Eighty-two years have gone by since the idea of the International College of Dentists was conceived by our founders. Over the course of its momentous history, the ICD has experienced substantial growth both in membership as well as in stature around the world. Its accomplishments have been many over that period of time and have served to tangibly proclaim the vision of its architects and early pioneers. Today, as we proceed into a new century and a new millennium, the College must strive to maintain the positive momentum, which has contributed to that growth and renew its constitutional commitments in order to live up to the enviable status it has achieved.

While ICD Fellows around the globe have valid reasons to be proud of the College's remarkable history and may validly take credit for some of its more recent accomplishments, that should never allow us to become self-satisfied or to rest on our laurels. In order to retain the hard-earned but well-deserved reputation and respect which has accrued to our College, it should be our aim, indeed our duty, to reach for new heights of achievement by setting goals and objectives worthy of our distinguished organization. To do this will, I would suggest, require a critical examination of the past, an honest assessment of the present and thoughtful consideration of the future. I believe that we should embark on such a course of action in the hope that the College will in this way immediately benefit from our collective wisdom and renewed determination to do what is right for its continued progress and vitality. The guiding principles, which I believe will contribute to the achievement of that objective, can be summarized under four distinct, albeit interdependent headings: Leadership, Planning, Communication and Commitment.

To paraphrase a guest speaker at a recent ICD induction: "Managers manage while leaders effect change." To lead implies movement and transition, otherwise stagnation sets in, convention becomes entrenched, and an organization risks lulling itself into paralyzing complacency. As President, it will be my first duty to live up to the confidence and expectations of all who have so generously granted me the opportunity and privilege to serve in that capacity. In concrete terms, that implies providing the vision necessary to sustain the College, today as well as into the future. It implies retaining a strong focus on the mission and objectives collectively set for the College. It implies seeking input and building consensus. It implies responsible fiscal stewardship and the willingness to defend the integrity and interests of the College to the very best of one's abilities.

Since the ICD is essentially an organization comprised of leaders in their own right, it will be my aim to mobilize and activate that tremendous pool of expertise and energy and to act as a catalyst to maximize its truly remarkable potential. Leading an "army of leaders" can be a daunting task indeed, but one worth the effort in view of the extraordinary results to be achieved. It is my honest hope that, by providing a personal example in this respect, all of our leaders at both Council and Section levels will be motivated and encouraged to perform not simply to their individual capacity but indeed to their extraordinary potential, and thus provide the impetus needed to achieve and even surpass our common objectives.

Leadership that is innovative and pro-active, visible and accountable, reliable and consistent - that is the type of leadership which is envisioned to move the College toward greater summits of stature and achievement. It is the type of leadership which will hopefully be generated over the coming months, and the coming years.

One of the western world's best known and often quoted personalities, Yogi Berra, is reported to have stated: "If you don't know where you're going, you're bound to end up somewhere else!"... 
I firmly believe that, as its mandated leaders, we must establish a clear vision for the College extending well into the next decade, along with achievable and measurable milestones designed to gauge our success and fully validate our efforts. To do that will require a re-evaluation of our purpose and objectives in order to confirm their continued validity in the light of changing contemporary circumstances. It will also require the establishment of reasonable goals for the College's progress into the future. Consequently, I would suggest that we should, at the earliest opportunity, engage in some form of "strategic thinking". Realizing that time and other constraints may not allow a full-blown standard program complete with speakers, facilitators and the like, I would like to seek your views and advice on how best we can approach this requirement. In any event, I intend to introduce a strategic planning session at the next annual meeting of Council in New Orleans this fall, and I have asked our Secretary-General to include a two-hour period specifically reserved for that purpose.

Furthermore, I would like to see this type of activity recur on a yearly basis. I envision it initially as an informal "think tank" or brainstorming session, preferably away from the actual boardroom, where everyone can present their views in a more relaxed and uninhibited atmosphere. The concept would simply be to discuss where we feel the College is today, exchange ideas on some of the challenges it currently faces, discuss viable solutions to those challenges, and determine where the College should be in the future. I see this as a beneficial and healthy process, which can ultimately provide exceptional dividends, for the College as well as for all participants. While some may question the value of such an exercise at this time, I would counter that no serious, self-respecting, and progressive organization can afford not to occasionally take stock of where it is and where it proposes to be in the future. I look forward to receiving any additional ideas you may have regarding this activity as well as any suggestions as to some of the issues or topics you feel should be addressed during the session. I can assure you that I have a few in mind!...

This has been a fundamental tenet of our organization since its very inception. Without effective communication, our College would simply cease to exist. It is the means by which personal contacts and long-lasting associations are made, valuable information is exchanged, professional knowledge is disseminated, and College matters are addressed in a cooperative and effective way.

Communication can take on many different forms, from physical presence to the spoken and written word. Because of its essential importance, it will be one of my primary objectives to encourage and enhance all types of communication. I intend to do this by improving lines of communication between all levels of the College, by establishing a clearer focus for this activity within Council, by undertaking to personally visit as many Sections as possible, by participating in the maximum number of annual meetings and inductions as will be reasonably feasible, by increasing the usefulness and relevance of the Globe, and by ensuring a continuous two-way flow of information, using all forms of modern media, including an effective electronic web site. In this latter context, it is my intention to build on the momentum established by my predecessor by emphasizing the activities of our Information Technology team and mandating it to seek out novel ways to ensure that the College gleans maximum advantage from this new capability. 

Commitment implies much more than merely being "involved". It implies total engagement - being a stakeholder in the success or failure of an enterprise. While the President of an organization may have a key role to play in its progress or demise, few can ever aspire to accomplish anything of great note without the willing assistance and complete commitment of all those who form part of that organization. In accepting the chain of office, I have personally committed myself to providing the leadership, which the College expects and fully deserves. And I firmly intend to fulfill those duties to the very best of my knowledge and abilities. However, one would expect likewise from all members of our Council, as well as from the leadership and Fellows of all constituent Sections of the College worldwide. 

Our collective mission is to ensure that our College is indeed the preeminent honorary dental organization in the world, and we can achieve that by individually committing ourselves to implementing the precepts of our recently approved motto, namely by continuing to recognize deserving members of our profession for fellowship and by continuing to recognize opportunities to extend a helping hand to those in need of our assistance. Each and everyone of us must endeavor to increase the membership of our College by making a conscientious and concerted effort to identify those many potential candidates within our profession who meet the high standards expected for fellowship. In an ideal world, this would very likely translate into the induction of our ten thousandth member before the year 2002 comes to an end. Realistically, if we all put our shoulder to the task, our numbers could very closely reach that mark.

In a similar vein, we must continue to engage in concrete and tangible activities, which will bring credit to the College and bolster its credibility and relevance. We live in a context of competing organizations, all vying for stature and predominance within a very restricted field. We must ensure that we do everything within our capacity to win the esteem and prestige, which our College fully warrants, not only by virtue of its historical precedence but also because of the unquestionable qualifications of its members and their unconditional commitment to uphold its honorable values and ideals. The outstanding talents and skills and proven track record of our membership is nothing short of awesome. From that perspective alone, our capacity to do well is quasi unlimited. All that is required is the determination and the commitment to do the right thing. With the cooperation and assistance of Council and that of the College leadership at large, I hope to enlist that commitment among all of our Fellows.

Admittedly, this is a substantial and perhaps somewhat ambitious agenda, one which no individual fellow of the College, regardless of experience or position, can ever achieve single-handedly. I will therefore be relying heavily on this Council as well as on all Section Presidents and other ICD leaders worldwide to contribute their knowledge, their wise counsel and, most importantly, their goodwill and practical assistance toward its ultimate achievement. To genuine leaders, even the impossible is viewed as a challenge, thereby reducing everyday difficulties and commonplace obstacles to the level of mere inconveniences and passing travails to be overtaken along the road to progress. If we can look back on 2002 and be genuinely satisfied that we have given it our very best effort, then we can justifiably stand tall and proud, for our College will have become a greater organization, in the eyes of our Fellows, our profession and the people we propose to serve.

Victor J. Lanctis,
2002 President 
International College of Dentists