C2 N EWS Endo Tribune U.S. Edition | April 2021 Dr. John J. Stropko, inventor of Stropko Irrigator, retires After six decades in dentistry, John J. Stropko, DDS, a microendodontist and inventor, has retired. He has handed the manufacturing and sale of the Stropko Irrigator to Vista Apex. Dr. Stropko had an extensive career. Af- ter receiving his DDS from Indiana Uni- versity in 1964, he served as a captain in the Air Force Dental Corp until 1966. For the next 24 years, he had a private prac- tice limited to adult restorative dentistry. In 1987, he was accepted into the post- graduate endodontic program to study under Dr. Herbert Schilder at Boston University and received his Endodontic Specialty Certificate in 1989. Stropko had many achievements in his career. In 1995, as an adjunct assistant professor, he was responsible for starting the micro-endodontic program at Boston University. He contributed to textbooks and published an extensive clinical mor- phology study in the Journal of Endodon- John J. Stropko, DDS tics in June 1998. He is also a well-known lecturer with numerous presentations and live micro-surgical demonstrations given worldwide. Stropko is currently the program ad- ministrator for the Horizon Dental Insti- tute in Scottsdale, Ariz. He and his wife, Barbara, reside in Prescott, Ariz. “Dr. Stropko has made enormous strides in the advancement of micro- “ AAE21 , page C1 “ UNDERSERVED , page C1 The Opening General Session, taking place Wednesday from 4:30 to 6 p.m. (CDT), will feature singer-songwriter John Ondrasik as keynote speaker. On- drasik has spent the past decade writing deeply personal songs that include social messages, invoke the human spirit and make an emotional connection. With the past six albums by Five For Fighting, the hockey moniker stage name under which he performs, Ondrasik has seen multi- tudes of successes. Among the many educational high- lights of AAE21, Dr. Yoshi Terauchi will present his session, “Do You Know In- strument Retrieval Is Much Easier and More Predictable Than You Think It Is?” on Wednesday at 2:30 p.m. (CDT). Terau- chi will offer his expertise to help par- ticipants discover the best techniques for instrument retrieval. Opening welcome remarks will be of- fered on Wednesday from 9:50 to 10 a.m. (CDT). The General Assembly will take place Friday from 10 to 11:30 a.m. The Ed- gar D. Coolidge Awards will be presented Saturday from 4:30 to 6 p.m. “You can always count on the AAE to provide unparalleled endodontic educa- tion, and the lineup for AAE21 is no dif- ferent,” meeting organizers said. “With a combination of live presentations and session recordings on demand, AAE21 will keep you busy with flexible opportu- nities to earn up to 56 C.E. credits.” (Source: American Association of Endodontists) support of U.S. Endo Partners, a manage- ment services group that partners with top-tier endodontists throughout the United States to collaborate and grow their practices. U.S. Endo Partners is sup- porting the new Domestic Access to Care Program in full with a monetary com- mitment from 2021 to 2025. “Since day one of starting our company, elevating patient care and the specialty of endodontics have been our top priorities. Giving our support to this initiative was a very easy choice to make. By partnering with the Foundation for Endodontics, we are providing everyone in our country, particularly the underserved, the oppor- tunity to save their teeth and experience just how life-changing that can be. Ev- eryone wins: Our specialty, endodontists, but most importantly, our patients,” said Dr. Kirk A. Coury, founding partner, U.S. Endo Partners and past treasurer or the Foundation for Endodontics. “The new AAE program will be a game changer,” said Dr. Juheon Seung, chair of the foundation’s Special Committee on Outreach. “With this funding, we will be able to bring the highest level of specialist care to underserved communities, which wouldn’t have happened otherwise. There are a lot of great socially conscious endodontists who want to help with our specialized skills but who haven’t had the resources to make a difference on a scale that will have significant impact.” Visit aae.org/foundation/AccessUSA to learn more or to apply. endodontics. His knowledge, commit- ment and engagement made a profound difference that will have a lasting impact. We’re honored to have the opportunity to carry on his legacy,” said Scott Lamer- and, CEO of Vista Apex. “The Stropko Ir- rigator is in capable hands at Vista Apex. Vista Apex manufactures and distributes many products designed to provide safe, efficient delivery of solutions. Stropko Ir- rigator helps us further that passion.” Lamerand added: “Dr. John Stropko ex- udes passion for dentistry. His career is evidence of that. I think that I can speak for most that we are thankful for Dr. Stropko’s contributions to the dental in- dustry and wish him and his family the very best following his retirement. That said, I expect to speak with him regularly to be sure we continue doing things the right way.” (Source: Vista Apex) About the Foundation for Endodontics Founded in 1966 as the philanthropic arm of the American Association of En- dodontists, the Foundation for Endodon- tics (a 501(c)3 charity) encourages and raises capital investment necessary to sustain and further develop the special- ty. Over the years, both its mission and activities have evolved into four areas: research, education, outreach and devel- opment. By focusing on these four con- centrations, the foundation assists mem- bers of AAE in the pursuit of excellence in their field and furthers the vision to support endodontists in their efforts to save natural teeth whenever possible. Throughout its fundraising activities, initiatives and strategic planning, the foundation upholds core values of integ- rity, accountability, responsiveness, in- novation, collaboration and impact. The foundation supports every accredited endodontic program in the United States and Canada. For more information, vis- it foundation.aae.org. About U.S. Endo Partners U.S. Endo Partners is a specialty services partnership for endodontists — a col- laboration of endodontic specialists and business experts working together to pursue excellence and growth in patient care and business. U.S. Endo Partners provides comprehensive operational support services, peer-to peer leadership and mentoring; applies best practices and innovative new technologies; and re- invests resources to improve clinical and financial performance. For more infor- mation, visit usendopartners.com. 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