Dear Members and Colleagues,

The decade is off to a great start as the College embarks on finalizing a new strategic plan. Approximately 700 people participated in our recent Membership Survey and I want to thank you all for taking the time to share your thoughts. We highly appreciate your feedback, which directly informs the College’s updated strategic plan and direction for years to come. We look forward to sharing with you what we have in store.

As we begin 2020, I’d like to remind everyone to invest time in your own health and wellness, which is just important as the health of our patients. Take care of yourself to avoid burnout, which can lead to increased risk in errors of judgement. In case you missed it, this editorial was published in the December issue of the OOOO Journal. The start of the year is a great time to reflect on our priorities and set personal goals for the health of our bodies and minds.

Preparations are in full swing for this year’s meetings and courses. We strive to continue to offer a yearly program that upholds our mission of providing excellent education and events that promote fellowship. Please take advantage of your membership discount and join us for one of these exciting meetings. You can view the calendar of upcoming events at acoms.org/education.

Of particular note is our Annual Meeting, which will be a special joint conference with the Latin American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and Traumatology (ALACIBU). Registration is now open for the 2020 ALACIBU & ACOMS International Meeting. Shake off the cold and join us June 14 – 17 in sunny South Florida. The meeting will focus on new approaches to overcoming challenges of modern oral and maxillofacial surgeons in both North and South America. I hope to see you there.

Best regards,
Kevin L. Rieck, DDS, MD, FACS