Page 3 - GP fall 2023

Guest Editorial
GP SPRING 2019
By Shahram (Sean) Shekib, JD, DDS*
SPRING 2019
and Martin Applebaum, JD, MA**

The Journal of the Why Mediation?
New York State Academy Have you ever felt that the way we try to skillful, humane, cost-effective, time- and
of General Dentistry resolve conflict these days, with each side stress-saving way for people in dispute to

New York State Academy of General Dentistry stuck in its hardened position while view- directly address and transform conflict with
19-02 Whitestone Expressway, Suite 204 ing the other side as nothing more than a one another without going to court.
Whitestone, NY 11357 wrong-headed adversary, isn’t the best way
Telephone: 718-747-3353 Mediation can be used as a tool in virtual-
Fax: 718-747-3355 for people to go forward? Our adversarial
To Contact the NYSAGD, visit our website system of justice surely has its benefits in ly any area of conflict. Some of the areas
at www.nysagd.org terms of protecting legal rights, but in too where mediation is employed to great effect
Janice Pliszczak, DDS, MS, MBA, MAGD many situations, the system is slow, inef- include: provision of services in healthcare
Editor ficient, and costly -- and it almost always and other areas; civil claims; partner-
Analia Veitz-Keenan, DDS, FAGD creates winners and losers, often unneces- ship; business and contract; workplace
Co-Editor sarily creating stress and damaging human and employment; family and divorce; child
Paula Bostick relationships, both business and personal, custody and visitation; surrogate matters;
Executive Director real estate/property/neighbor disputes;
in the process. Should our first thought to
2023 Executive Council solve a dispute be protracted litigation? and eldercare. Yes, in your business life
President – Shahram (Sean) Shekib, DDS, JD, Should our first inclination be that we need as dental professionals, in your personal
FAGD, FICD, FAADS, FPFA, FACD a third party -- a judge or arbitrator -- to relationships, and in your interactions out
2178 63 Street, Brooklyn, NY 11204 solve a problem that those in conflict can- in the world, as a matter of course disputes
rd
not find a way to resolve the issue them- of one kind or another inevitably arise. You
President-Elect – Analia Veitz-Keenan, DDS, FAGD may view conflict as an unhealthy imped-
NYU College of Dentistry, 345 East 24 Street selves?
th
New York, NY 10010 iment to be combated under great duress,
What if there were another way to ap- or you may see conflict as what naturally
Treasurer – Joseph DiDonato, III, DDS, MBA, FAGD proach and resolve conflict? What if there happens when people with different values,
680 South Avenue, Rochester, NY 14620
were a way to have two winners or, at the interests, and needs meet and have to find
Secretary – Berry Stahl, DMD very least, a path where two people could ways to get along or, sometimes, to part
4422 Third Avenue, Bronx, NY 10457 come out of conflict, understanding and re- in a skillful way. Perhaps, when the time
Editor – Janice Pliszczak, DDS, MS, MBA, MAGD specting one another? What if there were comes, you may choose mediation, benefi-
4827 Broad Road, Syracuse, NY 13215 a way that empowers those in conflict to cial in so many ways, as a skillful response
fashion their own outcome together? What to a conflict in your life.
National Trustee – Ira Levine, DDS, MAGD if this approach were quick, efficient, and
111 North Central Park Avenue, Suite 208, * Shahram (Sean) Shekib
Hartsdale, NY 10538 low-cost?
is President of the New
Regional Director – Seung-Hee Rhee, DDS, MAGD Well, there is such an approach. It is called York State Academy
110 East 40 Street, New York, NY 10016 mediation. Mediation is an opportunity for of General Dentistry,
th
Immediate Past-President – Teresa Skalyo, DDS, FAGD those in conflict to safely say to one an- Certified Mediator, and
Co-Founder of Attune
404 W. William Street, Geneva, NY 14456 other why they have come and what they Mediation (www.attune-
want. It is a voluntary, confidential pro-
GP – Journal of the New York State Academy of cess facilitated by an impartial mediator mediation.com).
General Dentistry is published twice a year by
the New York State Academy of General Dentistry. that empowers those in conflict to craft an ** Martin Applebaum
The issues are mailed out in March and September outcome on their own terms. The media- is a member of the
to all the members of the New York State Academy
of General Dentistry and are available on-line tor never makes a judgment in favor of one Mediation Panel of the
at www.nysagd.org. All correspondence should side at the expense of the other. The partic- New York City Family
be addressed to the Editor at 19-02 Whitestone Court and Co-Founder of
Expressway, Suite 204, Whitestone, NY 11357. ipants themselves actually decide what will
The views, opinions and recommendations happen going forward. Mediation is a Attune Mediation (www.
expressed in this publication are those of the attunemediation.com).
respective authors and are not necessarily
endorsed by the Academy of General Dentistry.
Placement of an advertisement in GP – Journal
of the New York State Academy of General
Dentistry does not indicate an endorsement
of its products or services by the Academy of
General Dentistry.
ISSN 2770-2391
www.nysagd.org l Fall 2023 l GP 3