The Academy of General Dentistry (AGD) is celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2012, with the goal of continuing to grow with the same core values it established in 1952.
That year, Thaddeus Weclew, DDS, MAGD, and several colleagues met in Chicago to create and sign what would be the AGD's first charter. Their goal was to ensure that dentists had a reliable source to obtain continuing education (CE).
Today the AGD provides numerous CE opportunities annually through constituent chapters and the national AGD Annual Meeting and Exhibits. It also tracks the CE that members earn to help them meet their state licensure requirements, and encourages members to pursue achievement-based designations, such as the AGD Fellowship and Mastership awards.
Over time, the AGD has established a presence on Capitol Hill, advocating at the local and national levels when issues arise that affect the profession. It has also expanded its offerings to include a Practice Management Conference, online versions of its publications, and a consumer-facing Web portal. The philanthropic arm of the AGD, the AGD Foundation, has raised funds to support access to care programs, initiated an annual outreach project, and created a partnership with Special Olympics Special Smiles.
AGD membership currently includes more than 37,000 general dentists.
