At the 12th Academy of Laser Dentistry Annual Session held April 6-9 in New Orleans, Dr. Steven Parker became ALD's President for 2005-06.
Dr. Parker is the first dentist practicing outside the United States to be inducted as President. Speaking at the Installation Ceremony, Dr. Parker thanked ALD members for the opportunity to serve the Association and identified the new strategic plan 2010 as a major focus of his presidential year.
"The strategic plan that the Board approved last Monday is a collaborative voice of the participants in Atlanta representing each stakeholder group. We intend to bring together our corporate members, academics, researchers and clinicians to work towards upholding certification standards for dental laser education. We hope to better communicate the role of lasers in dentistry in order to see this modality broaden as a mainstream tool used by dentists on a daily basis to treat our patients," said Dr. Parker.
Dr. Parker studied dentistry at University College Hospital Medical School, University of London, UK and graduated in 1974. He is in private practice in Harrogate, UK. From 1982-97, he worked part-time in the department of oral and maxillo-facial surgery, Harrogate District Hospital. He holds Fellowship and Diplomate Status with the International Congress of Oral Implantologists.
Dr. Parker has been involved in the use of lasers in dentistry since 1990. Prior to joining the Academy of Laser Dentistry in 1993, he was President of the British Dental Laser Association. He joined the Board of Directors of the Academy in 1996 and became chair of the International Relations Committee. From 1999-2004, he was chair of the Committee for Proficiency Recognition and co-editor of "Wavelengths", the journal of the Academy of Laser Dentistry. He was awarded the Leon Goldman award for Excellence in Clinical Laser Dentistry by the Academy in 1998.
Dr. Parker holds Advanced Proficiency status in multiple laser wavelengths and completed the Academy Educator Course at UCSF in 2000. He is a Recognized Course Provider with the Academy. He has held consultancies with multiple laser companies and has presented courses, lectures and workshops worldwide. He has authored numerous articles on the use of lasers in dentistry, including a chapter "The Use of Lasers in Fixed Prosthodontics" in the 2004 Dental Clinics of North America textbook.
