ADI: What is it?
You may already know the story of “Blind Men and an Elephant,” in which Wikipedia explains that blind men describe the elephant based on their limited experience and their descriptions of the elephant as different from each other.
They come to suspect that the other person is dishonest, and they come to blows. The moral of parable is that humans tend to claim absolute truth based on their limited, subjective experience as they ignore other people’s limited subjective experiences which may be equally true.
The reason why I bring up this issue with the ADI is that I want to clarify the scope of the ADI. In the past I have met many leaders of the ADI, and they all had many different their own views. Some said that the ADI needs to develop a better-continuing education program, some said that the ADI needs to help dental schools with their education program, some said that the ADI needs to help clinics in Indian Reservation, some said that the ADI needs to help homeless people in large cities, etc.
They are all good ideas. Every opinion is loud and clear. However, it creates some confusion because so many different types of business models exist under one organization. The ADI was founded fifty years ago to advance science and education for global oral health. Please see the section of the ADI Bylaws below.
ARTICLE II
PURPOSE The Academy is an organization devoted to the advancement of dentistry throughout the world and the improvement of the oral health of the citizens of every nation.
The following principles and ideals are adopted as a means to attain these goals:
- To advance the science and art of dentistry for the health and welfare of the people of the world.
- To promote continuing education for all dentists.
- To encourage, stimulate and promote oral health research.
The ADI shall use more concise and clear scope such as The ADI is “Honor Society for Science, Education and Global Oral Health” When your colleague asks you that “What is the ADI?” Your answer should be “Honor Society for Science, Education and Global Oral Health” Now I am requesting that you should remember this concise and clear our new sincere scope of the ADI.
I sincerely appreciate your participation and support.
ADI Forever!
Jacob G. Park, D.D.S.
Immediate Past President, Academy of Dentistry International
Immediate Past President, U.S.A. Section, Academy of Dentistry International