Page 4 - REVISED GP Fall 2021 - ready for posting

From the President

Teresa Skalyo, DDS, FAGD about how perfect it will be in their delicious soup. Some of the
curious villagers come out to ask what they are doing. “Making
Stone Soup the most delicious Stone Soup!” they state, adding, “If only we had
just one onion, it would be perfect.” One villager says, “I have a
Things still aren’t back to how they were “pre- small onion; may I have some when it is done?” “Yes!” respond
Covid”, but each day brings us closer to better the soldiers. Someone else volunteers one carrot, another person
days. By working together and sharing our brings out some cabbage. Soon there is a delicious pot of soup that
thoughts and ideas, we at the NYSAGD can the soldiers and the villagers share together.
help us all minimize our troubles and multiply
our triumphs. This theme of working together By working together, we here at the NYSAGD, along with all of
reminds me of the Russian story, “Stone Soup”. our members, have all made some wonderful “soup” that we are
all sharing. You can help. Reach out to us and let us know your
In the story three soldiers are making their way back home after thoughts and ideas. We are here for you, and the more we know
being away for a long time. They come upon a small town where about what you would like, the better we can serve you. If you are
the villagers have experienced hard times. Everyone shuts their interested in becoming more active in the organization, please con-
windows and doors as they pass. The three soldiers are hungry tact myself, tskalyo@hotmail.com, or Paula Bostick at paulaj@
and still have days to travel before they get home; they need food. nysagd.org. We look forward to adding your thoughts to the soup!
They take the empty pot they have, build a fire, and fill it with
water from the river. They find a large rock and loudly exclaim

From the President-Elect

Shahram (Sean) Shekib, DDS, JD, FAGD, FICD, FAADS, consistent in pursuit of the group’s objectives. A leader must also
FPFA, FACD be committed to change and to be both strategic and tactical in
approach, taking appropriate and necessary risks, willing to
A graduate of Columbia University College of engage in self-sacrifice, to suffer personal attack and even loss
Dental Medicine and Mitchell Hamline School when necessary for the greater good, all the while assessing and
of Law, in a private dental practice and teaching preparing for future challenges. And, certainly, a leader must
setting for the past 25 years, a member of maintain great integrity in the face of the constant temptations
various dental, medical, and bar organizations, of power. Each of us, then, may take on these overarching roles
and having experienced firsthand the various and attitudes. Doing so, there is so much that we may accomplish
legal challenges of our daily profession, I came together.
to realize that it is incumbent upon each of us
to safeguard our profession and the care we A forward-thinking, informed and effective coalition of caring
provide to our patients. Of course, each individual must decide professionals of great integrity seeking to institute the changes
how best to accomplish these goals. necessary to create the most equitable and beneficial oral healthcare
system possible for all: this is the vehicle of true redemption.
In this united effort, each of us needs to be a leader. A leader
can connect and respond to them with sincerity, staying firm and

From the National Trustee

Ira Levine, DDS, MAGD In my recollection, this has been one of the most challenging pe-
riods of time to practice dentistry. I have been out of school long
I recall one of my instructors during my res- enough to experience the HIV crisis. That does not even begin
idency, Fred Ferguson from Stony Brook, to compare to this. Dentistry has been fortunate to weather all of
talking about how he motivates children to the problems that have been presented to us, including economics,
brush their teeth. “The bacteria are poop- and recovered admirably. Recent articles have made it clear that
ing in your mouth. If you don’t brush, your we are doing extremely well with this one. Without a doubt, some
mouth is full of poop.” That fits very well practices have been seriously negatively affected. Some have re-
with a children’s book, “Everyone Poops”, bounded at an astonishing speed, considering the threats that are
by Taro Gomi. I keep the book in my of- still out there. However, we should be proud that we have been
fice and explain that all living things poop, able to keep the level of transmission in the dental office to ex-
including bacteria (germs). It is very interesting watching how tremely low levels.
children and parents respond to that revelation. It is very effective,
especially when you can show plaque on the teeth. Everything takes longer and is harder. Our patients, friends and
families are suffering, but we have been there for them. I would
Sometimes people need the straight truth in a way that shocks them venture to say that most of us have lost someone or know of some-
in order for them to be motivated to make a change in behavior. one who has passed due to the virus. Many have severe financial
issues, have been grinding their teeth to dust, and have seen reac-

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