Dental News - Stewart is new president of California Dental Association

Fred Michmershuizen, DTA

Thu. 10 December 2009

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SACRAMENTO, CA/NEW YORK, NY, USA: The California Dental Association recently elected a new president and new officers. Dr Thomas Stewart, a US Navy captain and dentistry veteran of more than 30 years, was elected president of the CDA. He was installed recently at the CDA’s House of Delegates meeting in Sacramento and will serve a one-year term.

Also taking office at the CDA’s House of Delegates meeting were Carol Gomez Summerhays, DDS, immediate past president; Andrew Soderstrom, DDS, president-elect; Daniel Davidson, DMD, vice president; Clelan Ehrler, DDS, treasurer; Alan Felsenfeld, DDS, speaker of the house; and Kerry Carney, DDS, editor.

As president, Dr Stewart will continue CDA’s mission of improving the oral health of all Californians.

“As I begin my year as president, I recognize the many challenges that face our profession and our service to the public, especially in these economic times,” Dr Stewart said in a press release from the CDA. “This year’s state budget crisis resulted in the loss of two government programs that provided dental education and services to both low-income children and adults. This has had a tragic impact on the number of people who experience barriers to receiving dental care. Dentists must be the leaders, providing the expertise to develop solutions to this problem.”

“CDA is truly fortunate to have a president of the caliber of Tom Stewart,” said Dr Thornton A. D’Arc, a longtime CDA volunteer leader, in the press release. “Tom is visionary, but his vision is tempered by his common sense,” Dr D’Arc said.

Dr Stewart has been a leader in the field of dentistry since he graduated from Howard University College of Dentistry in 1972. He served four years in the U.S. Navy on active duty as a dentist and then 19 years in the naval reserve, retiring as a captain in 1997. Dr Stewart has operated his own practice in Bakersfield, CA, USA, since 1976. He has been a CDA member since 1976 and has held several leadership positions in that time including chair of The Dentists Insurance Company Board of Directors, a CDA-owned company.

Dr Stewart has also held leadership positions at the local and national level. He has been a member of the American Dental Association since 1976 and served on the ADA Council of Communications from 1994 to 1995. He is a member of the Kern County Dental Society and served as president, six years as a trustee and was a long-time member of the Board of Directors.

In addition to his DDS degree, Dr Stewart also received honorary degrees from the Pierre Fauchard Academy, the International College of Dentists and the American College of Dentists. He has also been a Kiwanis Club member for 33 years (with a perfect attendance record); on the Teen Challenge of Kern County Advisory Board for 23 years; and has been on the board for 20 years of S.T.E.P.S. (Special Treatment Education and Prevention Services), a local drug and alcohol treatment and rehabilitation organization, serving two years as president.

The CDA is the non-profit organization representing organized dentistry in California. Founded in 1870, CDA supports its members in their practices and service to the public through innovation in education, advocacy and related programs. CDA also contributes to the oral health of Californians through various comprehensive programs and advocacy. CDA’s membership consists of more than 24,000 dentists, making it the largest constituent of the American Dental Association.

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