As we entered into this year, the title of my January column was “Change and New Opportunities in 2020.” Now I would never profess to be able to predict what I will have for breakfast tomorrow, and especially not what will actually take place in our world in the future. Well, call it a lucky guess if you want, but one can certainly say that 2020 brought us a whole lot of change! And every day, out of the “fog of war” in our fight against the SARS-CoV-2 virus, opportunities are being born with the development of new technologies, adaptive business strategies, and innovative approaches to serve our patients safely and efficiently. However, despite your own unique circumstances, I will bet a majority of you will be glad to say goodbye to 2020 and to ring in a more positive new year!
On a personal note, this year is bringing some dramatic changes to my own long career in the dental profession. Since I graduated from the University of Michigan School of Dentistry in 1978, I have had the honor to serve in the US Navy Dental Corps, to serve numerous patients as a private practitioner, to learn and work as a doctor-technician liaison and consultant for dental laboratories, to lecture internationally, and to serve as the Editor-in-Chief of Dentistry Today since 2008. I can say that my journey in the profession has been an extremely rewarding ride, and now, also in this year of enormous change, the time has come to continue the adventure. So this is my official announcement that I will be stepping down from my position here at the publication at the end of this year. I hope to continue traveling once the pandemic is over and to spend more time with my loving wife, Cristina, and our growing family (9 grandchildren at present!). I also will return to my roots as a performing pianist by spending more time at the keyboard of my Steinway in the “spiritual company” of Chopin, Rachmaninoff, Beethoven, Gershwin, Joplin, et al.
I often said that the best part of my work here at the publication was not the editing but rather the blessings in life that come from serving and working with others. When the owners/publishers of Dentistry Today hired me, I was afforded a rare opportunity to get to know many people in the profession/industry whom I would have never met if I had spent my entire career working in a dental office. It is the memories of working and spending time with my Dentistry Today team, our many talented authors and representatives from the dental manufacturer sector, and the many of you I have met in-person at dental meetings and in my lectures that I will always cherish. Whether you know it or not, so many of you touched my heart and mind in valuable ways, both professionally and personally, and for this, I want to express my most sincere and heartfelt gratitude.
Dr. Paul Feuerstein, who has faithfully served Dentistry Today for a number of years now as our Technology Editor, will be taking over at the helm of the editorial team. Paul is an active lecturer, author, and private practitioner who many of you already know and respect. It is my parting wish that Paul is given a warm welcome by all and that he leads the magazine into many more years of success.
So, it is for the last time that I have the privilege of saying:
I hope you enjoy, and benefit from, yet another exciting issue of Dentistry Today!
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