Bill Klaproth (host): This is AAOMS On the Go. I'm Bill Klaproth. And today, I'm very honored to welcome the 2025-2026 AAOMS president, Dr. Bob Clark, as he reflects on a remarkable year focused on the theme Together We Thrive: Celebrating Family and Our AAOMS Community. Dr. Clark, welcome.

Dr. Bob Clark: Hey, Bill. It's good to talk to you. It seems like it was just the other day we had this conversation at the beginning of my term.

Host: That's right. So, it's great to kind of put a bookend on it, Dr. Clark, and thank you so much for your time. We appreciate it. So tell me, what was the guiding principle behind your leadership this year as president? Give us the refresh on that.

Dr. Bob Clark: So as you said, the theme for the year was Together We Thrive: Celebrating Family and Our AAOMS Community. And really, the goal of that was to celebrate all the people that support our profession and support the surgeons that make up our profession. Our corporate partners have been great supporters for years, and we added a few new partners to our AAOMS Advantage Program.

Certainly, the administrative clinical staff and all the people in each person's office are crucial to how we deliver care and take care of patients. Obviously, the team at AAOMS is somebody that is absolutely essential to at least what I do and the board of trustees does and all our committees. I don't know what we would do without them. And I think I can speak for all the families, certainly for my family, without their love and support, there is no way I could do the things I do in my practice. And the roles I've had on the board of trustees at AAOMS.

Host: Dr. Clark, you've talked about the importance of community. So, where did you see that spirit of collaboration make the biggest difference this year?

Dr. Bob Clark: We had a couple of really good events that brought together surgeons from around the country. The State Leadership Conference brought a number of leaders and executives from state and regional organizations to talk about issues that we face, and that was well-attended. Always is a good conference.

We had our second Program Directors Conference, and it included 68 faculty representing 58 of our residency programs. So, more than half the programs were there. They shared their challenges. And really, I thought the thing that was the best about that is, when we broke for a snack break or for a lunch break, instead everybody running out and get in line, they all stood in the room and were talking. So, I think that collaboration will pay a lot of dividends in the future.

I think our advocacy efforts on Capitol Hill are very important, but one of the things that perhaps is less considered is the advocacy efforts at the American Dental Association. At the very beginning of my term, we managed to help get three resolutions passed that will hopefully pave the way to solve some issues we've had at the ADA with their pediatric use guidelines for sedating pediatric patients.

That particular issue has been bedeviling us for probably about 11 years, and there's been board and president and president and board for years and years and years that have been fighting this battle. So hopefully, we're getting to a point where that will be resolved.

Host: Advocacy was clearly a major focus during your presidential year. What do you think members may not always see about the work that happens behind the scenes that would be good for them to know?

Dr. Bob Clark: Well, certainly, our team are just absolutely fabulous in arranging the day on the Hill and advocacy efforts at the state and local level. They certainly supported members and supported our specialty. I was allowed to give a check to a congressman who's running for office in Kentucky and discuss issues that are before oral maxillofacial surgeons.

Those kind of things I think people aren't always aware of, but are very important. And obviously, going to Capitol Hill, speaking with one voice and being allowed to talk to congressmen and present our issues is very important to the specialty. Obviously, it's a very long-term effort. And with everything that happens in Washington, the gears seem to grind slowly, but I feel that we made some progress. And then, again, the ADA stuff, I won't go into that again, but I feel like we're making headway in addressing the pediatric sedation issues that have been before us.

Host: And I know Day on the Hill is very important too and well-received.

Dr. Bob Clark: It is. The Day on the Hill was excellent. Day on the Hill was well-attended, and we got to speak, I tell you, I think about 150 congressmen. I think there were about 90 surgeons that attended Day on the Hill. So, we had a good attendance, good engagement with the congressmen. It seemed like the ones that I talked to were certainly open and engaged in the issues and were knowledgeable. So hopefully, that will pay dividends in the future.

Like I said, this is a long-term thing. So, it's going to take a while. But every time we go up there, I feel we make a little more progress.

Host: Well, that engagement is really important, getting people involved in the process and meeting legislators. I know the feedback is really always positive on that. And it's really good for the specialty. Like you said, you had 90 surgeons with you to be able to meet the legislators. So, I think that's really important.

Dr. Bob Clark: I agree.

Host: So, I know that you also made strengthening practices, and that's one of the things that we always focus n the podcast, is we always have an eye on the practices. That was one of the things that you made as one of your core points as well. Why was strengthening practices so important to you?

Dr. Bob Clark: Well, I came up through the coding committees and understanding how the coding system works and how to bill and be reimbursed appropriately is obviously crucial to keeping the doors open and your staff paid and everybody happy. So, learning how to do these things and having the doctors be engaged in this is very important. And we've increased and modified our coding courses. We've tried to make them more pertinent and tried to incur doctors' attendance so that they understand the importance of billing and reimbursement. We've continued to provide training and continuing education for the services, and then also for professional staff, both back office staff and assistants and nurses, and also for the front desk in patient management, practice management and tried to beef up these opportunities. I think all these things are very important to strengthening practices.

Host: And your theme also included celebrating family and the AAOMS community. So, how did that extend beyond the surgeon to the broader OMS team?

Dr. Bob Clark: So, we continue to sponsor courses to prepare our assistants to function in the operating suite. We have anesthesia assistant review course. We have a assistants' hands-on training that allows for use with mannequins to help prepare them for emergency situations. We've mandated quarterly mock drills in the office and as a part of our office anesthesia evaluation, and I can tell you in my office, these have been very beneficial in preparing people for emergencies.

There are also a number of other courses offered that provide training for billing, reimbursement, front desk and basically business management to help keep the practice running smoothly.

The DAANCE certifying examination continues, and that strengthens knowledge base of our surgical assistants and the people who help us with anesthesia monitoring to ensure our patient safety is at the highest level possible.

Host: So you have a unique point of view being the AAOMS president. So, looking at the future of the specialty, what areas give you the most optimism?

Dr. Bob Clark: I think for me, one of the best things this year was the Program Directors Conference. Seeing the engagement of all of our attendings and all those that are involved in teaching the residents who are going to frankly be the future of our specialty was very heartening. You know, these people, they talked quite a bit. There was a lot of free exchange of ideas. They had great engagement amongst each other. And I think that'll pay dividends in the future.

This was the second year we ever did this, and attendance last year was very good. This year was even better, and I hope as we continue to sponsor this, we'll have even greater and greater attendance. So, that alone was just one of the best things I had seen.

Obviously, being president of AAOMS, I also got to engage with a lot of people who are interested in being involved in leadership and being involved in committee work. All this stuff is voluntary. It doesn't pay. People do it out of the goodness of their heart and the love for our specialty. And to see the number of people who were asking for committee assignments, asking for work, for things that they could be engaged was fantastic. I would tell you also that our representatives at the ADA House of Delegates at our oral maxillofacial surgeons really worked hard to push those resolutions across the finish line that I discussed earlier. And having people that are willing to take the time to serve in the ADA House of Delegates was also very heartening. And hopefully, we continue to expand those efforts.

Host: And then, Dr. Clark, I know that increasing public awareness and trust in the OMS specialty was really important to you. Can you talk about why that is so important for patients to better understand what oral and maxillofacial surgeons do?

Dr. Bob Clark: I mean, obviously, awareness of what we do, what our scope of practice is, our safety record, all these things will increase confidence in the public to seek treatment from oral and maxillofacial surgeons. It'll help guide them to the correct practitioner for the things that are going on that require treatment for them.

This year, we redesigned the myoms.org website to make it easier for patients to navigate and to provide better information, and that was a big step forward for us. We also began a Milestones campaign that collaborated with the American Dental Association and the American Academy of Orthodontics that can extend our reach and our knowledge to patients so they know when to consult specialists for common maladies. All of this things just helps patients understand the breadth and depth of what we do as a specialty.

Host: So as you wrap up your presidency, and thank you so much for your service, what do you hope members take away from your year?

Dr. Bob Clark: I think biggest thing in my mind is perseverance. We have been struggling with this anesthesia issue for years, and much like the issues that face us on the the federal level, they require sustained effort. They require effort from multiple people in the specialty. So, I hope that persistence is something that we can carry forward, that people will continue to participate in in Day on the Hill, that they will continue with anesthesia advocacy and get involved with the ADA, that they'll be willing to put forth their time and effort to help advance the specialty, because a lot of this work is thankless. But it certainly gives you personal satisfaction and, you know, what you're doing for your colleagues is immeasurably valuable.

Host: Yeah. What's that old saying? Perseverance pays off. So, that is so true. So true. Well, Dr. Clark, thank you so much for sharing your reflections and for your dedication to excellence in the oral and maxillofacial surgery specialty and to AAOMS. We really appreciate this.

Dr. Bob Clark: Thank you, Bill, and thank you for taking the time to talk to me again. As we round up to the end, I probably sound a lot more tired and haggard than I did at the beginning, but such is life.

Host: Well, that means you worked hard. That's what that means. And it was a successful tenure, that's for sure. So, thank you so much again. We appreciate it.

Dr. Bob Clark: Thank you, Bill.

Host: Yep. Once again, that is Dr. Bob Clark. And if you would like more information, please, you can always visit AAOMS.org. Once again, that's AAOMS.org. And if you enjoyed this podcast, please share it on your social media and make sure you subscribe so you don't miss a future episode on dental advocacy, leadership, and the future of oral healthcare. That's what we talk about on this podcast. I'm Bill Klaproth. This is AAOMS On the Go. Thanks for listening.