Formation 1920 Location International | Headquarters Flint, MI, USA Membership 12,000 (2012) | |
Motto Recognizing Service and the Opportunity to Serve Type Professional association | ||
The International College of Dentists (ICD) is the world's oldest and largest honor society for dentists who work to improve the profession through sharing and disseminating advances in dental knowledge and who seek to benefit their communities through voluntary service.
Contents
History of the Organization
The International College of Dentists was conceived at a farewell party for Dr. Louis Ottofy when he was returning home to the United States after practicing dentistry in the Philippines and Japan for 23 years. A colleague, Dr. Tsurukichi Okumura, a Japanese dentist, also urged Dr. Ottofy to form an international organization.
Six years later, at an International Dental Congress in Philadelphia, U.S.A. the group of dentists met again to finalize the concept of the ICD then on New Year's Eve of 1927 the College was announced with Drs. Ottofy and Okumura as the Co-Founders.
Originally, 250 dentists from 162 countries accepted the Fellowship oath. The group was selected based on an international reputation and participation in the FDI World Dental Federation. Each Fellow was given the task of nominating other dentists for membership based with the following instructions.
Growth of the Organization
In the year following the initial formation of the ICD membership grew such that autonomous regions were required. Dentists who are inducted into the organization place the post-nominals FICD with their name. In the 1960s the Philippines section grew then the Middle East section. In the 1980s the South American section was formed. Today, the organization boasts a membership of approximately 11,000 (2009) from hundreds of countries.
The ICD has created a Strategic Plan that will allow it to honor the top 2% of dentists worldwide, for service in leadership, humanitarian care, teaching, research, or service to society. ICD Fellows adhere to a special code of conduct that stresses service above self, a high degree of ethical conduct, and a significant personal commitment to service to our patient, and to those who are not yet our patients.
Bring together outstanding members of the profession
The ICD brings together members of the profession through regular local meetings of the fellows, arranging exchanges of students from around the world and recognizing meritorious service on the part of dentists. For instance, in 2008 Dr. Moriyama, the ICD president, presented recognition plaques to dentists, students and donors in Delhi and Agra. For many countries, induction of professionals into the College is considered a point of pride. Each year, the president of the ICD travels the world visiting various schools, organizations and leaders to promote oral health.
Cultivate humanitarian efforts
In 2008, fifteen ICD Fellows of Myanmar Region 34 with eight assistants went to cyclone-affected townships in the Delta and Dadeyae areas, providing free dental care and making some donations to the people in the camps under the name of the ICD organization. Over 235 patients were treated. Similar dental missions occur throughout the year and around the world to underserviced areas under the name of the ICD. Other projects are sponsored by ICD around the world., For a more detailed list of humanitarian projects see the list at ICD USA Projects
Advance the art and science of dentistry
The ICD is working with King's College, London to promote the International Virtual Dental School IVIDENT with the aim of providing some dental courses through an online environment. The benefit is that specialist and advanced dental education and leading research can eventually be brought to dentists in remote areas where experts are not available for continuing education.
Improve the welfare of the public internationally
In Vietnam and Cambodia training for public health dentistry has been limited because of funds and experts in the field. Through an ICD sponsored program, roughly 40% of the public health dentists were given additional training. Another 20% of them went on to receive higher education (graduate) degrees in public health dentistry. While these programs do not directly provide care to patients in either country, they develop practical skills for dentists in designing programs for their populations. The organization has also worked to increase fluoridation in developing countries with high decay rates.
Communications
To keep members and the public up to date about the activities of the ICD publications are published by each of the autonomous sections and most maintain their own web sites. The ICD Headquarters also publishes an annual journal called The Globe and a quarterly newsletter called The College Today