President’s Message: Autumn Proves Bountiful for Endodontic Education and Events
Autumn has arrived! For many, that means cooler temperatures and changing leaves. For me, it also means a new academic year in full swing, Saturday mornings watching youth soccer, and an annual pumpkin spice latte. Autumn also brings anticipation of AAE’s Insight Track meeting, held November 7-9 in Banff, Alberta, Canada.
Insight Track is the AAE’s series of continuing education meetings designed to address a single topic critical to the specialty. This year’s theme is Managing Complications. Our Continuing Education Committee, chaired by Dr. Mathew Malek, has planned practical content covering a broad range of potential complications in endodontic therapy. The outstanding lineup of speakers includes endodontists Drs. David Landwehr, Bradford Johnson, Melissa Drum, Alan Gluskin, and Samuel Kratchman. These experts will cover complications related to misdiagnosis, local anesthesia, medical conditions, intraoperative mishaps, and surgery, respectively. I also look forward to the presentation by dental malpractice defense attorney Jeffrey Tonner, which is certain to be eye-opening and valuable.
Insight Track is typically held in a more intimate venue, and Banff will not disappoint. Located in the heart of Banff National Park, the world-famous Fairmont Banff Springs is the landmark “Castle in the Rockies”. The legendary Fairmont hospitality, coupled with outstanding Insight Track CE, will make for an exceptional event.
Endodontists’ skill in preventing and managing complications is an essential aspect of what makes us specialists. It is one reason why we earn the respect of general practitioners and other specialists. The necessity to prevent and manage complications is highlighted in the AAE’s Case Difficulty Assessment Form and Guidelines and EndoCase app (Case Assessment Tools – American Association of Endodontists (aae.org)). These handy tools are useful aids for students, educators, and practicing clinicians to predict difficulties prior to taking on an endodontic case, to prevent procedural errors and ensure the most favorable outcome possible.
As I look forward to Insight Track, I also reflect on the 14th World Endodontic Congress (WEC) organized by the International Federation of Endodontic Associations (IFEA) in September. I was honored to represent the AAE at this meeting in Glasgow, Scotland. Joined by Immediate Past President Dr. Craig Hirschberg, Executive Director Ken Widelka, and Assistant Executive Director for Meetings and Continuing Education Tanya Kinsman, we held productive meetings with IFEA leadership and enjoyed the gracious and entertaining hospitality of the British Endodontic Society. The WEC is a biennial meeting, and the 2026 congress will be in Sydney, Australia. Excited to plan even further out, I am delighted that the 16th IFEA WEC will be in New York City – save the date to attend September 13-17, 2028!
IFEA includes the national endodontic organizations from over 40 countries. The AAE had strong member representation on the IFEA WEC program in Glasgow. This showing is consistent with the second goal of our AAE strategic plan: The AAE will be recognized for providing an environment that is welcoming and supports the diversity of its members as leaders for the global advancement of endodontics.
The AAE will join IFEA in celebrating World Endodontic Day on October 16. IFEA started this initiative in 2023 to promote preserving the natural dentition around the globe. This important message is consistent with the AAE’s Worth Saving campaign and the first goal of our strategic plan: The public will value saving their natural teeth and seek endodontists – the specialists in saving teeth – for their care.
In September, I also was honored to represent the AAE at the Florida Association of Endodontists Fall Forum, as featured in the July Communique. Attendees included both endodontists and pediatric dentists learning the latest on dental trauma. It was my privilege to participate in the Women’s Leadership Luncheon, another event that supports goal two of the AAE strategic plan. Thank you to FAE President Dr. Jeffrey Albert and the FAE for the invitation and an opportunity to provide an AAE update to FAE members.
As you plan travel and CE for the remainder of 2024, consider joining colleagues at the Insight Track in Banff. It will undoubtedly be an exemplary event. Enjoy October!