TheFourth Districtserves more than400 member dentists inNortheastern New York State, roughly from the Mohawk River north to the Canadian Border and from Vermont west toward Utica. The largest groups of dentists practice in Saratoga, Schenectady, Clifton Park, Amsterdam, Glens Falls, Lake Placid andPlattsburgh.
Besides providing a wide range of member services, we also liaison with the New York State Dental Association, the American Dental Association, as well as many state agencies and societies that represent a variety of other medical professionals. We work closely with our Board and Officers to administer a number of high qualitycontinuing education programs and meetings held throughout the year in the District.
The mission of the Fourth District Dental Society shall be to encourage the improvement of the health of the public, to promote the art and science of dentistry, and to represent the interest of the members of the profession and the public which it serves.
The Fourth District Dental Society was formedat anorganizational meeting held on June 2nd, 1868. Officers and delegates were elected to the newly formed Dental Society of the State of New York. A committee was formedto 'ascertain the number of dentists in the several counties of the Fourth District: Montgomery, Fulton, Hamilton and Schenectady.' Although the Fourth District encompasses 11 counties currently, there were dentists in only four of these counties at the time.
Today, the Fourth District Dental Society is a component of the New York State DentalAssociation and the American Dental Association. It comprises the eleven counties of Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Hamilton, Montgomery, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, Warren and Washington.
In the last 30 years the District has had 7 Executive Directors, Drs. Smith, Erche, Westcott, Gleason, Ms. Nancy Hess, Ms. Lynn Martin and Ms. Lisa Hicks The office is located at 632 Plank Road, Suite 200, Clifton Park, NY 12065.
The membership is diverse and includes about 430 Dentists from an area that stretches north from the Mohawk River to the Canadian Border and from Vermont west deep into the Adirondacks and the Mohawk Valley. The principle cities are Schenectady, Saratoga, Glens Falls, Plattsburgh, Lake Placid, Saranac Lake, Amsterdam, Johnstown, Gloversville and Scotia. There are many other smaller towns, large suburban areas, and large rural areas within the District. The largest concentration of Dentists is in the Schenectady/Saratoga Area, with about 100 Dentists in Saratoga County alone.
Because of the large geographic area of the District, with dentists widely dispersed, there seems to be an enhanced camaraderie between members. There is a ready willingness to help each other and to volunteer to help the public and needy individuals in every locale. The leadership of the District has also shown steady interest in organized dentistry. Many of our leaders continue to participate at the local, state and national level.
Id like to extend a special thanks to Dr. Laura Johnstone our outgoing president for her service to the district over the last 2 years. Its been an interesting couple of years to say the least. Our members have persevered through one of the most uncertain and anxious periods in the history of organized dentistry. Thankfully, our profession has seen a surge in demand in the second half of 2021 and in the first quarter of 2022 as our patients continue to emerge from the global pandemic. Nearly 3 months of mandated shutdown followed by months of uncertainty and fluctuating rates of Covid-19 infection in the community led to a significant decline in the dental health of many of our patients. Almost 2 years later, it appears that the worst is behind us, but a lot of work is still needed as we play catch up. Im confident that we are up to the task. Ive been humbled and frankly surprised at the attitude and gratitude expressed by my patients during this time. Rarely did I encounter a patient concerned about their well-being in the office, even during the height of the pandemic. I was reminded of the level of trust and confidence that our patients have in our judgement and expertise not simply as dental professionals, but as health care professionals.
There was time in the thick of this however when patient interactions were limited or all together absent. Many of us, myself included, took the opportunity to catch up on CE. Quite appropriately, for a couple of years now, our governing bodies have relaxed the in-person requirements for CE credits. While this has been incredibly helpful over the last 2 years, I think its time to renew our commitment to in person learning and peer to peer interaction. Many of us practice as individuals, but like most professions, Dentistry thrives and advances due to collaborative interactions amongst colleagues. Teleconferencing and virtual communication filled a much-needed void during the pandemic, but it is no substitute for face to face interaction. I encourage all of you who have not yet returned to live CE to use the upcoming 2022 Saratoga Dental Congress as an opportunity to do so. Its been 2 years since we have had the opportunity to host this meeting which has had a long history of outstanding attendance and outstanding speakers. Please visit our websiteand sign up to attend if you have not already done so to show your support for the terrific lineup of speakers, our dedicated group of vendors, and our outstanding community of dentists. I am thrilled to return to the Saratoga Convention Center in May as your president and l look forward to seeing you all again face to face for the first time in a long time.
He went on to attend dental school at the University of Buffalo School of Dental Medicine where he graduated Suma Cum Laude and was the recipient of 5 awards including the American Academy of Oral Medicine Award, the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons Award, and the Omicron Kappa Upsilon Certificate of Merit awarded to the top 5 graduating members of the senior class.
Dr. Berls completed a General Practice Residency at Buffalo General Hospital in 2001 where he gained considerable experience in endodontics, oral surgery, and oral medicine. He then returned to the school of dental medicine from 2001-2003 where he received his certificate of proficiency in the specialty of endodontics and completed a Master of Science degree in oral diagnostics and oral medicine.