Recent News & Events
About PFA
The Pierre Fauchard Academy is an honorary dental service organization founded in 1936 by Dr. Elmer S. Best, a Minnesota dentist. Troubled by the proprietary nature of many dental publications, he wanted to help the profession gain control of its own literature and assure its independence from commercial interests.
Publications
The Academy has its own publication program with the quarterly newsletter Dental World, featuring member news, reviews of members’ publications and editorials; and the bi-monthly journal Dental Abstracts featuring abstracts from key articles in dentistry.
Founding
The Pierre Fauchard Academy is an honorary dental service organization that was founded in 1936 by Dr. Elmer S. Best, a Minnesota dentist. Troubled by the proprietary nature of many dental publications, he wanted to help the profession gain control of its own literature and assure its independence from commercial interests. His passionate concern for the search for knowledge and the raising of professional standards laid the ground work for the beginning of the Academy. This attracted outstanding dental researchers and teachers to its ranks, and led to a continuing role in fostering dental science.
The Academy is named after Pierre Fauchard of France (1678-1761), who is recognized as the “Father of Modern Dentistry” for raising dentistry to a profession. He wrote a book named “Le Chirurgien Dentiste, ou Traité des Dents” which was the first true textbook of dentistry.
The Constitution of the Pierre Fauchard Academy laid out a series of objectives honoring Dr. Best’s focus on integrity and ethics. An objective adopted by the Academy awards distinguished members and role models for their contributions to the field of dentistry. A primary objective at the time of its founding, to help the profession take control over its own literature, still remains an important activity of the Academy. This includes the publication of Dental Abstracts.
The Pierre Fauchard Academy was organized in 1936. It has grown internationally to nearly 7,000 members organized into 11 global Regions and over 142 local Sections.
Fellowship
Our mission as Fellows in the Pierre Fauchard Academy is to recognize and develop outstanding leadership in our profession, internationally. We accomplish this by consistently focusing on professionalism, integrity, and ethics worldwide, by our own conduct as worthy role models, by the advancement of dentistry to the highest level, by supporting and honoring colleagues for their distinguished work, research, contributions, and public service, and by providing excellence in programs, education, and leadership in oral health care. Fellowship in the Academy is by nomination and is designed to honor past accomplishments in field of dentistry and encourage future productivity. Professional leaders select fellows based on contributions to dental literature, service to the profession of dentistry, and service to the general community, thereby bringing credit to dentistry, are among the criteria sought in recruiting new members. The Academy has its own publication program with Dental World and Dental Abstracts, and has always encouraged its fellow members to contribute to dental education and dental literature. Through its Foundation, it offers financial support to various dental projects that increase access to care for underserved populations.
Organization
The Mission of the Pierre Fauchard Academy
The Mission of the Pierre Fauchard Academy Our mission as Fellows in the Pierre Fauchard Academy is to recognize and develop outstanding leadership in our profession, internationally.
The Objective of the Pierre Fauchard Academy
The Academy fulfills its objectives through meetings of its international sections, its Annual Awards Luncheon, its presentations of the Fauchard Gold Medal, the Dental Trade and Industry Award and the Elmer S. Best Memorial Awards, its student Awards of Merit and its publication of Dental Abstracts and Dental World.
The Objectives of the Pierre Fauchard Academy, as stated in its Constitution, are to:
One
Elevate the character, education and professional ability of dentists by making available to them dental literature representing developments and opinions in
dentistry.
Two
Encourage practitioners to contribute to the professional literature and otherwise share their knowledge with their fellow practitioners.
Three
Encourage, through annual awards, outstanding contributions to the art and science of dentistry and service to the profession.
Four
Encourage personal contacts between leaders in the profession and those who seek advice on scientific technical or economic subjects.
Five
Encourage dental students and foster advancement of their professional and scientific standards and encourage continuing education for all members of the dental profession.
Six
Encourage improvement of the oral health of the public through prevention, therapy, and restoration.
Seven
Encourage fellowship among the membership and emphasize understanding of our professional responsibility to the public.
