Dear Colleagues,

I look forward to a beginning, a beginning of a new adventure, an adventure that will build on the success already achieved by our past President Deborah Cartee and the Presidents that came before her. No adventure is fulfilled if taken alone, so on this adventure, I am blessed to be joined by a leadership team that I am so looking forward to working with.

Our new leadership team is so important not just because they are warm, talented and caring but because they represent our future and represent the theme for this upcoming year that we together embark on. Together, we embark on a trip that will show us today what the future leadership of MDHA will be. Our theme for this coming year is "Fostering Future Leaders" and our leadership team for this year is the perfect beginning.

What a wonderful start but this is not enough. To be truly successful this year we have to prepare ourselves and our association to nurture the seeds that will encourage growth, membership and the willingness of our future colleagues to take our place as we move forward.

As many of you know, the University of Maryland has meant so much to me and my family. If you have had a chance to visit our sister campus in College Park undoubtedly you have seen the mascot of the campus the Maryland Terrapin. The nickname was coined in 1932 by Dr. Harry C. "Curley" Byrd, then the school's football coach and later the school's president. Byrd thought "Terrapins" was a good choice because the terrapins were endemic to the Chesapeake Bay region.

An interesting choice for Dr. Byrd. A Terrapin is a turtle and turtle are known as being slow, steady and persistent. Careful, deliberate and plans ahead. Perhaps this is not the reason that Dr. Byrd chose a Terp for Maryland’s mascot but it is the reason that I would like to choose the Terp to represent our forthcoming year.

So, we will plan, we will mentor, we will be steady and we will be deliberate. During this upcoming year we will build our future team of leaders; person by person; component by component. I ask you to join me and work with me to build the MDHA of not today but of tomorrow.

Better Together,

Marion C. Manski, RDH, MS

President

SAVE THE DATES:

Annual Lobby Day in Annapolis, Friday January 27, 2012. We will again meet with our legislators to discuss our profession and legislation for 2012.

Our successful Sealant Days will continue for 2012 at the following dental hygiene programs:

• 2/4/12 Community College Baltimore County Sealant Saturday
• 3/3/12 University of Maryland School of Dentistry Perryville MD Sealant Saturday
• 3/24/12 Baltimore City Community College Sealant Saturday
• 4/11/12 University of Maryland School of Dentistry Eastern Shore Wednesday
• MDHA’s Spring Scientific Session April 14-15, 2010 (NOTE: Saturday and Sunday) Universities at Shady Grove, Rockville MD
• ADHA’s Annual Session June 13-19, 2012, Phoenix AZ

Thank You