THE 2009 ELMER S. BEST AWARD
Dr. Eller Visited Poland to Bestow Elmer Best Award on Sept. 23, 2009
PFA President Dr. Charles Eller giving the 2009 Elmer S. Best Award to Dr. Zbigniew Janczuk in Poznan, Poland
Mrs. Gloria Eller, Dr. Charles Eller, and Dr. Eugeniusz Spiechwicz at 2009 ceremony in Poland
2009 PFA President Charles Eller, 2009 Elmer S. Best Awardee Dr. Zbigniew Janczuk, Dr. Eugeniusz Spiechwicz, Dr. Elzbieta Mierwinska- Nastalska
The prestigious Elmer S. Best Award commemorates the Founder of the PFA. It is awarded annually to an individual living outside the United States who has made a significant contribution to the art and science of dentistry. The 2009 Awardee was Professor Dr. Zbigniew Janczuk.
Dr. Janczuk founded PFA Poland in 1989. He has made an incredible impact on dentistry over a 23-year period. (Please see the Elmer S. Best Award recipient profile later in this issue.)
The presentation ceremony was held in Poznan, a 3-hour train ride through the fertile, flat Polish countryside. Rich in history with its churches, palaces, museums, and monuments, it is also the location of Polands' largest trade fair complex. The PFA Award ceremony was held in this venue. As an aside, it was on an island in this city, aptly name Cathedral Island, where once stood the castle where Prince Miesko I accepted Christianity on behalf of the Polish nation in the year 966. If you are a travel buff, do not miss Poland!
Dr. Eugeniusz Spiechowicz was the emcee for the emotional evening award festivities. The event was well attended and followed by the glitz, glamour, wining, dining, dancing--a typical Polish celebration. And they do it right!
Our hosts were kind, gracious and helpful. We had personal guides from arrival to departure.
Dr. Zbigniew Klimek, secretary of PFA Poland, and his son, also a dentist, were extremely helpful and greatly appreciated. Everyone spoke excellent English. Thank Goodness! Just try speaking Polish!
Dr. Elzbieta Mierzwinska-Nastalska was our lovely, gracious hostess. She is a maxillofacial surgeon and presented an excellent report on cases which she has completed. Dr. Karolina Gerreth was our guide in Poznan. She took us on a memorable tour of the city and showed us the School of Dentistry. It is shaped like an upper molar with three four-story angled sections attached to a huge central lobby. Dental education is paid for by the Polish government and most of the graduates work for the government. Many of them wish to move on to private practice and they are extremely well-prepared to do so. The young offspring of our hosts, all dentists, deserve our heartfelt thanks for taking time to chauffeur and guide us.
Poland has only been "free" for 20 years. When you hear their stories of survival in WWII, the occupation by the Germans and the Russians, you have utmost admiration for the heroic people of Poland.
The Pierre Fauchard Academy of Poland is alive and well and is a credit to our Academy and our great profession.
Dr. Charles G. Eller