Dr Cesar R Sabates installed as ADA president

New officers, trustees join ADA leadership

Las Vegas - Cesar R. Sabates, D.D.S., of Coral Gables, Florida, took office Oct. 16 as the 158th president of the ADA - becoming the Association's first Cuban-American president.

Dr. Sabates and the new and returning officers were installed in their offices before proceedings of the ADA House of Delegates this week at SmileCon in Las Vegas.

During his address to the House of Delegates, Dr. Sabates told members that he before them as an example of the American Dream.

"As you may know, I was a child of Castro-era Cuba," he said. "At seven years old, my family boarded a freedom flight to the United States. My parents sacrificed everything to ensure that their children would have the chance to be free and educated here in the land of opportunities."

And as ADA president, Dr. Sabates said he pledges to give the Association his best to help it succeed.

"You can count on me to represent dentistry and to be steadfast in my advocacy, support, and defense of our profession," he said. "I want to unite the ADA in protecting dentistry from excessive regulations and other outside influences that threaten the very principles of our work. I also want to unify the ADA for the sake of strengthening our professional family and our future."

President-elect George R. Shepley, D.D.S., Second Vice President Mark Bronson, D.D.S., and four new trustees also assumed office: James M. Boyle, III, D.D.S., 3rd District; Frank J. Graham, D.M.D., 4th District; Marshall H. Mann, D.D.S., 5th District; and Michele M. Tulak-Gorecki, D.D.S., 9th District. 

Fueled by hard work, persistence and determination, Dr. Sabates rose from being a child of Castro-era Cuba and beat cancer in 2015 to becoming the president of the ADA.

Dr. Sabates received his dental degree from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Dentistry. He has been actively involved at the ADA for many years, previously serving as the 17th District trustee for the ADA Board of Trustees from 2016-20 and as a delegate in the ADA House of Delegates from 2000 to 2016. He is past president of the Florida Dental Association and South Florida District Dental Association.

Dr. Sabates is a member of the Academy of General Dentistry, Hispanic Dental Association, American College of Dentists, International College of Dentists and Pierre Fauchard Academy.

Born in Camaguey, Cuba, Dr. Sabates was the son of a dentist. The Sabates family moved to America in 1967, settling in Kansas City, Missouri, so his father could attend dental school.

Dr. Sabates told the ADA News in September that he initially studied electrical engineering at the University of Miami but ultimately gave into his birthright and enrolled in dental school at the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

He moved back to Miami, opened his solo practice and became more involved in organized dentistry. It was this community of dentists that helped him through as he underwent cancer treatment in 2015.

"My colleagues showed up for me," he said. "My peers took care of my patients when I couldn't. They helped me so I could focus on healing. During the greatest challenge of my life, this community embraced, and made me feel that my work mattered. That my patients matters. That I mattered. That's the impact that our dental family has had on me."

President-elect

Dr. Shepley is the immediate past trustee of the ADA's 4th District. He previously served as president of the Maryland State Dental Association from 2013-14, and chaired the ADA Budget and Finance Committee, Standing Committee on International Accreditation and the ADA Council on Communications. He is a member of the Academy of General Dentistry, American College of Dentists, International College of Dentists and Pierre Fauchard Academy.

Dr. Shepley received his dental degree from West Virginia University School of Dentistry, and has been a member of the ADA for 41 years.

Second vice president

Dr. Bronson previously served as president of the Ohio Dental Association and chair of the ADA Council on Government Affairs and ADA State Public Affairs Committee. He received his dental degree from the Ohio State University College of Dentistry and is a member of Pierre Fauchard Academy, American College of Dentists, International College of Dentists and the National Dental Association.

New trustees

Dr. Boyle, an oral and maxillofacial surgeon in York, Pennsylvania, has served as a member of the House of Delegates and as chair of the Commission on Specialty Recognition and Certifying Boards, Council on Dental Education and Licensure and the Continuing Education Registration Program. He also served as past president of the Pennsylvania Dental Association and the York County Dental Society.

Dr. Graham, an orthodontist in Teaneck, New Jersey and in Bronx, New York, has served as chair of the Council on Government Affairs and the Council on Dental Practice, and as a member of the Board of the American Dental Political Action and the ADA House of Delegates. In addition, he served as past president of the New Jersey Dental Association and Bergen County Dental Society.

Dr. Mann, a general practice dentist based in Rome, Georgia, has served as a member on the Council on Members Insurance and Retirement Programs and multiple ADA committees, including the Subcommittee on Program Financials, Product Development and Budget Development. He also served as president of the Floyd County Dental Society, Northwestern District Dental Society and the Georgia Dental Association.

Dr. Tulak-Gorecki, a general practice dentist based in Warren, Michigan, has served on the House of Delegates since 2012 and in multiple committees, including the Budget, Business and Administrative Reference Committee, the Legislative, Health, Governance and Related Matters Reference Committee and the Dental Benefits, Practice and Related Matters Reference Committee. In addition, she also served as past president of the Michigan Dental Association and the Macomb Dental Society.

Returning officers, trustees

Maria C. Maranga, D.D.S., of Aquebogue, New York, succeeds Vincent U. Rapini, D.D.S., as first vice president. Dr. Maranga is a past chair of the ADA Council on Membership and past president of the Suffolk County Dental Society. In addition, she has served as a delegate in the ADA House of Delegates, president of the New York State Association of Endodontists and academic affairs director of the American Association of Women Dentists.

Ted Sherwin, D.D.S., continues for a second term as treasurer of the ADA. He has served as treasurer and president of the Virginia Dental Association, president of the Shenandoah Valley Dental Association and a member of the ADA House of Delegates.

W. Mark Donald, D.M.D., continues as speaker. He has served as speaker, president and an ADA delegate for the Mississippi Dental Association; as speaker and president of the Academy of General Dentistry; and as a member of the ADA Council on Dental Practice.

Richard J. Rosato, D.M.D., 1st District trustee, has served as chair of the ADA Council on Ethics, Bylaws and Judicial Affairs, as well as the ADA Election Commission. He also was president of the New Hampshire Dental Society and New Hampshire Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Society.

Paul R. Leary, D.M.D., 2nd District trustee, has been a member of the ADA House of Delegates and served on the New York State Dental Foundation board from 2012-14. He is also involved with the Academy of General Dentistry, American College of Dentists and International College of Dentists.

Michael D. Medovic, D.D.S., 6th District trustee, has served as a member of the ADA House of Delegates and the ADA Council on Dental Practice and as chair of the ADA Council on Dental Practice's National Elder Care Advisory Committee. He also was president of the West Virginia Dental Association in 2001.

Chad R. Leighty, D.D.S., 7th District trustee, has served as program chair of the former Council on ADA Sessions, Indiana floor leader as a member of the ADA House of Delegates and 7th District representative to the ADA speaker of the house. He also was the president of the Indiana Dental Association from 2015-16.

Susan Becker Doroshow, D.D.S., 8th District trustee, served as chair of the ADA Council on Membership from 2008 to 2009 and as an ADA delegate. She was president of the Chicago Dental Society in 2015 and an Illinois State Dental Society trustee from 2004-07.

Scott L. Morrison, D.D.S., 10th District trustee, has served as a member of the ADA Council on Members Insurance and Retirement Programs, the ADA Council on Government Affairs and the ADA House of Delegates, and as an American Dental Political Action Committee action team leader and a Lobby Day participant. He also was president of the Nebraska Dental Association in 2005-14.

Linda J. Edgar, D.D.S., 11th District trustee, has served as a member of the ADA House of Delegates and ADA Council on Dental Practice. She was president of the Academy of General Dentistry from 2013 to 2014 and of the Seattle King County Dental Society from 2010-11, and she is a member of the Pierre Fauchard Academy.

Terry Fiddler, D.D.S., 12th District trustee, has served as an ADA delegate, chair of the ADA Council on Communications and president of the Arkansas State Dental Association. He has received fellowships from the American College of Dentists, International College of Dentists and Pierre Fauchard Academy.

James D. Stephens, D.D.S., 13th District trustee, has served as a delegate in the ADA House of Delegates, president and trustee for the California Dental Association and as president, trustee and communications chair with the Mid-Peninsula Dental Society. He is a member of the American College of Dentists, International College of Dentists and Pierre Fauchard Academy.

Brett Kessler, D.D.S., 14th District trustee, has served as an ADA delegate, vice chair of the ADA Council on Dental Benefit Programs, consultant to the ADA Council on Dental Practice's Health and Well-Being Advisory Committee and president of the Colorado Dental Association. In 2010, he received the ADA's Golden Apple Award for outstanding leadership in mentoring.

Craig S. Armstrong, D.D.S., 15th District trustee, has served as a delegate in the ADA House of Delegates and as chair of the ADA Council on Government Affairs. He also was president of the Texas Dental Association in 2015, the Greater Houston Dental Society in 2004 and the Texas Academy of General Dentistry in 2010.

Gary D. Oyster, D.D.S., 16th District trustee, has served as an ADA delegate, an American Dental Political Action Committee board member and the vice president of the North Carolina Dental Society. He also is a member of the Academy of General Dentistry.

Rudolph T. Liddell, D.M.D., 17th District trustee, has served as a member of the ADA House of Delegates and chair of the ADA Council on Dental Practice. He also was president, secretary and a trustee for the Florida Dental Association. Dr. Liddell is a member of the American College of Dentists, International College of Dentists and Pierre Fauchard Academy.