Contents

• Introduction

• Education

• Fellowships

• Presidencies

• Military Service

• Activities

• Research

• Publications

• Philanthropy

• Writings

Introduction

Dr. Eggleston graduated from the USC School of Dentistry with the unique distinction of receiving the Daniel Cave Memorial Award and the Lewis E. Ford Memorial Award for achievements in prosthodontics. Additionally, he was elected to the ATE and OKU honorary dental fraternities.

After graduation, Dr. Eggleston continued at the USC School of Dentistry with a residency in the specialty of prosthodontics, receiving his Prosthodontics Certification and the American Board of Prosthodontics Certification. After completing his residency at USC he practiced prosthodontics at Bolling Air Force Base in Washington, D.C., achieving the rank of Major.

Currently, Dr. Eggleston is on the faculty at the USC School of Dentistry as a Clinical Associate Professor and serves as a member of the Board of Councilors. In addition, he currently serves as Immediate Past President of the Academy of Prosthodontics, and a Consultant for the California Board of Dental Examiners. Dr. Eggleston lectures extensively throughout the United States and has given dental courses in Canada, Mexico, Europe, the South Pacific and the Middle East.

Active in dental organizations, Dr. Eggleston has served in the following capacities: President of the American Board of Prosthodontics, President of the American College of Prosthodontists, President of the Academy of Prosthodontics, President of the Pacific Coast Society for Prosthodontics, President of the American College of Prosthodontists Education Foundation, and President of the American College of Prosthodontists California Section, Associate Editor of the Journal of Prosthodontics, Chair of the Prosthetic Dental Care Programs Committee and Chair of the National Peer Review Committee for the American College of Prosthodontists, Chair of the California Dental Association Council on Dental Research, Chairman of the USC Dentistry Associates Board of Directors, Consultant for the American Dental Association Council on Scientific Affairs, Executive Councilor and Chair of the Program Committee for the Academy of Fixed Prosthodontics, Delegate to the Federation of Prosthodontic Organizations, member of the Hoag Hospital 552 Board of Directors, member of the USC Orange County Planning Council. For the Orange County Dental Society, he has served as Secretary, Senior Delegate, Chair of the Continuing Education Programs Committee, and five years on the Board of Directors. In 1993, he received the Hoag Hospital Vin Jorgensen Award.

Dr. Eggleston maintains fellowships in the International College of Prosthodontists, the American College of Prosthodontists, the Academy of Prosthodontics, the Pierre Fauchard Academy, the Academy of Dentistry International, the International College of Dentists and the American College of Dentists.
Dr. Eggleston has published numerous articles in the dental literature. His research at the L.A. Coroner’s Office on the correlation of mercury in brain tissue with dental amalgam received a reference citation by the World Health Organization.

Dr. Eggleston and his wife, Laraine, have two marvelous adult children with wonderful spouses, along with two young granddaughters and an infant grandson. They enjoy traveling, boating, fishing, snow & water skiing, hiking and time with the children and grandchildren.

Education & Academic Awards

Dr. Eggleston graduated from the U.S.C. School of Dentistry. Upon graduation, he received the Daniel Cave Memorial Award given to the student with the highest achievement in removable prosthodontics (dentures and removable partial dentures) and the Lewis E. Ford Memorial Award given to the student with the highest achievement in fixed prosthodontics (dental crowns and stationary bridges). Additionally, he was placed on the Dean’s List and elected to the ATE and OKU honorary dental fraternities for scholastic achievement.

Dr. Eggleston continued at the U.S.C. School of Dentistry with a two year residency in prosthodontics, receiving his Prosthodontics Certification. He became Board Certified in Prosthodontics passing the American Board of Prosthodontics examination.

Fellowships

• American College of Prosthodontists
• International College of Prosthodontists
• Academy of Prosthodontics
• Pacific Coast Society of Prosthodontists
• Pierre Fauchard Academy
• Academy of Dentistry International
• International College of Dentists
• American College of Dentists

Presidencies

• American College of Prosthodontists California Section (1984)
• American College of Prosthodontists (1991)
• American College of Prosthodontists Education Foundation (1992)
• Pacific Coast Society of Prosthodontists (1992)
• American Board of Prosthodontics (2002)
• Academy of Prosthodontics (2010)

Military Service

Dr. Eggleston practiced prosthodontics at Bolling Air Force Base in Washington, D.C., achieving the rank of Major. He had the honor and privilege of providing extensive dental treatment for six returning POW’s from Vietnam.

Scholarly and Professional Activities and Honors

Dr. Eggleston has continued in the field of education since graduation from dental school. He has been on the faculty at U.S.C. as a Clinical Associate Professor since 1976. He has lectured extensively throughout the United States and has given dental courses in Canada, Mexico, Europe, the South Pacific and the Middle East.

In 1995, Dr. Eggleston was elected by his peers to the American Board of Prosthodontics. This is a seven member board with one prosthodontist chosen each year for a seven year term. The American Board of Prosthodontics conducts the examination to confer Board Certification for prosthodontic specialists. In addition, Dr. Eggleston serves as a Consultant for the California Board of Dental Examiners.

In 1994, Dr. Eggleston was appointed by the Dean and approved by the University President to the U.S.C. School of Dentistry Board of Councilors. The Board counsels the Dean in matters of strategic planning for the dental school. Dr. Eggleston is serving in his 17th year on the Board.

In addition, Dr. Eggleston currently serves as the Immediate Past President of the Academy of Prosthodontics and as a Consultant for the Dental Board of California.

Research

• Eggleston DW, Martinoff JT: Correlation of electro-acupuncture point measurement with traditional diagnosis. Institutional Review Board – The Holmes Center, Los Angeles, California, 1982.
• Sullivan GS, Eggleston DW, Madill PV, Martinoff JT, Kroening RJ: Evoked electrical conductivity on the lung acupuncture points in healthy individuals and confirmed lung cancer patients. Institutional Review * Board – U.C.L.A. Human Subject Policy Committee approval #82-12-561, 1982.
• Eggleston DW, Nylander M, Suffin SC, Martinoff JT, Rieders MF: Correlation of dental amalgam with mercury in brain tissue. Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office Research and Education Committee approval October, 1985.
• Landesman HM, Eggleston DW, Martinoff JT, Strauss FG: The effect of dental alloys on the immune system. Institutional Review Board – U.S.C. Research Committee approval #03305, 1984-1987.

Publications

• Eggleston DW: Advantages and use of the remount for fixed prosthodontics. Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry 43:627-33, 1980
• Eggleston DW: The interrelationship of stress and degenerative diseases. Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry 44:54l-4, 1980
• Eggleston DW: Biocompatibility of base metal alloys for dental restorations. Orange County Dental Society Impressions 1:6-7, February, 1981
• Eggleston DW: CDS procedure codes for casting alloys for porcelain veneering. Orange County Dental Society Impressions 3:11-5, September, 1982
• Eggleston DW: Preferred Provider Organizations (P.P.O’s). Orange County Dental Society Impressions 5:8-10, April, 1984; The American College of Prosthodontists Newsletter 12:2-3, Spring, 1984
• Eggleston DW: Effect of dental amalgam and nickel alloys on T-lymphocytes: Preliminary report. Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry 51:617-23, May, 1984
• Sullivan SG, Eggleston DW, Martinoff JT, Kroening RJ: The blind measurement of evoked electrical conductivity on the lung acupuncture points in healthy individuals and confirmed lung cancer patients: a research evaluation. American Journal of Acupuncture 13:261-6, September, 1985
• Strauss FG, Eggleston DW: IgA nephropathy associated with dental nickel alloy sensitization. American Journal of Nephrology, 5:395-7, 1985
• Eggleston DW, Nylander M, Suffin SC, Martinoff JT, Rieders MF: Correlation of dental amalgam with mercury in brain tissue. Journal of the California Dental Association 15:39, 1987. Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry 58:704-707, December, 1987
• Eggleston DW: A sign of the times, transition of dental infection control techniques. Journal of the California Dental Association 17:44-5, August, 1989
• Eggleston DW: Dental Amalgam: A Review of the Literature. The Compendium of Continuing Education in Dentistry, 10(9):500-5, September, 1989
• Nylander M, Friberg L, Eggleston D, Bjorkman L: Mercury accumulation in tissues from dental staff and controls in relation to exposure. Swedish Dental Journal 13(6):235-43, November-December, 1989
• Eggleston DW: Caution on Amalgam Issue. CDA Update 3(1):2,12, January 15, 1991.
• Eggleston DW: Medical Waste Management in a Dental Office. Dentistry Today 11(6):38-9, August, 1992.
• Eggleston DW: Improved Laboratory Results for Fixed Restorations Using Sequential Tooth Preparation. Journal of Prosthodontics, 9:47-49, March, 2000.

Philanthropy & Community Activities

Dr. Eggleston actively supports his community. In 1993, he received the Hoag Hospital Vin Jorgensen Award for community service to Hoag Hospital. In addition, Dr. Eggleston is a recognized donor to Hoag Hospital and a Presidential Associate at U.S.C. Favorite charities include Smile Train, Wounded Warriors, the USO, and Angelitos de Oro.

Since 1983, Dr. Eggleston and his family have supported foster children in Mali, West Africa, and Kenya, East Africa.

Writings

USC Dental School Freshman Class White Coat Ceremony Speech

August 26, 2011

White Coat Ceremony Procession
for the entering Freshman Class

DDS Class of 2015
Advanced Standing DDS Class of 2013
Dental Hygiene Class of 2013

Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC
Bovard Auditorium, University of Southern California

Invited guests included the families and friends of the students.

Dean Sadan, students, faculty, friends and families. To the students, you are entering a great profession – you get to help people. You will have the opportunity to alleviate pain and suffering, improve appearance, and contribute to the health and wellbeing of your patients.

During your career, I promise, you will have moments that are difficult to describe. I have an adult patient who was afflicted with very dark teeth. She received massive doses of tetracycline as an infant, which stained her unerupted adult teeth a dark brown.

The patient told me she finally saved up enough money to fix her teeth. Basically, she was about to put a midsize BMW in her mouth. She asked me if porcelain crowns on all of her teeth would make the teeth look normal. I told her they would not look normal, they would look sensational and dazzling. I commented to myself under my breath – after all, I am a USC dentist.

You chose wisely your birth year so you could start dentistry in the year 2011. I was sitting where you are today a few decades ago. At that time, crowns on teeth looked artificial and opaque. The metal edge of the crowns often left a purple color at the gum line. Now we have materials, procedures and techniques to make the teeth and gum tissue look really good and healthy.

When I was in dental school, I assumed I would retire at 65. Although there were times I didn’t think I would get out of dental school until I was 65. Now I will never retire. There is no activity in retirement as much fun, as satisfying and gratifying as dentistry.

The patient I mentioned a moment ago proceeded with porcelain crowns and laminate veneers to eliminate the very dark color of her tetracycline stained teeth. After the treatment, she went home and smiled at her husband. He promptly told her these were the teeth and this was the smile God intended her to have.

I promise, as a USC dentist, you will have many rewarding days like this in dentistry. Just stick to the ethical path. When you graduate, you could be $400,000 in debt and some quick money at an office not of your primary choice may be tempting. Some of these offices have a work load that prevents you from doing your best dentistry. These offices are for different dentists, you will be a graduate of USC – a dental school with a tradition of clinical excellence and research excellence for more than 100 years.

Some days won’t go as well as the tetracycline patient. A new patient with a long Greek name came into my office. He wrote on his health history he had recent gum surgery in Cypress. I thought I would be suave, and asked him about the political situation in Cyprus. He said nonchalantly it seemed to be OK. I asked him if the Turks and Greeks were learning to get along. He said he was unaware of any incidents and he would keep an eye out for me. I look a little closer on his health history and noticed he lives in Cypress California.

Those of you going into research will have the opportunity to develop new materials, techniques, and treatments for the benefit of humanity. Cleft lip and palate is a great example. Years ago, cleft lip and palate patients underwent a dozen or so surgeries with bone grafting and tissue grafting to close the defects, all with limited success and results.

Today, the separated pieces of the infants’ nose, lip and jaw are brought together with techniques similar to orthodontics. As the separate parts approximate, they are fused together with a relatively simple single surgery.

In the future, and thanks to those of you in the room who go into research, cleft lip and palate will be treated in-utero. Cleft children will be born with normal lips and jaws.

Ectodermal dysplasia patients are typically adolescents or teenagers with missing teeth, malpositioned teeth, and malformed teeth. They don’t seem to smile spontaneously. Often they smile with their lips closed, or a hand over their mouth, or with their head down.

You will learn the skills to replace the missing teeth with dental implants, move the malpostioned teeth with orthodontics, uncover hidden parts of the teeth with gum surgery, correct the malformed teeth with porcelain crowns and veneers. Your reward for all the hard work learning this in dental school will be to witness a mother and father see their child truly smile for the first time.

To the students in the auditorium – you are similar to stem cells. A little tweaking here and there the first year or two will make a profound difference in your entire career. The dental school faculty are your friends, not your persecutors. There will be times of tough love, but it is love. The dental school does not exist for the benefit of the University, it does not exist for the benefit of the faculty, or even that of the patients – they could be treated elsewhere. The dental school exists for you – to educate and train you, and provide the opportunity for you to learn the knowledge to be the best dentists possible and pillars of the community.

Be sure to give back to the school, your community, and the world community – your time and financial resources.

Remember that character does matter – it is the only thing that matters. Everything else, in every human endeavor, is a matter of circumstance, a matter of chance, a matter of being superficial.

I wish you the very best in your chosen profession – the noble profession of dentistry.

Thank you!

Kilimanjaro Log

February 20 – 27, 2011

Mt. KILIMANJARO LOG

David Eggleston

Destination
Uhuru Peak:
37 degrees 21.242 minutes East Longitude,
3 degrees 04.587 minutes South Latitude

On Friday morning, February 25, 2011, friends Gerd Altmutter, George Bertram, Ed Brolley, Tom Gurtner, Jim Jacobs, Alex Shklovski, Franz Viehbock, Bob Wachtler, and I reached the summit of Kilimanjaro at 19,340 feet (5,895 meters). I could never wish for a greater group of hiking buddies.

Our saga actually began four and a half years earlier.

During a Kilimanjaro hike in 2006, I bonded with porter Caspar, and Bob Wachtler bonded with porter Hiliary. The porters work incredibly hard carrying a maximum of 44 pounds up very difficult trails, sometimes scrambling up rocks with hands and feet while balancing the loads on their heads.

Bob, much more observant than I, sensed Hiliary had potential and asked me to help put him through Guide Training School. I thought it was a crap shoot not knowing if he was even attending school with the money we were sending him. Turns out he graduated and became a guide. Last week he showed us his diploma and course grades, along with his overwhelming gratitude. It’s a great success story. Four years ago he had a dismal future, was despondent and the unmarried father of a young girl. Now he has a bright future and engaged to be married. He invited Bob for dinner prepared by his grateful mother on the Sunday night before Bob flew home.

In 2006, Caspar seemed focused with his life in order. He was 25, had four siblings, and was responsible for raising his 12 year old younger brother. He was appreciative of the respect our group showed him, commenting that porters are at a low level in the cast system. I always made a point of telling him he was my hero with his amazing strength and abilities. Leaving Kilimanjaro in 2006, I gave Caspar my rather expensive sleeping bag (good to -20 degrees) and some other hiking equipment and clothing. We kept in touch with monthly emails as pen pals. I found him to be very intelligent, educated, and well versed in U.S. politics and events in Kenya and Tanzania. Off the mountain, I noticed he was frequently reading the newspaper. He believes Tanzania’s economic progress is severely hampered by monumental corruption and nepotism in the Tanzanian government.

Caspar fell on hard times when the economic crash of 2008 depleted the hiking tourists going to Kilimanjaro. He never asked me for financial assistance, but I knew of the drop off in Kilimanjaro tourists and sensed he was out of work. In hindsight I learned he was selling possessions to keep his younger brother in school. Primary school tuition was eliminated in Tanzania in 2002, but the families still have to pay for uniforms, testing fees, school supplies and school lunches.

The year was 2008, two years after I last saw Caspar. I stopped by Federal Express on a serendipitous whim, put $300 cash in a FedEx envelope and sent it to Caspar’s address in Moshi, Tanzania. I notified him by email to look for a present in the mail. He sent back an email that he suddenly felt like a very important person to receive a message from Federal Express that they were sending a special currier to his house with a delivery. Shortly after that, I received the most appreciative email imaginable. In financial desperation, Caspar had pulled his younger brother out of school just 3 days before the delivery. Caspar is a devout Christian and he truly believes the gift was from Devine intervention. As he wrote the email he said his younger brother was getting dressed for school. His brother is now 17 and an accomplished student in high school.

Caspar obtained his hiking guide license on his own from his apprenticeship as a porter and other resources. He has become successful as one of the best, if not the best, guides on Kilimanjaro at the very young age of 29. I specifically requested Caspar to be our head guide while making arrangements for the 2011 hike – and Bob and I requested Hiliary to be a guide as well.

The difference between our 2006 trip and the current trip would fill chapters. This time, we had 9 for 9 reaching the top. Not by accident. We were better prepared with rigorous training hikes. Our favorite is to hike with 20 and 30 something kids. But the other major factor was the coaching and guidance from Caspar and Hiliary during the hike.

The success rate to the top of Kilimanjaro in 2006 was around 30%. Anyone with the slightest ailment was encouraged or badgered to turn around. Success to the top was achieved in spite of the guides, not with the help of the guides. The head guide we had in 2006 was in his 60’s. Not that there is anything wrong with that…, he was just ready to retire and had no passion to get us all to the top.

Caspar represents the new hiking guide model and the new success rate well over 70%. It is achieved with preparation, science, technique, encouragement, and the mindset of an athletic coach.

The first day, we were encouraged to hike “pole, pole” – Swahili for “slowly, slowly”. Although we went from 6,000 feet to 10,000 feet, it was a very easy walk spread out over six hours. The main achievement was getting above the African mosquitoes. Those little buggers loaded with malaria Plasmodia flap their wings as hard as they can, but they just can’t get up to 10,000 feet.

The second day we had a challenging hike up and down steep trails to the Shira campsite at 13,000 feet. The new science of high altitude hiking is to hike during the day at a higher elevation than sleeping at night. So, when we arrived at the camp, Casper said we could rest an hour and then we were up the side of the mountain 1,200 feet higher for an hour and a half, then back down to the Shira camp. None of this was in the brochure and it certainly was not part of the regiment in 2006. My former porter pen pal was now our Chief Guide Drill Sergeant.

The third day we made a difficult eight hour hike up to 15,000 feet at the Lava Tower landmark and then back down to 13,000 feet arriving at the Baranco camp. This route for the day fit the “hike high, sleep low” formula.

The fourth day we had the challenging hike up the infamous “Baranco Wall” and continued on to the Karanga campsite at 13,000 feet. Caspar was at it again. After a short rest, we were back on the trail up to a higher altitude for acclimation and then back down to Karanga for the night. All nine of us had complete faith in Caspar, his passion to get all of us to the top, and we followed him and Hiliary like raw recruits.

The fifth day on the Machame trail has always been touted as a day of rest. A short three hour steep hike to the 15,200 foot Barafu base camp – the staging camp for the summit assault – and then the remainder of the day resting for the night climb to 19,340 feet. Not anymore. The “hike high, sleep low” took care of that. We arrived at Barafu around noon and then continued up the trail past 16,000 feet, then back down for rest and preparation for the summit assault starting at 11 pm.

Another part of the new science and technique is the guides’ ability to distinguish between High Altitude Sickness and the potentially deadly High-altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE) and High-altitude Cerebral Edema (HACE).

Puking along the side of the trail with High Altitude Mountain Sickness is just part of the sport. If your tummy doesn’t feel good, just throw up and stay in the game. The nausea can be severe and somewhat debilitating, but it is not life threatening.

However, HAPE and HACE are obviously very serious. The symptoms include extreme fatigue, coughing up blood, inability to move or breathe properly, severe headache, etc. Death occurs from swelling of the brain or drowning as the lungs fill with fluid. The guides can diagnose HAPE and HACE and the treatment is immediate descent and a stay in the hospital for at least three days of observation to make sure the brain clicks back on and the fluid from the pulmonary edema dissipates without developing into pneumonia. Taking Diamox as a diuretic helps to prevent pulmonary edema by eliminating fluid from the body – basically, you piss like a race horse.

Laraine noted lots of questions during our hike: All of the food, tents, and cooking equipment are carried up by porters. Our group of 9 hikers had 34 porters. The porters carry what they need as well as 25 pounds of clothing and personal items for each hiker. The hikers are responsible to carry the rest of their stuff and water which usually weighs in around 17 pounds. There are no campfires allowed on the mountain and all the cooking is fueled by propane. Drinking water from the streams was boiled. High altitude cooking requires a pressure pot or extended time because water boils at a lower temperature. We were above the tree line on the second day. We were not allowed to hike on the glaciers, but there is plenty of room to hike between them to the top. The total length of the hike with the new regime of “hike high, sleep low” is about 60 miles. The porters are Christian and Muslim and they seem to get along just fine. The porters earn about $5 a day. Most of their earnings are from tips from the hikers. Our group of 9 tipped the porters, cooks, and guides a total of $4,680. They were very appreciative and I can say candidly they earned it.

Kilimanjaro this year was extra special. I had the privilege of taking the gold Medallion of the President of the Academy of Prosthodontics to the summit for a photo op. The irreplaceable Medallion has five decades of tradition in an Academy approaching its Centennial celebration. It is in my trust for one year. I didn’t tell anyone about this because the Medallion has six ounces of gold in a country where people have meager wages.

I had complete trust in Caspar and Hiliary, but there were 34 porters whom I had never met before and this was not something to announce in a Third World country. The very same porters who would risk life and limb to save one of the hikers down a cliff may be desperate to feed a family and hard pressed to turn away a life’s earnings in gold. I literally slept with the Medallion and never took it off my person in eleven days. Fortunately, the Medallion can be steamed cleaned at home along with me.

Hiking up a 46% grade on scree at 19,000 feet might affect the ability to think clearly. However, I found the opposite. After five days of hiking, the feet are on autopilot. The brutal eight hour assault at night from 15,200 feet to 19,340 feet leaves plenty of time for thinking in solitude. I thought about Laraine, how blessed I am to have her as a soul mate – the kids, the family, our wonderful friends, and the truly great people in my life who have passed. Found inspiration from my favorite composers – Rachmaninoff, Gershwin, Beethoven. The insight of Kipling and my favorite part of his poem “If”.

“If you can dream and not make dreams your master,
If you can think and not make thoughts your aim,
If you can meet with triumph and disaster
and treat those two impostors just the same…”

Academy of Prosthodontics Presidential Installation Acceptance Speech

Academy of Prosthodontics.
Presidential Installation speech, May 15, 2010
David W. Eggleston, DDS

Members, guests, and sponsors – welcome and thank you for being here. Thank you, Laraine, for your support, encouragement and help with this endeavor. I never could have done this without you. Our dear friends Michael and Kathy Gahagan are here tonight to share this evening with us. Michael is a world class periodontist, and Kathy is a world class vocalist. They are great friends.

Howard Landesman and Charles Goodacre are contemporaries of mine, but I always think of them as mentors – inspired by their incredible accomplishments. As many of you know, Charlie was President of the American College of Prosthodontists this past year at the same time he was President of this Academy. Only Charlie could do that. He is so gifted, so talented and so organized, he does the Deanship at Loma Linda in his spare time. Thank you Charlie, for a great year as President, and your many years of dedication and devotion to this Academy. I speak for everyone when I say you are very much appreciated.

And Howard. For 14 years, Howard was Dean at two different dental schools. Although not at the same time (in jest). Come on Howard (admonishing tone for not being Dean at 2 schools at the same time). Howard is a great fundraiser, and as noted on Wednesday evening, probably the best ever. Just like Charlie, Howard is a phenomenal clinician and clinical instructor. Howard and I go way, way back. We were classmates in grad pros at USC. There is something you should know about Howard. He has an identical twin named Ed. They are indistinguishable. Some time ago, Howard and Lynn were at the airport waiting to go off on their honeymoon. Howard glanced around and saw Ed. He thought it was so great that Ed would take time off work and come to the airport to wish him well on his honeymoon. Howard immediately jumped up and down, and waived and shouted to Ed to get his attention. As Howard was jumping up and down and shouting, he suddenly realized there was a mirror on the wall.

This is the 92nd annual meeting of the National Society of Denture Prosthetists. As you know, in 1940, the members voted to change the name of this organization, and I’m glad they did. Think about their commitment way back then. The meetings were two weeks long. The distant members spent 4 days on a train to get to the meeting, then another 4 days to get home – without a Blackberry, an iPhone, iPad, iPod, laptop, or Kindle. Imagine telling your office staff or university ‘I’m off to the meet the Prosthetists, back in 23 days”. They did this all the way through the Great Depression. Are we less committed, less dedicated, less devoted now? I don’t think so. Our students commit to a 3 year residency and a lifetime of learning, teaching, discovery and service to our patients, our communities, and our profession. Our task as the Academy of Prosthodontics is to build upon our legacy — our leadership of evidence based dentistry, the fellowship and scholarship of our meetings, our community outreach to underserved populations, the glossary of prosthodontic terms, our contributions to the prosthodontic literature, and the goals and objectives of the Academy Foundation, among many other activities of the Academy. We can make a difference and we do make a difference.

Some time ago, there was a cruise ship traveling at night off the East Coast of the United States and found itself on a collision course with a freighter. No problem, whenever two ships are on a collision course, every one at sea knows to turn right. Think about it. If ships are headed towards each other and they each turn right, they will go off in different directions. However, on this particular night, a young officer was at the helm of the freighter. He panicked, turned left, and crashed the freighter into the side of the cruise ship. The bow of the freighter went into a stateroom occupied by a woman sound asleep in her bed. The noise of heavy steel plates buckling, bending, shredding, and tearing apart woke her up. The momentum of the cruise ship pulled the two ships apart. Miracle of miracles, she was still alive, and still in her bed. However, the bed was now in the bow of a freighter. A few moments ago, I was an average citizen much like that woman. Now, I wake up and look around – everything has suddenly and dramatically changed. I have this enormous responsibility.

I’m not worried at all. I’ve got Sree Koka as the Secretary-Treasurer. He’s the engine of this operation. To top it off, we have J.T. as the Recording Secretary and the very competent Lea as administrative assistant. We have Tom Taylor as program chair, and Dave Felton as social events chair. I am looking forward to a wonderful meeting in Hilton Head next May, and you are all invited. During the year, we have an outstanding Executive Council and a great group of committee chairs to get things done. And we have a full agenda.

Today is Armed Forces Day, and I would like to conclude with a few comments. During the Vietnam War, I served as a Prosthodontist in the U.S. Air Force stationed in Washington, DC. I had the distinct honor of providing extensive prosthodontic treatment for six of our POW’s returning home from Hanoi. Each of them had been in captivity from four to eight years, under the most brutal conditions, not knowing if they would ever see their families or freedom again. They were true heroes. Nothing could have adequately prepared me for being in their presence. I thought, then and there, if I never treated another patient after them, it would be OK. Dental school, graduate prosthodontic training…it would all be worth it. That’s how I feel tonight with the honor of being President of this Academy. Thank you.

Hurricane Marty

Anatomy of a hurricane –
Lessons from, Ignacio, Marty, Nora & Olaf

David W. Eggleston, DDS
Skipper of the Megabite

Published in Western Outdoor News October 17, 2003

In 15 seasons prior to this year, La Paz, Baja California was visited by three hurricanes. This hurricane season produced two direct hits and a couple of near misses. The following revelations were made from close encounters of the third kind by a group of four couples in a 45 foot Bayliner – the Megabite.

Our party had the adventure of riding out Marty, a category 3 hurricane with moments of category 4. We experienced trumpeting gale force winds as we raced from San Jose Island to the haven of Marina Palmira in La Paz, arriving the evening of September 21st. Unsure of the dock cleats, we strapped the boat to the pilings. We consoled each other for three hours during North winds up to 140 miles per hour. Intermission was the catch-your-breath one hour eye, followed by a forget-me-not encore performance of winds from the West. The aftermath was torrential rain hiding the tears. Our boat faired well, however others were not as fortunate. Marty sank more than 100 boats in La Paz with extensive damage to many more.

Lessons learned — Weather service people earn their keep defining the current position and characteristics of a hurricane with updates on 6 hour intervals. They inform the mariner of current latitude, longitude, wind speed at multiple radii, movement bearing and velocity. However, their complex computer computations and algorithms for the predicted hurricane course are often surpassed by a dartboard. Predictions for hurricanes in the Eastern Pacific can be off 600 miles or more, even in the short term.

Nora’s northwest course abruptly, and unpredictably, turned 90 degrees to the east. Olaf was supposed to head for the Sea of Cortez. On the way, she hung an unexpected 180 degree hairpin turn. After retracing her steps for a hundred miles, she abruptly headed northeast avoiding the Sea of Cortez altogether.

Ignacio, the tortoise, plodded along with speeds of one to three knots its entire lifetime on a steady northwest course through Cabo, La Paz and Loreto. Marty, the hare, started out at three knots, then punched it up to 17 knots for most of its steady northwest course. Marty went from 300 miles south of Cabo all the way up to Loreto, a total distance of about 500 miles, in 24 hours. A surprise that nearly caught us exposed in the open seas.

Now, in the comfort of our home, we have time for reflections and new codes of conduct. If a hurricane is within four or five hundred miles, the safety conscious mariner should make preparations and act to secure the boat and passengers. The longitude and latitude of the hurricane is misleading as it pertains to the eye, not the edge. Do the math. The radius of a hurricane is typically 100 miles or more. Add another 50 miles of gale force winds and the ability of a hurricane to travel 240 miles in 12 hours (480 in 24 hours).

Two weeks after Marty, we cruised Espiritu Santo and Cerralvo Islands, carefully watching out for Nora and Olaf. We noted some of the aftermath of Marty. Two sailboats washed up on the shore reminded us of the many boats lost. The main green light buoy, a large cement structure on Scout Shoal at the entrance to La Paz in Lorenzo Channel, was missing. The navigation light tower at La Reina (Arrecife de la Foca) north of Cerralvo Island morphed into a twisted wreck at the bottom of the sea. Even the large cement base was tossed from its bed.

These horrific observations reinforced our memory of Marty’s howling, deafening winds and tempest seas. Outside the marina, the Megabite would have been no match for Marty – just a statistic to verify Nature’s indifference.