Dr Philip Friel took over the presidency of the Association of Dental Implantology (ADI) – the representative body of implant dentistry in the UK – for the 2013-2015 term at the Association’s AGM and Members’ National Forum on Saturday 9 November 2013.
Dr Friel has had an active involvement with the ADI over the last seven years, firstly as a local ADI Study Club host then ADI treasurer followed by ADI secretary.
Dr Philip Friel BSc (Hons) BDS MFDS RCS (Edin) MRCPS (Glas) qualified from the University of Glasgow in 2000 with degrees in anatomy and dentistry. He is a member of the Royal College of Surgeons, Edinburgh and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons, Glasgow, and currently heads a large private general practice in Glasgow, where he has built his implant referral clinic over the last eight years. He is heavily involved in teaching, mentoring and lecturing on many aspects of dental implantology for a number of implant and bio-material manufacturers.
‘The ADI has been guided by many renowned and altruistic presidents, therefore the honour and weight of responsibility is great. I am well aware of this but am certainly up to the challenge,’ said Dr Friel. ‘I have many ideas and plans that I hope to accomplish during my time as ADI president, but it is not really about me, it’s about us and what we as an association can accomplish by working together and sharing inputs and ideas to work efficiently to promote best practice within the industry.’
During Dr Friel’s term, his strategy for the ADI includes exciting plans for educational options and courses; developing relationships and interaction with like-minded associations; improving operational facilities and member benefits; and modernising the association and increasing ADI membership numbers of young dentistry professionals. This target will be boosted by the ADI’s recent step to offer free membership to students studying dental courses in the UK, and the introduction of a reduced price membership, for any clinician within their first five years of graduating.
Professor Cemal Ucer, ADI president for the 2011-2013 term, stepped down from the position and was thanked during the AGM at the Members’ National Forum for his dedication and guidance over the last two years.
The new ADI committee was also announced at the AGM, after self-nominations and votes were collected from ADI members in their respective regions. Committee members take on active responsibility for furthering the ADI’s aims and objectives as serving trustees of the association as a registered charity. Again, the past ADI Committee members were thanked for their service as they provided a wealth of knowledge and expertise to further progress ADI’s work.
Speaking about the newly appointed ADI committee, Dr Friel said: ‘We now have one of the most enthusiastic and involved committees I have known in my time with the ADI. There is a great deal of experience, along with fresh faces with innovative ideas, so we aim to achieve great things.’
The new ADI committee retained Dr Simon Wright as the director of education and now has appointed Dr David Speechley as secretary/treasurer. Mr Robert Dyas now holds the ADI president elect position, to commence presidency in 2015. Other ADI committee members can be seen at www.adi.org.uk/profession/committee.php.
