Dr. Paul Obrock Receives Fellowship Award Dr. Paul Obrock was awarded Fellowship in the Academy of General Dentistry at the July 2002 Annual Meeting in Hawaii. A general dentist who is a "Fellow" in the Academy (FAGD) is recognized by other general dentists as a leader who is committed to quality patient care through continuing education, and has completed a structured and rigorous set of requirements involving all the dental disciplines. Roughly, only 10 percent of all general dentists have earned an Academy Fellowship Award. To earn the Fellowship Award, a general dentist must complete 500 hours of approved continuing education and pass a comprehensive written examination given by the Academy. Challenging themselves to attain Fellowship allows dentists to remain current with what is new in dentistry, to incorporate the latest techniques into their practices and network with other leaders in the field. The award symbolizes the professional responsibility of general dentists to remain current in their profession and reminds each member of the dental profession to continue to learn new techniques for their dental practice. Any dentist who is considered for Fellowship has their application reviewed by the AGD Council on Dental Education to assure that the high standards of the Academy of General Dentistry are met. The Academy of General Dentistry is the only organization dedicated solely to the general dentist. Committed to providing quality care and patient education to the public, Academy members are required to take 75 hours of continuing education courses every three years. 2002 marked the 50th Anniversary of the Academy. In that time, the Academy has risen to the forefront of the profession and built a solid reputation as the premier dental organization committed to helping dentists stay up-to-date with new research, new technologies and new products through lifelong learning. Dentistry promises to evolve over the next 50 years. For a patient, this means it's increasingly important to find out how their dentist stays current and up-to-date within the dental profession. A dentist dedicated to continuing education can provide a consumer and his family with enhanced confidence knowing that their dentist believes in quality patient care. "Most of our members average more than 40 hours of continuing education per year, which exceeds the amount most states require for relicensure," says Howard W. Zuckerman, DDS, MAGD, president of the Academy. "Our continuing education requirements help our members provide their patients with the best possible care." The Academy of General Dentistry is a non-profit organization of more than 37,000 general dentists dedicated to staying up-to-date in the profession through continuing education. A general dentist is the primary care provider for patients of all ages and is responsible for the diagnosis, treatment, management and overall coordination of services related to patient's oral health needs. The Academy is located online at www.agd.org.