Page 6 - Bulletin (full)Vol 30 No 1 - Jan. - April 2025 FINAL

Message from the President

Participation Sustains

As our lives have incorporated more technology, so much thought is given to the
benefits, what has gotten easier or more efficient, but very little attention seems
to be given to what is given up in return. This is likely, in part, because so much of
what is lost is more nebulous.

The advent of online learning has significantly increased access to continuing edu-
cation. Online learning eliminates the need for travel; what may have required

days out of the office can now be accessed from the comfort of your own home.
However, in person lectures are more than just an avenue for education, they are
an opportunity to network with peers which lately seems to be substituted more frequently by social

media. While social media has improved our ability to network, there are inherent flaws in its design.
Presently there are few limits to the time of day or the distance between us when receiving feedback, and
the sheer volume of opinions one can receive is staggering. This never-ending stream of information can
be difficult to shut out. And, while the ability to get feedback anonymously has opened the door for den-
tists to seek advice on treatment failures which they may have been otherwise embarrassed to ask about, it
raises its own set of issues. Who should one choose to trust? Does what was once advice offered by some-

one you knew and whose opinion you valued simply become a reliance on the majority?

I won’t deny these modalities offer value, but I would invite you to consider what is lost when they are your
only avenue of connection to other dentists. How readily do you make lasting connections virtually
compared to an in-person meeting? I would argue, you are infinitely more likely to make a genuine
connection when attending a Nassau County Dental Society general membership meeting than sitting at
home online. General membership meetings offer a chance to continually see the same group of dentists
with which you share commonalities. Such meetings also allow you to foster relationships with specialists

with whom you can work directly, improving patient care and establishing a support network.

The dental society fosters an environment of comradery and shared achievement that is enhanced through
active membership. Remember, we are a volunteer led organization and there is only so much each
member can do. This organization is far more powerful with the participation of many. If our membership
numbers are low, the effectiveness of the dental society as a lobbying organization is diminished. While it
is far easier to sit back and criticize the direction we take, if you truly want to make a change you need to
get involved. It is important to recognize the power you hold to make change happen because without an

active membership, the society cannot sustain itself. I would invite all of you to get involved, and, at the
very least, contemplate what we stand to lose.

Elyse Patrella, DDS

2025 President, Nassau County Dental Society

6 | Nassau County Dental Society ⬧ www.nassaudental.org