Dental Tribune U.S. Edition

DENTAL TRIBUNE | December 2011 ASDA Review 9A AD Among the presenters at the ASDA meeting: Drs. Paul Belvedere, from left, Irwin Smigel and David L. Hoexter. In photo on right: Drs. George Freedman, from left, Fay Goldstep and Howard Glazer. Canada, China, England, France, Korea, Japan, the Philippians and the United States were represented at the meeting. (Photos/Provided by Dr. David Hoexter) “The sunshine of your smile” lyrics from Stevie Wonder aptly describe the 35th annual meeting of the American Society of Dental Aesthetics (ASDA). The group met in Amelia Beach, Fla., Oct. 19–22, celebrating its 35th anni- versary with an array of talented and informative participants and present- ers from Canada, China, England, France, Korea, Japan, the Philippians and the United States. The exhibitor booths were infor- mative, and time was put aside in the overall schedule to ensure exposure of the booths, making the meeting both insightful and profitable. Speaker presentations were wide ranging, covering a broad spectrum, yet they were highly detailed as well. The ASDA continued to stress practicality with breakout, hands-on reinforcement sessions. Practice management lecturer Lisa Philp gave a timely presentation on understanding the personalities of today’s patients. George Freedman, DDS, presented an analysis of den- tal products and their uses. Howard Glazer, DDS, delved into the honesty of current dental product advertise- ments, while Dan Ward, DDS, Paul Belvedere, DDS, and Marvin Fier, DDS, showed successful dental tech- niques made practical. I presented on the use of cosmetic periodontal surgery to improve health, color and root recession coverage to enahnce the background of the smile, thus enhancing the overall smile. Irwin Smigel, DDS, presented the ASDA’s fellowships and honors in one of the meeting’s many festivities. There was truly much to celebrate on the ASDA’s 35th anniversary. About the ASDA Formed in 1976, the ASDA was the first dental society dedicated to den- tal esthetics. Irwin Smigel, DDS, the founding father of the ASDA, is con- sidered the grandfather of esthetic dentistry. Initially the society had three founding fathers: Stan Bierman, Len Linkow and Smigel. However, Smigel forged the path for acceptance of cosmetics in the dental field, lead- ing to the development and enhance- ment of new materials and products to achieve esthetics, durability and functionality in the oral cavity. He is truly the “Super Smile” of esthetic dentistry. The American Society for Den- tal Aesthetics is dedicated to the advancement of esthetics in all phas- es of dental practice. To accomplish such goals, membership is limited to qualifying dentists who are nomi- nated by members of the society. A requirement for continued mem- bership is attendance of at least one meeting every other year. DT By David L Hoexter, DMD, FACD, FICD Editor in Chief Esthetics dentistry annual meeting attracts international participants