It’s fall 2023. Richard J. Rosato, D.M.D., is ending his four-year term on the ADA Board of Trustees, ready to devote all of his time to his family and oral and maxillofacial surgery practices. But, and it may be cliché to say, these were truly unprecedented times.
The trauma of COVID was still in the air. Dentists were still struggling to find people to join their teams. Science had become political, and health care was under attack. And within organized dentistry, there was a need to bolster partnerships with the state and local dental societies.
“We needed to listen to our peers and ask, ‘How can we come together?’ Especially during a time where there seemed to be a lack of acknowledgement for science within oral health. This is a time for us to be together if there ever was. Our profession is under attack,” Dr. Rosato said during an interview. “That was a huge reason why I went to my wife, Laurie, and she said, ‘What’s going on? You haven’t slept well in three days.’ I said, ‘I need to run.’ And I’ll always remember her response. She said, ‘Well, it’s about time. We’ve all been waiting.’”