelines


New Board Certified Dentists

The Board congratulates the following dentists who attained Board Certification in 2019:

2019 New Board Certified
Fatima Yahya AlBishry, BDS, MS
Asma M S S Aldousari, BDM, MS
Ali Robaian Alqahtani, B.D.S, M.S.
Aaron H. Amano, DDS
William J. Belknap, DDS
Joseph F. Carey, DMD
Dean Chuenklung, DDS
Matthew W. Dekow, DMD
Wendy S. Foster, DDS, MS
Daniel J. Fuhrmann, DMD
Joseph L. Gedge, DDS
George M. Hankewycz, DMD
Dalal Hasan, BDM
Elise V. Hurrell, DMD
Jonathan P. Kruze, DDS, MS
Doris K. Lam, DMD, MS
James H. Leale, DDS
Elizabeth M. Litman, DDS, MS
Edward W. Lumpkins, DDS
Prescott A. McWilliams, DMD
Terrell M. Mitchell, DDS
Jared A. Moberg, DDS, MS
Elizabeth L. Morris, DMD
Larry L. Munk, DDS
Teneshia S. Nelson-Hodges, D.D.S.
Kristie L. Partin-Agarwal, RN, DMD, MS
Kyle P. Reed, DDS
McKinley D. Soult, DMD
Walter B. Volinski Jr., DMD
Anna Yoo, DMD


New Board Eligible and Conditionally Board Eligible Dentists

The Board congratulates the following dentists who attained Board Eligible status in 2019:

Moayad Alamri
Autumn Becker
Ryan Gard
Reham Alsamman
Keane Lindblad
Abdullah Alnahdi
Abdulaziz Alwaqyan
Erik Anderson
Kevin Kemarly
Collin Holman

Conditionally Eligible in 2019

Mohammed Aljaffary
Abdullah Albelali
Mohammed AlMana
Hi Hong Park
Hassan Alzamil
Randal Paris
Miles Renick
Andrew Ellis
Scott Walker
Clay Jensen
Coleman Christensen
Richard Bartol
Mitchell Checchi
Alan Chen


Reminders

  • To change to Retired Status, submit a letter to the Board verifying you no longer earn income from the profession of dentistry.

  • Candidates with the status of “Educationally Qualified” have five years and three attempts in which to pass the Written Examination.  

  • Once a candidate attains a Board Eligible status, that candidate then has five years in which to complete the Board Certification process.  

  • Candidates who are granted a Conditional Board Eligible will not be allowed to sit for the Oral Examination until they have achieved the status of Board Eligible.  Conditionally Board Eligible Candidates must complete all of the requirements of their Entry Point before they are granted the status of Board Eligible.  Conditionally Board Eligible candidates have five years to achieve Board Eligible status and pass the Oral Examination.  

  • Oral Exam applications must be submitted to the Board by February 1st of the year in which one wishes to sit for the exam.  Candidates must indicate which track they wish to pursue when they submit their Oral Examination application.

  • A PowerPoint presentation on the Standardized Treatment Planning and Rationale portion of the Oral Exam, as well as guidelines and sample cases can be found on this website under the Board Exams header, at the "Study Aids" dropdown.

  • Interested in giving a presentation to a residency program about the American Board of General Dentistry and the benefits of becoming Board Certified? Contact the ABGD office.

  • The ABGD Board offers an Outcomes Assessment Examination to assist AEGD/GPR program directors in assessing their residents’ progress and programs, as well as to fulfill the accreditation requirements for post-graduate programs, as revised by CODA in January 2000.  If you are a Program Director and would like more information on the Outcomes Assessment Examination program, please contact the ABGD office at (561) 809-5491.  

  • ABGD Lapel Pins are available.  Purchase an official American Board of General Dentistry Lapel pin.  To order your official ABGD lapel pin, send a check for $25 or contact the ABGD office directly with your credit card information.  Expect 10-14 business days for delivery.  

  • The ABGD Written Exam Study Guide is now available.  For assistance to those preparing for the ABGD Written Examination a Study
    Guide is available that contains 100 sample study questions, reflecting the content make-up of the Written Examination.  To order your official ABGD Study Guide, send a check for $45 or contact the ABGD office directly with your credit card information.  Expect 10-14 business days for delivery.

  • The ABGD Oral Examination Treatment Planning Study Guide is now available. For assistance to those preparing for the ABGD Oral Examination a Study Guide is available. To order your official ABGD Oral Examination Treatment Planning Study Guide, send a check for $45 or contact the ABGD office directly with your credit card information. Expect 10-14 business days for delivery.

Recertification – Questions & Answers

1) What is the Recertification requirement?

Board Certified (BC) dentists must recertify their credential every five years in order to maintain their status once they have been granted a Board Certified status by the American Board of General Dentistry (ABGD). Deadline for submission of CE hours is August 31st of the year due.

2) What is required to Recertify?

Board Certified dentists must submit 125 continuing education hours in clinical, basic science or regulatory matters related to dentistry within their five-year period.

3) Is there a fee for Recertifying?

Yes, Board Certified dentists must submit a $75 recertification fee with their continuing education hours.  The recertification fee is in addition to the annual registration fee.

4) Will I be notified of my pending recertification?

Board Certified dentists will receive notification one-year prior to their pending recertification.

5) Is there a penalty for not Recertifying?

Failure to meet recertification requirements will result in a loss of Board Certified status and the revocation of one’s certificate.

6) How can I find out when I need to Recertify?

Contact the ABGD office at 561.809.5491 or e-mail us at assistantABGD@tampabay.rr.com.

Recertification - Rules and Procedures