Salmon Arm had a strong showing at the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) meeting in Boston in July.
Dr. Gerry Chu, Mark Donaldson – the former pharmacist for Shuswap Lake General Hospital – and recent New York University graduate Danielle Konrad were all celebrated at the meeting.
Dr. Chu received his mastership award from the academy. The award is the AGD’s highest honour.
Chu earned the award by completing 1,100 hours of continuing dental education since receiving his Fellowship Award from the AGD in 1989.
“This award requires an extraordinary amount of time and effort,” says AGD Immediate Past President W. Mark Donald. “Dr. Chu should be commended for his unflagging commitment to continuing education, which allows him to provide the best possible dental care and oral health education to his patients.”
Donaldson received the Thaddeus V. Weclew award, which recognizes an individual who has made outstanding contributions to the science of dentistry, or who has enhanced the principles and goals of the AGD. Donaldson was recognized for his work educating dentists on how best to prescribe drugs and on the importance of continuing education for those in the dental field.
“He (Donaldson) was sitting with all the dignitaries on the stage. As I climbed onto the stage, we looked at each other, gave each other a thumbs up and a smile. Pretty cool, a Salmon Arm Connection,” Chu said.
Konrad was celebrating her graduation from New York University and acceptance into a general practice residency in Boston. She was a former patient of Chu’s, seeing him every six weeks for orthodontic work when she was 12 and 13.
Konrad was in the top 12 per cent of her graduating class at NYU.