Our Mission at the Peoria District Dental Society is to encourage the improvement of the dental health of the public, to promote the art and science of dentistry, and to represent the members of the Peoria District Dental Society through communication, education, action and to establish camaraderie with our colleagues and among our allied dental personnel.
Before the formation of a formal Dental Society for the Peoria District, there were some remarkable men who represented the profession. Among them was Edward B. Call of Peoria. Dr. Call was born in West Moreland County, PA. in 1831. He began dental practice in 1857 as his lifes work, practicing by day, studying and experimenting by night. For meritorious work in the profession, he was granted the Honorary Degree, D.D.S. by the Chicago College of Dental Surgery, in 1885. Dr. Call perfected the seamless gold crown. In 1881, before the Illinois State Dental Society at Rock Island, Dr. Call stamped the first seamless gold crown. He retired from practice in 1893, and died three years later after a long illness.
Another representative of this early era was Dr. Henry H. Fitch of Pekin. Dr. Fitch began dental practice in 1869 and moved from Lee, Massachusetts to Pekin, IL in December 1876. Dr. Fitch served on committees with Dr. G.V. Black. He was said to be possessed of literary attainments of the highest order, and a genial wit.
Another of these early dentists was William A. Johnston, M.D., D.D.S. Dr. Johnson was the youngest graduate in 1881 from the University of Pennsylvania. He was instrumental in the formation of the Peoria Study Club, which later became the Central Illinois Dental Society. This became, in time, a component of the State Society. These are only three men of a time before the formation of the Peoria District Dental Society who we owe a great debt for setting the foundations of the dental profession in our area.
By 1909, Stark County was added to the Societys jurisdiction. By 1920, the Peoria County Dental Society had grown to 87 members. In 1927, in an address to the State Society, Dr. C.N. Johnson of Chicago remarked, Mr. President, [then Dr. Wm. F. Whalen] for 42 years I have never been absent from a single opening session [of this Society]. I should like to see a better enthusiasm; a little more sacrificeA time has come when the members of this association must wake up and do work, not only at the annual session, but between sessions. They are the basis of our success.
In 1931, the Peoria County Dental Society appears as the Peoria District Dental Society under the presidency of Dr. C.E. Chamberlain of Peoria. The next year, 1932 sees Dr. P.W. Clopper at the helm who has the distinction of having one of the Illinois State Dental Societys foundations named for him. During the years of World War II, Dr. C.B. Clarno presided as president in 1941, Dr. Wallace Peters in 1942, Dr. A.L. McDonough in 1943, Dr. O.B. Litwiller in 1944, and Dr. J.W. Weidner in 1945 when the membership swelled to 137 members. The total dues paying members of 1950 were 155.
In January of 1997, Dr. Curzio P. Cooch Paesani published a history of the Peoria District Dental Society from 1950 to today in our Newsletter, the Informer. In his article Dr. Paesani remarks: I remember quite well attending my first society meeting and being so warmly welcomed by the members. I was most impressed by the professionalism of those in attendance. It made me proud to become one of them.
PDDS is blessed with referral options, which provide multi-disciplined approaches to restoration, orthodontics, and oral reconstruction. Who knows what the future will bring? Whatever it may be, PDDS and its members will provide the citizens of Central Illinois with dental services equal to its heritage.
Our Mission at the Peoria District Dental Society is to encourage the improvement of the dental health of the public, to promote the art and science of dentistry, and to represent the members of the Peoria District Dental Society.
The dental profession holds a special position of trust within society. As a consequence, society affords the profession certain privileges that are not available to members of the public-at-large. In return, the profession makes a commitment to society that its members will adhere to high ethical standards of conduct.
Members of the ADA voluntarily agree to abide by the ADA Code as a condition of membership in the Association. They recognize that continued public trust in the dental profession is based on the commitment of individual dentists to high ethical standards of conduct.
The Principles of Ethics are the aspirational goals of the profession. They provide guidance and offer justification for the Code of Professional Conduct and the Advisory Opinions. There are five fundamental principles that form the foundation of the ADA Code: patient autonomy, nonmaleficence, beneficence, justice and veracity. Principles can overlap each other as well as compete with each other for priority. More than one principle can justify a given element of the Code of Professional Conduct. Principles may at times need to be balanced against each other, but, otherwise, they are the professions firm guideposts.
The Code of Professional Conduct is an expression of specific types of conduct that are either required or prohibited. The Code of Professional Conduct is a product of the ADAs legislative system. All elements of the Code of Professional Conduct result from resolutions that are adopted by the ADAs House of Delegates. The Code of Professional Conduct is binding on members of the ADA, and violations may result in disciplinary action.
The Advisory Opinions are interpretations that apply the Code of Professional Conduct to specific fact situations. They are adopted by the ADAs Council on Ethics, Bylaws and Judicial Affairs to provide guidance to the membership on how the Council might interpret the Code of Professional Conduct in a disciplinary proceeding.
The ADA Code is an evolving document and by its very nature cannot be a complete articulation of all ethical obligations. The ADA Code is the result of an on-going dialogue between the dental profession and society, and as such, is subject to continuous review.
Although ethics and the law are closely related, they are not the same. Ethical obligations mayand often doexceed legal duties. In resolving any ethical problem not explicitly covered by the ADA Code, dentists should consider the ethical principles, the patients needs and interests, and any applicable laws.