74th Annual Scientific Session of the American Academy of Fixed Prosthodontics

Dear Friends,

As we embark on another year, I want to extend a warm welcome to all! It is truly my honor and privilege to serve as your 74th President. My sincere gratitude to Immediate Past-President, Dr Sarit Kaplan, for her outstanding leadership this past year as well as all Past Presidents. Each of you has left an indelible mark on our organization, contributing your unique strengths and perspectives to make it what it is today. I have very big shoes to fill.

Twenty-two years ago, I attended my first meeting as a Prosthodontic resident. Reflecting on my own journey these past few decades has unveiled the mission and vision of the Academy which is “to foster excellence in the field of prosthodontics, implants and esthetic dentistry through mutual study, participation, and cooperation.” Not only have I gained from the quality and strength of the annual program, but from the numerous opportunities to be involved in various committees, and ultimately being given the privilege to serve on the board of directors, as webmaster, and now having the honor of serving as your President. None of this would have been possible without the camaraderie and mentorship that I have received from fellow Academy members and leaders.

The Academy continues to be a strong presence as a leading organization in the Prosthodontic community, by providing a high-quality annual scientific program with world-renowned speakers and a venue to connect with colleagues and friends. I am honored to have Past-President, Dr Jack Lipkin and Dr Darshanjit Pannu as Program Co-Chairs for the 2025 meeting, “The World of Prosthodontics – an Interdisciplinary Journey.” They have assembled outstanding speakers, carrying on the Academy’s tradition of hosting a world-class meeting.

We continue to explore opportunities to interact with the Global Prosthodontic Community. Dr Kaplan’s vision of hosting a conjoint meeting in Kerry, Ireland, with the Irish Dental Association this April is one such example. I am looking forward to this meeting and hope to see many members attend. Despite the challenges faced during the pandemic, our organization not only survived but has come out stronger, while membership has remained steady and has even shown growth. Yet, in acknowledging the ever-evolving landscape, we must remain vigilant, think proactively, and strategically. Our Academy continues to remain fiscally strong. I am grateful to Dr. Doug Phillips, our outgoing Treasurer and President-Elect, and Dr. Duane Douglas, Chair of Budget and Finance, for their exceptional stewardship in ensuring the fiscal strength of our Academy. Despite ever-increasing costs associated with all aspects of the scientific session, your board of Directors continues to be mindful and cautious about dues increases without compromising the quality of the meeting.

We also continue to improve and expand our reach and communication via social media, creating an ad hoc subcommittee led by Dr. Akanksha Srivastava. I encourage all members to subscribe to the Academy’s social media pages; Facebook: @AcademyFixedProsthodontics and Instagram: @aafixedpros. As a continued benefit to members, the recordings of the presentations will remain available to all Academy members at no cost.

The continued dedication of the Officers, Board of Directors, and various committee members and chairs make this volunteer-run organization a continued success. The Academy’s strength lies with our future leaders, and I call upon all members to take an active role in upholding our mission to provide exceptional learning opportunities and camaraderie in the field of prosthodontics for which our Academy is recognized worldwide. Please contact any officer or director if you have any thoughts, ideas or questions, or if you would like to be involved in any of our many endeavors.

Warm regards,
Sangeetha Raghavendra