Optimal Oral Health for all Infants, Children, Adolescents and persons with special needs.
The Paedodontic Society of 2009 - The Committee
Dr Janet Gritzman (President), Dr Sumeera Yusufmia (Vice-President ),
Dr. Stephan Horwitz (Honoury Treasurer) , Prof. Sid Setzer,
Dr. Geoff Melman, Dr. Brad Selvan, Dr. Tony Widmonte(Honoury Secretary),
Dr. Anisa Pandor
The Paedodontic Society 2010 - Looking Forward
The Paedodontic Society of South Africa has come a long way.
It was started in 1980 by a group of young dentists who were genuinely
Interested in the welfare of their patients, intent on practicing the gold standard of dentistry and maintaining the high reputation of South African Dentists among the international community. Proudly a number of these dentists, namely Tony Widmonte, Geoff Melman and Prof Sid Setzer are still on the committee today.
In October 2000, the society was on the point of being disbanded when Prof. Lemmer came to the rescue. He recruited a committee including Dr Stephen Horwitz, Dr Bradley Selvan and Dr Paolo Agostinetto.
They started running very successful continuing education academic meetings.
In 2005 we developed a Paedodontic website.
www.ourchildrensteeth.co.za this is an excellent resource for both the dentists and the public.
In 2008 we became an active part of the global dental community.
In September of that year we hosted a group of 30 American Dentists, and became honourary members of the American Association of Paediatric Dentists,
Later in the year we became fully fledged members of the IAPD (International Association of Paediatric Dentistry),
And in November 2008 hosted the 1st African Regional Congress.
The Paedodontic Society is a great success story.
We have an incredible team. The Paedo committee.
Dr Janet Gritzman (President),Dr Sameera Yusufimia ( Vice President), Dr Stephen Horwitz(Honoury Treasurer), Dr Tony Widmonte (Secretary), Dr Brad Selvan, Dr Anisa Pandor, Dr Geoff Melman, Dr Marietjie Weakley, & Dr Steven Flax
We have proved we can run excellent meetings.
Bringing you top speakers which are interesting, informative and relevant for the general practitioner in private practice. Combined with an enjoyable social experience.
2010
2010 is a very special year for South Africa, it will go down in history as the year of the world cup.
But it is also a very special year in for the Paedo Society.
It will go down in history as the year the Paedo Soc really took wings and flew.
Our focus this year is to actively and seriously promote Dentists and Dentistry to the public. We intend to educate the South African public that oral health is an important component of one’s general health, and that looking after their childrens’ teeth is vital for their childrens’ appearance, their confidence, their functioning and this will impact on their general success in life.
Therefore definitely worth looking after.
We need to concentrate on wellness and prevention rather than cure.
The regular check-ups, fissure sealants, fluoride, tooth moose, fresh breath orthodontics etc.
We intend doing this by creating awareness, with our web site, monthly news letters and lectures to para medical people. Physios, OT’s, baby clinics
We have started:
Our web site is up and running.
We have a monthly, e-mail newsletter
We will be developing a proto type lecture which any dentist can use in to give information to the public.
It is only the beginning.
The potential is tremendous
I urge you –join us - get involved
Join the Paedodontic society
Visit our web site – www.ourchildrensteeth.co.za
Give us your e-mail details so we can send you our newsletters.
Become an active contributor
You are welcome to send our newsletters to your mailing lists
Or we can do it for you.
Together we can make it happen.
By Dr Janet Gritzman BA, BDS(Wits), P.D.D.(PTA)Dip Odont Endo(PTA), Dipl.Dent (Conscious Sedation & Pain Control)(UWC).
President of Paedodontic Society of South Africa
History of Paedodontic Society
The Paedodontic Society has a very long and proud history. It was started in 1980 by a group of young dentists who were genuinely interested in the welfare of their patients, intent on in practicing the gold standard of dentistry and maintaining the high reputation of South African Dentists among the international community. These dentists were Sid Setzer, John Lemmer, Tony Widmont, Goeff Melman, Alec Rifkin, Monty Rosen, and Peter Bridges.
They put money in, wrote a constitution, and met on a regular basis at the old Dental Association House in Parktown. Geoff Melman designed the Paedodontic logo. 1986 was the first international congress with Ronald Jordon. They also put together a motivation to have Paedodontics registered as a speciality which was unsuccessful. The Paedodotic society ran successfully for many years.
In October 2000 the society was on the point of being disbanded. Professor John Lemmer undertook to resurrect the society. He recruited a committee consisting of Dr Stephen Horwitz, Dr Bradley Selvan, and Dr Paolo Agostinetto. Professor John Lemmer was president of this committee. This committee ran the Paedodontic Society very successfully for 3 years. In 2003 three of the members wished to stand down. Again Prof. Lemmer came to the rescue and head hunted a new committee.
The new committee consisting of Dr. Janet Gritzman, Dr Stephen Horwitz, Dr Sameera Yusufmia, Dr Ana-Paula De Frietas and Dr Eurika Hogewind. This very vibrant and enthusiastic core have again put the Paedodontic society on the map. In August 2004 Dr Anisa Pandor joined the society. Unfortunately in January 2005 Dr Eurika Hogewind resigned due to family commitments. In September 2005 Professor Sid Setzer, Dr Tony Widmonte, Dr Geoff Melman, and Dr Bradley Selvan joined the committee which has been strengthened by their presence. Some of the projects we have been involved in are: continuing education meetings and congresses for dentists, devlopement of the paedodontic web site, community projects aimed at uplifting the oral health of children in Africa particularly South Africa.