NEWSROOM

Daniel J. Buksa renews the association industry's highest professional credential after nearly three decades of service to AGD

Happy Halloween from your favorite people who ask you how often you're flossing! Wishing our entire dental community a fun, safe, and cavity-conscious Halloween!

Today is World Smile Day, which means it's basically a holiday created just for us. 😄🦷 We spend every single day in the business of smiles, and we wouldn't have it any other way. Here's to the dental professionals who make the world a little brighter, one patient at a time.

October is Dental Hygiene Month and we couldn't let it pass without celebrating the backbone of our profession: our incredible dental hygienists! Every day, dental hygienists show up with compassion, precision, and dedication. Their work is invaluable, and this month we want to make sure they know it.

The October issue of AGD Impact is live! Coverage this month includes an examination of how AI is reshaping judgment, trust and accountability in dentistry and more!

Whether you’ve already completed the requirements or are nearing the finish line, your hard work deserves national recognition. Plan your final steps and submit an FAGD, MAGD or LLSR application by Dec. 31 to walk the stage at AGD2027 in Chicago.

AGD has signed on to a letter calling on Congress to pass the REDI Act (S. 942/H.R. 2028), a bipartisan bill that would restore interest deferment on federal student loans for physicians and dentists during residency and internship training.

This month, AGD Impact Testing the Tools reviewer Ross Isbell, DDS, MBA, a general dentist in Gadsden, Alabama, evaluated three products shaping daily practice.

AGD is working to address the most pressing issues faced by our members as we advocate to government entities for general dentists.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently released new webpages emphasizing the importance of professional supervision and in-person evaluation for prescription clear aligner treatment, resources that AGD supports. The new materials underscore key patient-safety principles that AGD has long advocated.

For the first time, the AGD Fellowship Review Course and Exam will take place at the Greater New York Dental Meeting. Join us Nov. 29 to Dec. 1 at the Javits Convention Center for 16 CE hours, comprehensive exam prep and testing.

On September 18, 2026, National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director Jay Bhattacharya, M.D., Ph.D., announced the appointment of Jonathan E. Burke, D.M.D., to serve as director of the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR).

On September 16, 2026, the House Energy and Commerce Committee held a Full Committee markup of legislation to enhance American technological development and strengthen communications networks.

On September 15 and 16, 2026, the Senate Committee on Finance and the Senate HELP Committee examined the nomination of Mr. Chris Klomp to serve as Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS).

On September 15, 2026, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on health held a hearing entitled, Examining Legislative Proposals to Reform Medicare Provider Payment and Bolster Health Care Cybersecurity.

Nearly 40 health organizations call on lawmakers to restore interest deferment for medical and dental residents

Some of the emotional tolls of dentistry include the relentless pursuit of approval, achievement and perfection. AGD Impact Wellness columnist Maggie Augustyn, DDS, FAGD, details her decision to leave behind external validation; grieve an old identity; and embrace stillness, self-love and simplicity. Through this shift, she finds freedom, health, presence and a truer sense of self.

Know someone who should be part of AGD? Through Sept. 30, your referral gets 50% off dues, and you’ll earn $50 in Referral Rewards when they join. It’s a simple way to help a colleague discover the value of AGD — and get rewarded for making the connection.

AGD spokesperson Maggie Augustyn, DDS, FAGD, examines achievement, professional pressure and redefining success

Transillumination highlights opacities, cracks and other surface defects in enamel. A literature review in the latest issue of General Dentistry covers this and other minimally invasive strategies for diagnosing and treating developmental enamel defects.